Most people are familiar with the various arguments against using illegal drugs, and with the debates surrounding the varied health effects of drugs. However, the effects of using illegal drugs can reach far beyond your health, and into your wallet. According to the Bay Area Recovery Center, quite apart from the fact that illegal drugs are often expensive (because doing business on the shady side of the law always costs more), illegal drugs have the capacity to drain your bank account in ways you might not have considered.
Health Costs
You’re probably already aware of the potential health risks of illegal drugs, but have you considered how much those health risks can cost you? At the extreme end of things, consider the fact that the average emergency room visit costs around $2000 before insurance. You may think you won’t end up overdosing and land yourself in a hospital, and maybe you won’t, but remember that the health effects of drugs range from lowering your immune system, to liver failure, to heart problems. All of these things mean more visits to the doctor, more need for prescription medication and more expenses for you.
Employment Costs
Drugs can cost you your job. Even if you never get so strung out that you start missing work or your performance suffers, remember that 39 percent of employers require random drug testing for their employees. That’s completely aside from the 84 percent who have mandatory drug testing as a prerequisite for employment. It goes without saying that not having a job is going to be bad for your finances.
Social Costs
It’s bad enough that a drug problem can cost you your family and friends. But there are much more literal costs here too. If your spouse leaves you, remember that the average cost of a divorce in the U.S. is estimated anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000. On top of that, if you ever do get arrested, a criminal defense attorney isn’t going to come cheap, and if you’re convicted, even for a misdemeanor level offense, you may be looking at paying up to $10,000 in fines and risk losing federal benefits. Losing access to unemployment, food stamps, or disability pay can be disastrous; especially since a drug conviction is only going to make it more difficult for you to find work.
School
If you are a student, and you receive any amount of federal student aid, it’s wise to think twice before doing any kind of drugs. Even a single drug conviction can render you ineligible for many forms of federal student aid. With the costs of a college degree only going up, the loss of financial aid may be a heavier price tag that you’re willing to pay for a weekend of fun with your friends.
Rehab
What if you decide at some point that you want to get your life back together and kick this habit? Well, you may be in for a rough ride, and rehab is expensive. Outpatient drug rehabilitation programs can cost upwards of $10,000. Even if you can find a low-cost community program out there, these are often under-staffed and overworked places, and many of them have low success rates.
In the end, just remember, using illegal drugs has very literal costs that are far more wide reaching than you may anticipate at first. All of those bad things you were warned about in high school are true, and they can very directly affect your bank account.
This article was contributed on behalf of the Bay Area Recovery Center, your number one choice when looking to get back on the right track. Check out their website at www.bayarearecovery.com
