Substance Abuse Costs The U.S. Economy $93 Billion

The total morbidity-related productivity losses attributable to substance use disorder in the U.S. was $92.65 billion in 2023, according to the results of a recent study.

The researchers drew on the 2021-2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data, along with other data and published literature, to estimate the cost of absenteeism, presenteeism, household productivity loss, and inability to work attributable to substance use disorder. All costs were estimated for 2023, and all analyses were conducted in 2025.

Inability to work cost accounted for $45.25 billion in productivity losses, followed by an absenteeism cost . . .