Reports

Most CASA reports are available below for free in .PDF format. To search for a specific title or to find information on a specific topic, please use the search form below.

The majority of CASA's reports are available for hard copy purchase. To see a price list or to mail in your order click here. Call 212-841-5228 to order publications over the phone.

Several reports are only available in .PDF format online and are not for purchase. Click here to access those reports.

CASA Members at the $150 level and above receive a 10% discount on the purchase of reports.

Behind Bars II: Substance Abuse and America's Prison Population (February 2010)

Of the 2.3 million inmates crowding our nations prisons and jails, 1.5 million meet the DSM IV medical criteria for substance abuse or addiction, and another 458,000, while not meeting the strict DSM IV criteria, had histories of substance abuse; were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at the time of their crime; committed their offense to get money to buy drugs; were incarcerated for an alcohol or drug law violation; or shared some combination of these characteristics, according to Behind Bars II: Substance Abuse and America’s Prison Population. Combined these two groups constitute 85 percent of the U.S. prison population.

The 144-page report also reveals that alcohol and other drugs are significant factors in all crime.  In 2006, alcohol and other drugs were involved in these inmate offenses:

·         78 percent of violent crimes;
·         83 percent of property crimes; and
·         77 percent of public order, immigration or weapon offenses, and probation/parole violations.

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The Importance of Family Dinners V (September 2009)

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana; more than one and a half times likelier to use alcohol; and twice as likely to expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners V, a report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

The CASA report also found that compared to teens who have frequent family dinners, those who have infrequent family dinners are more than twice as likely to be able to get marijuana in an hour and one and a half times likelier to be able to get prescription drugs to get high within an hour.

“The magic of the family dinner comes not from the food on the plate but from who’s at the table and what’s happening there.  The emotional and social benefits that come from family dinners are priceless,” said Elizabeth Planet, CASA’s Vice President and Director of Special Projects.

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National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XIV: Teens and Parents (August 2009)

Compared to teens who have not seen their parent(s) drunk, those who have are more than twice as likely to get drunk in a typical month, and three times likelier to use marijuana and smoke cigarettes, according to the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XIV: Teens and Parents, the 14th annual back-to-school survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

“Some Moms’ and Dads’ behavior and attitudes make them parent enablers—parents who send their 12- to 17-year olds a message that it’s okay to smoke, drink, get drunk and use illegal drugs like marijuana,” said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA’s chairman and founder and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.  “Teens’ behavior is strongly associated with their parents’ behavior and expectations, so parents who expect their children to drink and use drugs will have children who drink and use drugs.”

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Shoveling Up II: The Impact of Substance Abuse on Federal, State and Local Budgets (May 2009)

Substance abuse and addiction cost federal, state and local governments at least $467.7 billion in 2005, according to Shoveling Up II: The Impact of Substance Abuse on Federal, State and Local Budgets, a 287-page report released by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

The CASA report found that of $373.9 billion in federal and state spending, 95.6 percent ($357.4 billion) went to shovel up the consequences and human wreckage of substance abuse and addiction; only 1.9 percent went to prevention and treatment, 0.4 percent to research, 1.4 percent to taxation and regulation, and 0.7 percent to interdiction.

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Shoveling Up II: The Impact of Substance Abuse on Federal, State and Local Budgets (Appendix A: State and Local Survey Instrument Only) (May 2009)

To collect state and local data for CASA's report, Shoveling Up II: The Impact of Substance Abuse on Federal, State and Local Governments, CASA administered a survey in July of 2006 to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico using the survey instrument created for its 2001 report. CASA developed a local budget survey instrument replicating the methodology used in the state survey.  These survey instruments are referenced as Attachment A to the report.  Because of the length of the attachment, the full survey instruments are not included in the report itself but are available here for download.

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CASASARDsm: Intensive Case Management for Substance-Dependent Women Receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (January 2009)

A new approach to helping drug-addicted women on welfare that treats substance abuse and addiction as a chronic disease promises better outcomes of sobriety and employment than current approaches that focus on employment first, according to this White Paper by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

CASASARD^SM, an ongoing welfare demonstration program for drug-addicted mothers conducted in Essex (including Newark) and Atlantic (including Atlantic City) Counties, New Jersey, was designed to get women engaged in treatment and employment services, help them become sober, and successfully move to stable employment. CASASARD^SM uses an innovative intensive case management approach to providing services for these women and compares it to the standard care approach that focus on employment first, screening and referral.

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HIGH SOCIETY: How Substance Abuse Ravages America and What to Do About It (Hard Cover) (October 2008)

All proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

To order via mail, please download and fill out the High Society order form (PDF).

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HIGH SOCIETY: How Substance Abuse Ravages America and What to Do About It (Paperback) (October 2008)

All proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

To order via mail, please download and fill out the High Society order form (PDF).

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National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XIII: Teens and Parents (August 2008)

Problem parents -- those who fail to monitor their children's school night activities, safeguard their prescription drugs, address the problem of drugs in their children's schools and set good examples -- increase the risk that their 12- to 17-year old children will smoke, drink, and use illegal and prescription drugs. 

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"You've Got Drugs!" V: Prescription Drug Pushers on the Internet (July 2008)

Despite a decline in the number of Web sites advertising or selling controlled prescription drugs, like OxyContin and Valium, Xanax and Vicodin, and Ritalin and Adderall, in the past year, 85 percent of Web sites selling such drugs do not require a prescription.

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Non-Medical Marijuana III: Rite of Passage or Russian Roulette? (June 2008)

Despite reported declines in teen marijuana use, in 2007 almost 11 million teens report having used marijuana. For those using the drug, four alarming trends are of grave concern for parents and teens.

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Tobacco: The Smoking Gun (October 2007)

The nicotine in tobacco products poses a significant danger of structural and chemical changes in developing brains that can make teens more vulnerable to alcohol and other drug addiction and to mental illness.

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The Importance of Family Dinners IV (September 2007)

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (two or fewer) are three and a half times likelier to have abused prescription drugs; three and a half times likelier to have used an illegal drug other than marijuana or prescription drugs; three times likelier to have used marijuana; more than two and a half times likelier to have used tobacco; and one and a half times likelier to have drunk alcohol.

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National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XII: Teens and Parents (August 2007)

Eleven million high school students (80 percent) and five million middle school students (44 percent) attend drug-infested schools, meaning that they have personally witnessed illegal drug use, illegal drug dealing, illegal drug possession, students drunk and/or students high on the grounds of their school.

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"You've Got Drugs!" IV: Prescription Drug Pushers on the Internet (May 2007)

For three years straight the number of rogue Web sites selling controlled prescription drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, Valium, and Ritalin has increased.  The White Paper, “You’ve Got Drugs!” IV: Prescription Drug Pushers on the Internet, found a total of 581 Web sites advertising or selling controlled prescription drugs in 2007 compared to 342 sites in 2006.

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Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America's Colleges and Universities (March 2007)

Forty-nine percent (3.8 million) of full time college students binge drink and/or abuse prescription and illegal drugs and 1.8 million full-time college students (22.9 percent) meet the medical criteria for substance abuse and dependence, two and one half times the 8.5 percent of the general population who meet these same criteria.

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The Importance of Family Dinners III (September 2006)

Teens who have infrequent family dinners (two or fewer per week) are twice as likely to smoke daily and get drunk monthly, compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (at least five per week).  This is the first time the study has examined the relationship between a teen’s current tobacco and alcohol use and family dinners.

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National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XI: Teens and Parents (August 2006)

One-third of teens and nearly half of 17-year olds attend house parties where parents are present and teens are drinking, smoking marijuana or using cocaine, Ecstasy or prescription drugs. Teens who say parents are not present at the parties they attend are 16 times likelier to say alcohol is available, 15 times likelier to say illegal and prescription drugs are available and 29 times likelier to say marijuana is available, compared to teens who say parents are always present at the parties they attend.

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“You've Got Drugs!” Prescription Drug Pushers on the Internet: 2006 Update (June 2006)

For the third year in a row, the number of Web sites selling controlled prescription drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, Xanax, Valium and Ritalin has increased, according to a new White Paper released by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University and Beau Dietl & Associates (BDA).

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The Commercial Value of Underage and Pathological Drinking to the Alcohol Industry (May 2006)

The Commercial Value of Underage and Pathological Drinking to the Alcohol Industry reveals: underage drinkers, alcoholics and alcohol abusers consume between 37.5 and 48.8 percent of the value of all alcohol sold in the United States; underage drinkers and adult pathological drinkers account for at least $48.3 billion and as much as $62.9 billion in alcohol sales in 2001, the last year for which the necessary data were available; at least $22.5 billion of consumer spending on alcohol came from underage drinking and $25.8 billion came from adult pathological drinking (in 2001); and more than a quarter (25.9 percent) of underage drinkers meet clinical criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence compared with 9.6 percent of adult drinkers.

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The Importance of Family Dinners II (September 2005)

How often a family eats dinner together is a powerful indicator of whether a teen is likely to smoke, drink or use drugs and whether the teen is likely to perform better academically, according to a new report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University and sponsored by TV Land and Nick at Nite’s Family Table. The study, The Importance of Family Dinners II, also reveals that teens and their parents wish they could have dinner together more often

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National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse X: Teens and Parents (September 2005)

Since 2002 the number of students who attend schools where drugs are used, kept or sold has jumped 41 percent for high school students and 47 percent for middle school students, according to a new report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

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Under the Counter: The Diversion and Abuse of Controlled Prescription Drugs in the U.S. (July 2005)

The number of Americans who abuse controlled prescription drugs has nearly doubled from 7.8 million to 15.1 million from 1992 to 2003 and abuse among teens has more than tripled during that time, according to this report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

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Family Matters: Substance Abuse and The American Family (March 2005)

Parents who use illegal drugs, abuse alcohol and use tobacco put half the nation’s children – more than 35 million of them – at greater risk of substance abuse and of physical and mental illnesses, according to a 81-page white paper, Family Matters: Substance Abuse and the American Family, released by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

Key findings include:

• 13 percent of children under 18 live in a household where a parent or other adult uses illicit drugs.
• 24 percent of children live in a household where a parent or other adult is a binge or heavy drinker.
• 37 percent of children live in a household where a parent or other adult uses tobacco.

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Criminal Neglect: Substance Abuse, Juvenile Justice and The Children Left Behind (October 2004)

This is the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of substance abuse and the state juvenile justice systems. This report finds the four of every five children and teens (78.4%) in juvenile justice systems are under the influence of alcohol or drugs while committing their crimes, test positive for drugs, are arrested for committing an alcohol or drug offense, admit having substance abuse problems or share some combination of these characteristics.  Of the 2.4 million arrests in 2000, 1.9 were substance involved yet only about 68,600 juveniles receive any form of substance abuse treatment.  Up to 75% of incarcerated juveniles have a mental health problem and up to 80% have learning disabilities, yet they rarely receive help for these problems either.  This report calls for a top to bottom overhaul in the way the nation treats juvenile offenders, including creation of a model juvenile justice code, training of all juvenile justice system staff, diversion of juveniles from deeper involvement in juvenile justice systems, and treatment, health care, education, job training and spiritually based programs and services. 

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2004 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse IX: Teen Dating Practices and Sexual Activity (August 2004)

This report presents the findings of the ninth annual CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse.  The survey of 1,000 teens (ages 12-17) and 500 parents found that the more time a teen spends with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and the more sexually active friends a teen has, the greater the risk that teen will smoke, drink or use illegal drugs.  The survey also found that girls who date boys two or more years older are at a high risk of substance abuse; teens half or more of whose friends regularly view and download Internet pornography, are more than three times likelier to smoke, drink or  use illegal drugs, compared to those teens who do not engage in this behavior; and  44 percent of high school students think that boys at their school often or sometimes “push girls to drink alcohol or take drugs in order to get the girls to have sex or do other sexual things."

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Non-Medical Marijuana II: Rite Of Passage Or Russian Roulette? (April 2004)

This report explores recent research on the dangers of non-medical marijuana and cautions against complacency about use of the drug.  The marijuana available to today's children is far more potent than what many of their parents smoked and, as is the case with nicotine cigarettes, we have accumulated considerable additional evidence of the dangers of its use.  While marijuana use is leveling off, the drug's increased potency appears to be sending more teens into treatment facilities and emergency rooms.  This White Paper reports that, from 1992 to 2001, the proportion of children and teenagers in treatment for marijuana dependence and abuse jumped 142 percent.  It also finds that, from 1999 to 2002, emergency room admissions among 12- to 17-year olds where marijuana was implicated jumped 48 percent.  Evidence of a connection between the use of marijuana and the later use of other illegal drugs continues to accumulate, as does evidence of the adverse effects of marijuana on the brain, heart and lungs.   

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"You've Got Drugs!" Prescription Drug Pushers on the Internet (February 2004)

This white paper, released by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University and Beau Dietl & Associates (BDA), documents the alarming availability of controlled, dangerous, addictive prescription drugs on the Internet.  During a one week period from January 15 through January 22, 2004. Beau Dietl & Associates (BDA), at CASA's request,  identified 495 Web sites offering controlled prescription drugs like OxyContin, Percocet, Darvon, Vicoden, Ritalin, Adderall, Valium and Xanax. Of these sites, 157 were Web sites actually selling these drugs.  Only six percent of the sale sites required a prescription and there were no mechanisms in place to block children from purchasing these drugs. Forty-seven percent of the sale sites said drugs would be shipped from outside the U.S.; 28 percent said the drugs would be shipped from the U.S.; and 25 percent gave no indication of where the drugs would be shipped from.  Because federal laws and regulations have not yet caught up with Internet technology, there is no effective control of the Internet distribution of these drugs. This lack of control threatens the safety of millions of Americans--including our children--and demands immediate attention.  CASA and BDA call on parents, teachers and all those who have a responsibility to supervise children to take action to protect our children and teenagers from Internet prescription drug pushers.

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Food for Thought: Substance Abuse and Eating Disorders (December 2003)

Food For Thought: Substance Abuse and Eating Disorders - the first comprehensive examination of the link between substance abuse and eating disorders – reveals that up to one-half of individuals with eating disorders abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, compared to nine percent of the general population.  Conversely, up to 35 percent of alcohol or illicit drug abusers have eating disorders compared to three percent of the general population.

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The Importance of Family Dinners (September 2003)

This report presents the findings of CASA's Family Day survey. The survey of 1,987 teens ages 12 to 17 found that the number of teens who have regular family dinners drops by 50 percent as their substance abuse risk increases sevenfold.  The survey demonstrates the importance of regular family dinners, finding that, compared to teens who have family dinners twice a week or less, teens who have dinner with their families five or more nights in a week are 32 percent likelier never to have tried cigarettes (86 percent vs. 65 percent), 45 percent likelier never to have tried alcohol (68 percent vs. 47 percent), and 24 percent likelier never to have smoked pot (88 percent vs. 71 percent).  This report also includes survey findings on the relationship between family dinners and teens' academic performance. Based on research showing that frequent family dinners reduce the risk of teens smoking, drinking and using illegal drugs, CASA first promoted Family Day: A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children in 2001. Since then, Family Day has been gaining acceptance and has been endorsed by numerous states, cities, counties, government agencies, community groups and private companies.

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Teen Cigarette Smoking and Marijuana Use (September 2003)

This report by CASA and the American Legacy Foundation finds that marijuana is pervasive in the life of a teenage cigarette smoker. Teens who smoke nicotine cigarettes are 14 times likelier to try marijuana, six times likelier to be able to buy marijuana in an hour or less and 18 times likelier to report that most of their friends smoke marijuana. Among teens who are repeat marijuana users, 60 percent tried cigarettes first. The findings indicate that reducing teen smoking can be a singularly effective way to reduce teen marijuana use.

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2003 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse VIII: Teens and Parents (August 2003)

This report presents the findings of the eighth annual CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse. The survey of 1,987 teens (ages 12-17) and 504 parents found that the risk that teens will smoke, drink, get drunk and use illegal drugs increases sharply if they are highly stressed, frequently bored or have substantial amounts of spending money.  This was the first time in its eight-year history that the survey measured the impact of these characteristics on the likelihood of teen substance abuse.  Teens exhibiting two or three of these characteristics are at more than three times the risk of substance abuse as those exhibiting none of these characteristics.  The survey also revealed that more than 5 million 12-to-17 year olds can buy marijuana in an hour or less, and another 5 million can buy marijuana within a day.  For the first time in the survey's eight-year history, teens are as concerned about social and academic pressures as they are about drugs.  Data also demonstrated an association between school size and substance-abuse risk: teens at schools with more than 1,200 students are twice as likely as teens at schools with less than 800 students to be at high risk of substance abuse.  The proportion of students who say that drugs are used, kept or sold at their high schools is up 18 percent over 2002--this is a significant deterioration from last year, when most high school students attended drug-free schools.

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Crossing the Bridge: An Evaluation of the Drug Treatment Alternative-to-Prison (DTAP) Program (March 2003)

The Drug Treatment Alternative-to-Prison (DTAP) Program in Brooklyn, New York is designed to reduce the costly consequences of substance abuse-related crime by targeting treatment to drug-addicted, nonviolent repeat felony offenders who face mandatory punishment under New York State’s second felony offender law.  For five years, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University has been engaged in extensive research and analyses of the DTAP program.  Made possible by the support of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), CASA’s study evaluates how socially and economically effective a residential drug treatment program for repeat felony offenders can be (as measured by possible reduced recidivism rates, drug use levels, increases in legal employment rates, etc.) when compared to the alternative of incarceration.

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The Formative Years: Pathways to Substance Abuse Among Girls and Young Women Ages 8-22 (February 2003)

This report is an unprecedented comprehensive analysis of the pathways to substance abuse among young females in America, the consequences of substance abuse unique to them and the efficacy of current prevention and treatment programs in serving their needs.  It reveals the many life pathways that can hike the risk of substance abuse among girls and young women, including incorrect knowledge and beliefs about substances, inattentive parents, substance-using friends, schools and commumities that turn a blind eye, physicians who are not vigilant to early warning signs, and exposure to the entertainment media and alcohol and cigarette advertising which shower girls and young women with unhealthy and unrealistic messages about smoking, drinking and weight loss.  This CASA report demonstrates that girls and young women use cigarettes, alcohol and drugs for reasons different from boys, that the signals and situations of high risk are different and that girls are more vulnerable to substance use and abuse and its consequences.

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Teen Tipplers: America's Underage Drinking Epidemic (February 2003)

Alcohol is the #1 drug for children and teens in America. More than five million high schoolers (31 percent) say they binge drink at least once a month. Teen Tipplers: America's Underage Drinking Epidemic, is the most ambitious assessment of the extent and consequences of underage drinking ever undertaken. It documents the pathways to use and abuse of alcohol by children and teens and identifies obstacles that hamper efforts to prevent underage drinking, including the ready availability of alcohol to minors, parental attitudes, the economic interests of the alcohol industry, and the influence of the media and advertising. This is part of a continuing series of major CASA reports to inform Americans of the economic and social costs of substance abuse and its impact on their lives.

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The Economic Value of Underage and Adult Excessive Drinking to the Alcohol Industry (February 2003)

This report is based on an analysis conducted by CASA Fellows Foster, et al, published in the February 26, 2003 edition of The Journal of the American Medical Association.  It reveals that in 1999, underage drinkers consumed 19.7 percent of the alcohol consumed in the United States, spending $22.5 billion of the $116.2 billion spent that year on beer, wine and liquor.  This analysis also has identified the economic value to the industry of adult excessive drinking--consumption by men and women of more than two drinks a day, the maximum amount recommended for most males by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.  This White Paper finds that adult drinking in excess of this standard for men accounted for 30.4 percent of the alcohol consumed in the United States, $34.4 billion of the $116.2 billion spent that year on beer, wine and liquor.

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2002 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse VII: Teens, Parents and Siblings (August 2002)

This report presents the findings of the seventh annual CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse. The survey of 1,000 teens (age 12-17) and 541 parents was the first time in the history of the report that a majority of public school students reported that their school was drug free. Sixty-two percent of public school students and 79 percent of private school students said that they attended drug-free schools. This was also the first year that CASA assessed the impact of siblings on the likelihood of teen substance abuse. The survey revealed that siblings have a major impact on substance-abuse risk: teens who say their older brothers or sisters would be “very angry” to find out they were using marijuana are at substantially lower risk of substance abuse than teens whose older siblings would not be very angry. Data also indicated that between the ages of 12 and 16, teen substance abuse increases by almost 500 percent. Based on seven years of survey data, CASA compiled a list of ten questions that every parent should ask of the school their child attends to help their children stay drug and alcohol free.

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So Help Me God: Substance Abuse, Religion and Spirituality (November 2001)

The key finding of this two-year study is that tapping the power of God, religion and spirituality has enormous potential for lowering the risk of substance abuse among teens and adults and, when combined with professional treatment, for promoting recovery. The most troubling findings of this report are the discovery of two profound disconnects: the extent to which clergy see substance abuse as a problem among their congregations yet lack the knowledge and training of how to deal with the problem; and the failure among health care professionals--especially psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals--to take advantage of the importance of God, of religion and spirituality in prevention and in their treatment of those struggling with addiction and recovery. As part of this study, CASA conducted two unprecedented surveys: one, asking presidents of schools of theology and seminaries about their perceptions of the extent of substance abuse problems and the formal training and coursework offered in this subject; the other, asking clergy in the field their perspective of these problems among their congregations and what training they had received in this area. CASA also conducted its own special analyses of three national data sets: 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, CASA's Back to School Surveys V and VI, and the General Social Survey.

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Malignant Neglect: Substance Abuse and America's Schools (September 2001)

For at least 9.5 million high school students (60 percent) and almost five million middle school students (30 percent), back to school means returning to places where illegal drugs are used, kept and sold.  For six consecutive years, 12- to 17-year olds have reported that drugs are the number one problem they face.  Each year substance abuse costs our schools at least $41 billion dollars in truancy, special education and disciplinary programs, disruption, teacher turnover and property damage.  This CASA report is the first comprehensive analysis of all available data on substance use in our schools and among our students.  It is designed to clarify how tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use affects schools and to suggest what it will take to make our schools and children substance free.

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CASAWORKS* for Families: A Promising Approach to Welfare Reform and Substance-Abusing Women (May 2001)

For the past three years, CASA has been designing and evaluating CASAWORKS for Families--the first national demonstration program to provide simultaneously drug and alcohol treatment; literacy, job, parenting and social skills training; family violence prevention and health care. Designed for TANF recipients, this program holds enormous potential for reducing welfare costs and preventing substance abuse and addiction.

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2001 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse VI: Teens (February 2001)

This report presents the findings of the sixth annual CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse. The survey of 1,000 teens (age 12-17) reveals that parents who are “hands-on” – parents who have established a household culture of rules and expectations for their teen's behavior and monitor what their teens do such as the TV shows they watch, what they access on the Internet and the music CDs they buy, and where they are evenings and weekends - raise children who are less at risk of smoking, drinking, and using drugs. Contrary to conventional wisdom, teens in “hands-on” households are more likely to have an excellent relationship with their parents than teens with “hands-off” parents. The survey concluded that parents should be parents to their teenagers, not pals. Other findings: in 2000, cigarettes are harder to buy and marijuana easier to buy than in 1999, and 28% of teens know a friend or classmate who has used ecstasy.

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Shoveling Up: The Impact of Substance Abuse on State Budgets (January 2001)

This report is the first comprehensive analysis of how much substance abuse and addiction costs each state budget.  This unprecedented analysis shows that states spent a stunning $81.3 billion in 1998 to deal with this issue—13.1% of their budgets. Even more striking is that of every dollar states spent on substance abuse, 96 cents went to shovel up the wreckage in state programs and only four cents went to prevent and treat the problem.  This report provides state specific estimates for 45 responding states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico for 16 categories of programs including health, social service, criminal justice, education, mental health and public safety.  CASA estimated aggregate spending in the five states that did not respond to our survey (IN, ME, NH, NC and TX).

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Substance Abuse and Learning Disabilities: Peas in a Pod or Apples and Oranges? (September 2000)

This White Paper examines the relationship between learning disabilities--which may affect up to 20 percent of school age children in America--and substance abuse. It finds that addressing learning disabilities early can prevent children from using alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs and calls upon parents, teachers and pediatricians to step up efforts to identify and help these children. The White Paper grew out of a daylong conference held in February 1999, sponsored by CASA, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Ira Harris Foundation. In addition to exploring the link between substance abuse and learning disabilities, the paper looks at the relationship between substance abuse and behavioral disorders such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Conduct Disorder.

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Winning At Any Cost: Doping in Olympic Sports (September 2000)

This report released by CASA and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) demonstrates how the high financial stakes for all involved in the Olympics, the explosion in performance-enhancing drugs and the lack of an effective policing system to detect the use of such drugs threaten the very integrity of the Olympic games.  Because athletes are important role models for our children, the use of performance-enhancing drugs (a practice called doping in the international sports community) by Olympic athletes threatens the health of America's children, concludes this report of the CASA National Commission on Sports and Substance Abuse, chaired by Rev. Edward A. (Monk) Malloy, president of the University of Notre Dame.

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Missed Opportunity: National Survey of Primary Care Physicians and Patients on Substance Abuse (May 2000)

This study is the most comprehensive nationally representative survey of how primary care physicians deal with substance-abusing patients. It reveals that primary care physicians feel unprepared to diagnose substance abuse and lack confidence in the effectiveness of treatment. The report, which also surveyed patients in treatment on their experiences with primary care physicians, outlines a number of recommendations ranging from increasing substance abuse training in medical schools, residency programs and continuing medical education programs to holding physicians liable for negligent failure to diagnose substance abuse and addiction and encouraging their patients to seek help.

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No Place to Hide: Substance Abuse in Mid-Size Cities and Rural America (January 2000)

Commissioned by the United States Conference of Mayors, this report is the first comprehensive assessment and comparison of the prevalence of substance abuse and addiction by population centers based on a wide variety of data.  CASA conducted a unique analysis of previously unreleased data from the 1999 Monitoring the Future study conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and of four other national data sets.  This report reveals that for adults, use and abuse of illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco is as prevalent in small metropolitan and rural areas as in urban America.  For teens, use rates are higher in rural areas and smaller cities, and these areas have less concentration of resources to respond.

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Dangerous Liaisons: Substance Abuse and Sex (December 1999)

This report is a comprehensive look at the intimate and complicated connections between alcohol and drug use and sex. It illustrates the close and often dangerous liaisons between substance abuse and sexual activity, particularly for children, teens and women. This report is to alert parents, clergy, school teachers and counselors, professionals and teens to the dangerous, sometimes life-threatening relationship between alcohol and drug abuse and sexual activity.

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1999 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse V: Teens and Their Parents (September 1999)

This report presents the findings of the fifth annual CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse. The survey of 2,000 teens (age 12-17) and 1,000 parents (536 moms and 464 dads) was CASA's first attempt to gain valuable insights into how different types of families affect teen substance abuse risk. The most striking conclusion: too many dads are AWOL in the battle to keep kids drug free and this increases their teens risk of substance abuse. The CASA survey found that children living in two-parent families who have a fair or poor relationship with their father are at 68% higher risk of smoking, drinking and using drugs compared to all teens living in a two-parent household. The average teen living in a household headed by a single mother is at 30% higher risk compared to all teens in a two-parent household. The survey also revealed that teens consistently rate moms more favorably than dads.

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Non-Medical Marijuana: Rite of Passage or Russian Roulette? (July 1999)

This CASA White Paper is the most comprehensive report ever published on non-medical marijuana, drawing a clear distinction between medical and general use of marijuana.  The report focuses on the suitable public policy to govern the general non-medical use of marijuana, analyzing the likely effects of both decriminalization and legalization, reviewing the historical lessons of America's marijuana policy and considering the experience of the Netherlands, which has decriminalized marijuana use.  The report also details for parents the dangers of marijuana use by teens and children and marijuana's role as a gateway drug.

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No Safe Haven: Children of Substance-Abusing Parents (January 1999)

This study examines the connection between parental substance abuse and child abuse and neglect.  It explores the consequences for parents and children and ramifications for policy and practice at the federal, state and local levels.  It examines promising innovations within child welfare agencies and the courts focused on addressing parental substance abuse in families involved with the child welfare system.  In the report, CASA recommends changes in policy and practice that would improve outcomes for children and families.

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1998 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse IV: Teens, Teachers and Principals (September 1998)

This report presents the findings of the fourth annual CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse.  The 1998 research is the second national survey conducted of middle and high school teachers, principals, and teenagers (ages 12-17) on substance abuse in our nation's schools.  The survey reveals that the transition from age 12 to 13 is the most critical turning point for America's children. It is the year when their access and exposure to illegal drugs skyrocket while parental involvement in their lives dramatically diminishes.  Teens surveyed also say that smoking, drinking and using pot is commonplace at their schools; yet, there is a disconnect between the teens' experiences and what principals and teachers perceive is happening at their schools.

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Under the Rug: Substance Abuse and The Mature Woman (June 1998)

This report provides an analysis of the extent, nature and consequences of substance abuse and addiction among women over age 59.  This two-year study includes the findings from a CASA national survey of physicians, CASA's examination of prescription drug use patterns by mature women and CASA's analysis of health care costs attributable to substance abuse in this population.   The report reveals the high financial and human costs associated with substance abuse by mature women and identifies effective prevention and treatment strategies.

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Behind Bars: Substance Abuse and America's Prison Population (January 1998)

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of drug and alcohol abuse on the nation's prison and jail population.  This three-year study uses data from national inmate surveys, surveys of corrections officials and prosecutors, economic and census data and a review of the research literature.  The report includes analyses of the relationship between substance abuse, crime and the prison population; inmate characteristics; the impact of substance abuse on women inmates; HIV/AIDS among inmates; the economic and social costs of inmate substance involvement; the availability and effectiveness of treatment and other rehabilitative services; new innovations to reduce the impact of substance abuse; and key recommendations for improving the criminal justice system's response to drug- and alcohol-related crime and substance-involved inmates.

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1997 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse III: Teens, Their Parents, Teachers and Principals (September 1997)

This report presents the findings of the third annual CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse.  The 1997 research is the first national survey conducted of middle and high school teachers, principals, teenagers and their parents on substance abuse in our nation's schools.  The survey reveals that deaths from substance abuse-related incidents, kids coming to school drunk or high, smoking, drinking and drug sales on school grounds, students expelled or suspended for possessing, using or selling drugs and parties where marijuana is available are commonplace in the lives of our middle and high schoolers.

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Substance Abuse and the American Adolescent: A Report by the Commission on Substance Abuse Among America's Adolescents (August 1997)

This study summarizes current knowledge about adolescence and substance abuse and identifies practical steps parents, teachers and schools, the religious community, the entertainment, advertising and fashion industries, doctors and nurses and government can take to bring down the high rates of substance use and abuse among adolescents.

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Public Housing and Substance Abuse: Access to Treatment (May 1997)

Public housing residents with drug or alcohol problems suffer from numerous health problems associated with their drug and alcohol abuse.  This study sheds light on the problem of substance abuse in America's public housing system, details strategies for providing treatment services and outlines a policy framework by which public housing authorities might meet the need for treatment services rather than depend on eviction policies to deal with addiction among residents.

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Survey of California Voters on Proposition 215 and Marijuana Legalization (October 1996)

This report is based on the results of a telephone survey -- the first to analyze at length opinions of Prop 215 -- conducted October 19 and 20, 1996. 800 interviews were conducted with a sample of registered and self-described likely voters. Respondent households were initially selected by means of a random digit dial procedure, then screened for vote eligibility and likelihood. The margin of sampling error associated with a survey of this size is + or - 3.5 %.

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1996 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse II: Teens and Their Parents (September 1996)

The first survey ever conducted of teens' and their parents' attitudes about tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs.  Some findings are: the number of teens who expect to try illegal drugs doubled since 1995; 68% of 17 year-olds can buy marijuana within a day; nearly half of baby boomer parents believe their teens will try illegal drugs; 32% of parents have friends who use marijuana.

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Substance Abuse and The American Woman (June 1996)

This study focuses on women's patterns of abuse and addiction and the consequences of that abuse for themselves and, if abuse occurs during pregnancy, for their children.  The study documents what is known about the problem, provides new insights into the costs and impact of abuse and addiction on women and their children, identifies where more research is needed and analyzes public policy ramifications.

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Substance Abuse and the American Woman Bibliography (June 1996)

Bibliography to Substance Abuse and the American Woman.

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Substance Abuse and Urban America: Its Impact on an American City, New York (February 1996)

Substance abuse and addiction in New York City cost taxpayers $20 billion in 1994.  That is the conclusion of this first-ever in-depth study on the impact of the abuse of all substances on urban America.  This two and one-half year effort estimates the impact of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug abuse on a city's health and criminal justice systems, business and economy, social services, housing and homelessness, and assesses how substance abuse affects the fabric and quality of everyday life for children and families, streets, schools and stores, parks and prisons, churches and communities.

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Legalization: Panacea or Pandora's Box (September 1995)

This, CASA's first White Paper, examines arguments for legalizing drugs; trends in drug use, probable consequences of legalization for violence and crime, lessons to be learned from America's legal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, the question of civil liberties, and experiences of foreign countries.  The paper concludes that legalization would be devastating to society, particularly children.

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1995 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse I (July 1995)

This report is the most comprehensive survey of Americans' attitudes towards substance abuse and addiction.  CASA surveyed a representative sample of 2,000 adults and 400 teens (ages 12 - 17).  Among other things, it found that adolescents believe that drugs are the biggest problem they face, and that Americans believe that too little is being done about illegal drugs and support increases in prevention and treatment.

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Substance Abuse and Federal Entitlement Programs (February 1995)

This report evaluates the impact of tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse on Federal entitlement programs.  The cost impact is estimated for disability and health programs, and the prevalence of substance abuse among welfare recipients is reported.

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Cigarettes, Alcohol, Marijuana: Gateways to Illicit Drug Use (October 1994)

This report uses the 1991 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) to investigate the impact of children's use of gateway drugs - cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana - on the probability of their subsequent use of illicit drugs such as cocaine.

This report is the first to examine the gateway hypothesis for cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana on both children and adults using the largest cross-sectional, national drug use survey. The data presented in this report were derived from the 1991 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse and the analyses were conducted by CASA's Substance Abuse Data Analysis Center (SADAC). In presenting new evidence on gateway drugs based upon national data, CASA makes an even stronger case that adolescent use of cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana is linked to subsequent use of other illicit drugs and proposes recommendations regarding new directions for research and prevention activities for children.

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Substance Abuse and Women on Welfare (June 1994)

This report examines the extent and impact of substance abuse in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children population, using the 1991 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA).  It includes a discussion of the implications of substance abuse for welfare spending and welfare reform. 

Overall, 28 percent of adult individuals receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) abuse or are addicted to drugs and alcohol, a higher rate than the 20 percent of people in a comparable age group not receiving public assistance. Since almost 90 percent of adult AFDC recipients are female, this report focuses on this population.

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Rethinking Rites of Passage: Substance Abuse on America's Campuses (June 1994)

College students are among our nation's most treasured and valuable resources. They will be the doctors, scientists, engineers and lawyers of the future. The college years are a time of not only intellectual progress and achievement for young Americans, but also a time of personal, social, spiritual and emotional development. It is therefore crucial that colleges and universities recognize that, in order to guide students through these critical years, they must create a culture that nurtures and supports all aspects of a student's life, both in and out of the classroom.

Nothing interrupts the growth and social development of college students more than the abuse of alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. Excessive college drinking is too often accepted as a Rite of passage, thus nurturing a behavior that is destroying lives and endangering our country's future.

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The Cost of Substance Abuse to America's Health Care System; Report 2: Medicare Hospital Costs (May 1994)

The Annual Report of the Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund released in April 1994 projected that the Medicare program will run out of money in seven years. This projection of future insolvency for the Fund --which pays the vast majority of hospital costs for the elderly and disabled-- is due in large part to the fact that Medicare payments for hospital costs continue to grow at an alarming rate, outstripping the revenues paid into the Fund.

In responding to this crisis, invariably, the proposed solutions involve raising taxes or cutting benefits. In all these discussions, however, little time is spent in thinking about how we can keep elderly people healthy and avert hospitalizations. The worst example of this is our failure to move aggressively on the pervasive impact of substance abuse, including tobacco, alcohol and drugs, on both Medicare and overall health costs. Based on our findings, $20 billion 1994 inpatient Medicare hospital payments will be due to substance abuse and addiction. If the problems of substance abuse did not exist, we would not now be concerned about the solvency of the Hospital Trust Fund. Over the next seven years, substance abuse will cost the Trust Fund almost $170 billion. For future generations worried about the continued survival of this program, over the next 20 years, Medicare will pay out more than $1 trillion for hospital care related to substance abuse.

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Smoke-Free Campus: A Report by the Commission on Substance Abuse at Colleges and Universities (August 1993)

This report discusses the importance of a smoke-free environment and recommends steps for colleges and universities to take to create a smoke-free campus. 

The CASA Commission on Substance Abuse at Colleges and Universities believes that academic institutions have both a responsibility and an opportunity to discourage negative behaviors and to encourage healthful habits that can last a lifetime. In order to fulfill this responsibility, the Commission recommends that every campus in America become smoke-free by acting to:

1. Eliminate smoking in all campus buildings and at all campus events;
2. Provide assistance to those who need help with smoking cessation and ensure that this treatment is covered by the college or university health plan and is available repeatedly to those who relapse.
3. Ban the sale of all tobacco products on campus;
4. Prohibit the advertising and distribution of tobacco products on campus;
5. Deny the use of the school logo on smoking paraphernalia, such as cigarette lighters and ashtrays.
6. Join with students in creating and nourishing a culture and atmosphere in which smoking is widely seen as a socially unacceptable and unhealthy habit.

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The Cost of Substance Abuse to America's Health Care System; Report 1: Medicaid Hospital Costs (July 1993)

This report documents the amount of Medicaid hospital spending that can be directly and indirectly attributed to the use and abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.  Based on an extensive analysis of epidemiologic and medical literature relating substance use to morbidity, estimates are made of the spending in these programs in which substance use was either a causal or complicating factor.

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International Demand Reduction Policy: Ways to Strengthen the U.S. Drug Strategy (May 1993)

This paper is based on a two-day meeting of substance abuse and foreign policy experts convened by CASA on the potential role of international demand reduction in America's war on drugs and in policy and program approaches to reducing world-wide use and abuse of illicit substances.

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Maximizing the Use of Medicaid Under the ACCESS Demonstration Program: An Opportunity for Experimentation (April 1993)

This document was a resource for state and local officials applying for grants to strengthen systems of treatment, housing, and support for homeless people with severe mental illness.  This information was not only valuable to states applying for this grant program, but continues to be useful to states in using Medicaid to pay for services to other groups with chronic and complex problems.

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