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Growing substance abuse problems among military

Posted at 6:50 PM, Sep 17, 2012
and last updated 2012-09-17 21:13:18-04

The increase of substance abuse among military members of the military has been declared a public health crisis.

A new report by the Institute of Medicine found that 47% of all active duty military personnel binge drink, and eleven percent reported abusing prescription drugs.

The report says screening and intervention should be a part of a soldier’s primary care, including more access to treatment programs that work.

“It is a public health crisis and it think that’s it is something that for a long time in the military it’s been sort of accepted,” Dr. Charles O’Brien, Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania, said