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
