Drug Treatments: Which Should We Pay For?

Ann Althouse: “We spend $20 billion a year on drug and alcohol treatment programs -- without demanding much of any evidence that they work.”  She’s referencing this NYT article, which does not paint a pretty picture.

Unfortunately, while I’m sympathetic to the thrust of the article—in general I think any expenditure of public funds—really, any collection of public funds—should be contingent on good evidence that the money will accomplish what policy makers propose it will.  If some treatments work, and some don’t work, or work less well, I think we should be concentrating our money on what works.  This seems like common sense.  Unfortunately, I will be surprised if we see this change any time soon.  Change would require a simultaneous shift in attitude toward greater accountability among three decentralized communities—voters, politicians, and drug counselors—who appear to have little incentive to change.