What is the economic importance of alcohol abuse?

Answer 1

Alcohol abuse and Alcoholism cost over $300 billion per year in lost productivity, medical expenses, treatment, court and incarceration expenses. That's in the US alone, and does not take into account the expenses associated with broken homes, delinquency of the alcoholic's children, affects of deaths and injuries on families, etc.

Alcohol is the most expensive, deadly and threatening drug problem in the country, by a huge margin. If there weren't so much money in it, it would be illegal.