The Cost of Cocaine Addiction Treatment (INFOGRAPHIC)

An infographic comparing the personal and societal costs of cocaine use vs. treatment for addiction. Is treatment cost effective? We show you here.

7
minute read
Reviewed by: Dr. Juan Goecke, M.D.
Reviewed by: Dr. Juan Goecke, M.D.

CONTENT OVERVIEW: A $100 daily cocaine habit can end up costing you over $30,000 a year. Addiction treatment costs from $150-700 per day. This infographic outlines and compares these costs. Then, we help you find ways to budget.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

The Cost of Cocaine Addiction Treatment (INFOGRAPHIC)

Embed this infographic to your website


The Cost of Cocaine

Q: How much does cocaine cost you?

A: The direct expenses for obtaining cocaine are high, but tend to vary depending on where you live. A moderate-to-good-quality gram of cocaine at street price can cost you $40 – $80, occasionally $90 – $100 depending on your geographic area and the level of cocaine purity. An eightball will most likely cost you anywhere from $150 for bad quality cocaine up to $250 for very good quality coke. Following is a general shapshot of street prices for coke from 2016

  • A gram of cocaine can cost you $40 – $65 in the Bay Area, or $60 – $80 in NYC.
  • A key (1 kilo or 2 lbs 3.27 oz) of cocaine can cost you from $16,000 up to $21,000 or more.
  • If you buy a bump of cocaine (35 mg), it’ll costs you about 3$ – $4.
  • If you obtain an eightball of cocaine (1/8 oz) , it’ll cost you around $150 – $205.

You should take into consideration that with chronic use, it is very likely that you may be burdened with many additional cocaine-related expenses due to:

  • Cocaine overdose
  • Criminal charges and/or prison due to possession, dealing, and trafficking
  • Hospital visits
  • Job loss
  • Unintentional injuries

etc…

Q: How much does cocaine set YOU back?
A: A $100 daily cocaine habit will personally cost you around $36,500 in one year’s time.

But, you can do your own calculations. Simply multiply the average price of your cocaine purchases with the frequency of use. For example, let’s say that you buy a gram of cocaine to use on the weekends. That is about 2 days in the week, and there are 52 weeks in a year. The average price for a gram is $80, which multiplied would turn out to be more than $4,000 a year.

Cost of Treatment

Studies done state by state have found that providing adequate mental health and addiction treatment to cocaine users can significantly reduce healthcare costs and Medicaid spending. Moreover, the likelihood of being arrested, as well as the chances of felony convictions were also lowered significantly.

Q: But, aren’t cocaine addiction programs expensive?
A: Actually, NO.

By investing in quality treatment, you will be saving a lot of money that you spend buying cocaine. Here is how much are the average estimated costs for different types of treatment:

  • Long term residential cocaine rehab: $670 per day (again, out of pocket expenses)
  • Outpatient cocaine rehab: $140 a day (without insurance)
  • Short term residential cocaine rehab: $700-800 per day (most expensive option)

In fact, investing in treatment is beneficial for the economy of our country too. Research indicates that for every $1 spend on substance abuse treatment we can save $4 in healthcare costs, and $7 in criminal justice costs, reduced crime, and reduced theft.

Average Costs

Addiction treatment can be expensive. The average costs start from about $100 per week of treatment, or around $7,000 per treatment episode. The average costs of the most common services are:

Medical Detox. Costs varies between $6-12K for a supervised medical detox. The final price depends from the length of stay, medications, doctor’s visits, and  the number of times drug testing is requested.

Psychotherapy. This therapy costs range from almost free to $150 + per hour.

Outpatient rehab. This type of rehab program costs from $50-$135 per day. 10-12 week long programs may cost from $3,000-6,000.

Inpatient rehab. This rehab can cost from $235-700 per day. Cost averages about $20,000 for a 30-day reputable rehab.

Learn more about the cost of addiction rehab here:

Factors That Influence The Costs

Rehabs range in price drastically, but the final cost of the rehab program depends from the services you get. There are low-cost rehab for about $7.5K per month, while there are some luxurious rehabs that cost up to $120K. Some factors that influence the final cost include:

1. Services offered. 

A rehab can provide a variety of services. Some high-end rehabs even offer private rooms with a private chef on hand. Keep in mind that some of these services are charged extra, so consult the admissions staff upon entry about what services are (and are not) include in your program.

2. Length.

Duration of the program plays an important rule on the final cost of the stay. A short-term rehab is cheaper than a 90-day program. Still, you want the most therapeutic benefit for your stay in reah. So, go with the treatment plan recommendations.

3. Location.

Rehabs that are in far-away, destination-based locations such as islands, deep in the forest, on beaches, or on a resort are far more expensive than locally-based rehabs.

4. Type of program. 

Since inpatient rehabs provide 24/7 medical supervision and living space for their patients…these types of treatment centers are more expensive that their outpatient counterparts.

Tips For Lowering Costs

Insurance may cover your rehab stay. Still, there’s a huge possibility that you still may have some expenses to pay by your own pocket. Don’t worry! There are few ways that can make your rehab affordable.  Here are some tips:

  • Payment directly at the rehab. Many rehabs have programs for individuals who can’t afford treatment. They usually offer sliding scale fees based on your income.
  • Arrange payment directly with the rehab. Many rehab facilities are also willing to help individuals who can’t afford treatment.
  • Apply for a scholarship. Many foundations and individuals offer sponsorship to people who can’t afford rehab in order to honor a loved one who has passed from addiction. Usually, local addiction community centers  can provide you with information about different foundations.

1 in 13 Americans aged 12 or older needed help for addiction in 2016.


Who Needs Treatment

Are you dealing with a cocaine problem? You are not alone.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported in 2016 that about 867,000 people aged 12 or oldercould be diagnosed with a cocaine use disorder in the past year. The numbers break down by age like this:

  • 29,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17.
  • 215,000 young adults aged 18 to 25.
  • 623,000 adults aged 26 or older.

Additionally, the same report claims that, in 2016, over 21 million Americans aged 12 or older needed treatment for a drug or alcohol problem. Moreover, Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health  found that the rates of cocaine overdose were higher in 2014 than in the previous six years (5,415 deaths from cocaine overdose). Cocaine holds the second or third place among drugs involved in OD deaths every year.

So, don’t risk your life… get help ASAP.

Is Rehab For Me?

A treatment program can help you if:

  • You’ve tried to quit cocaine on your own, but can’t.
  • Your home environment is not supportive.
  • You use cocaine in high doses or have been using for longer than a few months, or so.

In fact, rehabs can help people break the chains of addiction to start living a drug-free life.

But do you really have a coke problem? If you are not sure whether you have a problem with cocaine, or not, answer the following questions:

  1. Do you feel cravings to use cocaine?
  2. Do you have any financial, legal, or family problems due to your cocaine use?
  3. Do you hide or lie about your cocaine use?
  4. Do you need excuses to use cocaine?
  5. Have you failed in quitting?
  6. Do you continue to use cocaine, no matter the consequences?

Did you answer, “yes” to two or more of these basic screening questions?

THEN it’s time to speak with an addiction specialist. You can first talk with your primary physician. Or, you can speak with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical social worker. You can also check out these online screening tools:

What to Expect

Every rehab program has a unique menu of services.  Addictionally, a treatment plan should be individualized for you. Still, any reputable addiction rehab bases their treatment protocols on evidence-based approaches. The main stages of addiction treatment inluce:

STAGE 1. Assessment and evaluation

The first stage of rehab is filling out the paperwork, and assessment. Also, a medically trained staff will complete physiological and physical evaluation. This evaluation will help the staff create services for your individual treatment. Moreover, you may be asked to do a drug test, and nurses will get the appropriate medication prescriptions to manage the withdrawal symptoms.

STAGE 2. Medical detox

This stage will provide 24/7 medical supervision is it necessary that you undergo withdrawal from cocaine. Symptoms may be hard to manage and can include suicidal ideation, paranoia, or hallucinations. Medical intervention may be necessary to keep you safe.

STAGE 3. Main treatment using psychotherapy

Currently, there are no FDA approved medications for treating cocaine addiction. But, medication that are designed for other addictions may be helpful. For instance, disulfiram, used to treat alcohol dependence, has proven to be effective in cocaine addiction treatment.

Psychotherapy can help you learn how to live a life without using substances. This type of therapy will help you get all answers behind your addiction, and why you got addicted at first place. Some therapies used in addiction treatment include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Individual Therapy
  • Group Therapy
  • Family Therapy

During this stage, you will also attend educational sessions to help you understand addiction and how stimulants like cocaine change your brain. Moreover, you will be able to learn new set of life skills that will help you manage stress, avoid relapse, and improve your communication skill.

STAGE 4. Aftercare

After you complete the rehab, an aftercare program is highly recommended. The goal is to help you maintain your sobriety. Some of the services provided during aftercare include:

  • Counseling.
  • Coaching.
  • Living in a sober house.
  • Support groups.

Leave your questions!

Would you like to learn more about the toll long term cocaine use can have on your health? Interested in getting into treatment?

We welcome your questions in the comments section at the end of the page. In fact, we try to provide all legitimate inquiries with a personal and prompt response.

About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
Medical Reviewers
Dr. Goecke is a medical doctor and general surgeon with personal experience of...

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a licensed medical professional.

I am ready to call
i Who Answers?