The cost of meth addiction (INFOGRAPHIC)

Meth is one of the most expensive drugs to produce and to obtain. Moreover, it costs you and our society a lot more in indirect expenses. How much exactly? We outline the real costs of meth use and abuse in this infographic.

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Do you know the real cost of methamphetamine?

The cost of methamphetamine use in 2005 (last available data) was estimated to be $23.4 billion. However, the true economic burden was reportedly somewhere between $16.2B and $48.3B.

But how much does meth use cost you personally? And, where do all these costs on our economy related to methamphetamine come from? We break down the statistics in this easy-to-understand infographic. Please SHARE if you like it, and feel free to ask questions in the comments section at the end of the page.

The cost of meth addiction (INFOGRAPHIC)

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The individual cost of meth: How much does meth cost?

You can expect personal expenses to increase as tolerance to meth grows and you need to take larger quantities more frequently to achieve the same euphoric effect. If you are a new meth user, 15mg may produce a very stimulating experience. For a long-term user, the same dose may be barely detectable. Of course, it all depends on the route of administration (whether meth is snorted, smoked or vaporized, or injected or IV).

But, meth is an expensive drug:

  • ¼ gram of meth – $25
  • ¼ gram of meth daily for a year – $9,125
  • ½ gram of meth – $50
  • ½ gram of meth daily for a year – $18,200
  • 1 gram of meth – $100
  • 1 gram of meth daily for a year – $36,500

The cost of meth use on American society

The RAND report places around 70% of the overall cost of meth addiction on the intangible costs related to using meth. Of these costs, dependent users make up about $16.6 BILLION. Many expenses emerge from the lower quality of life and premature mortality of meth users ($4 BILLION). Crime and criminal justice costs related to methamphetamine, on the other hand, account for 18% of the overall cost.

Other costs include:

  • $905M – Child-endangerment costs
  • $687M – Workplace productivity loss
  • $545M – Drug treatment
  • $351M – Additional health care costs among meth users
  • $70M – Parole and probation violations for meth offenses
  • $61M – Costs of meth-production process

Cost of meth questions

If you or someone you know is abusing meth, explore this infographic. Meth addiction can cost you much more than what you pay in terms of money. When you use meth, you can lose:

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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.
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