Substance abuse costs West Virginia an estimated $470 million per year but that doesn’t include child welfare, education, and workforce losses.
Wayne Coombs is the director for research and development at the West Virginia Prevention RESOURCE Center.
"Substance abuse is a growing problem in West Virginia,” Coombs said. "It’s starting to drain our treasury."
The center is researching the costs of substance abuse in West Virginia. The most recent study revealed a strain on the state’s health care system of about $116 million a year.
“People who are chronic abusers tend to have higher health care costs,” he said. "It does more damage to organs."
Monday, The Governor’s Comprehensive Strategic Plan was revealed. It focuses on three areas; programs, infrastructure, and research.
The plan could help the budget, reduce the number of inmates in an overpopulated prison system, and reach out to thousands of addicts. Coombs says the key to the plan is prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery programs, something new to West Virginia.
“West Virginia does not invest any of its own money into prevention, early intervention and recovery," he said.
"What we know is if we do nothing about this it’s going to continue to get worse and we just can’t afford to do that any longer. There needs to be a coordinated effort and that’s what this plan brings about and there needs to be some serious investment."
With a price tag of close to $24 million, House of Delegates representative Don Perdue is hoping to find funding by re-introducing a bill that would impose a 2 cent tax on beer.
“All those four items have to be met and they have to be met that within a budget that right now doesn’t exit," Perdue said.
"If we can find a way to stream funding into those four areas I firmly believe that we can interdict the process for several thousands of people in our state that right now are not having that kind of service."
Based on the recent health care cost study, Perdue thinks it makes sense to add the tax.
“If you think about it, alcohol being one of the major causes of the problem, I’d like to see those folks kind of step up and say 'well we understand that we may be part of the solution here,'" he said.
"Take away that business that they are being part of the problem and let’s let them be part of the solution and take care of the walking wounded that we need to recover."
The 2 cent tax was shot down in the last session but Perdue hopes this session will be different.
Gov. Manchin called this issue one of his highest priorities. He is expecting some challenges from those who believe substance abusers should be put behind bars and even recognized that it could be a bad political move. But it’s one move he’s willing to take.