Blog # 4--Seeking Substance Abuse Treatment

      For some people treatment of their substance abuse can be the difference between life and 

death. Although it is up to the individual to make the final decision to address his or her 

substance abuse problem, when that decision is made, it may be difficult to find treatment 

options. The harms of substance abuse and treatment options are not widely advertised. In 

regards to television ads the issue of substance abuse can be compared to cigarette smoking. 

It is a known factor that smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer, heart attacks and strokes; ways 

to quit smoking and the negative effects of cigarettes are widespread in television commercials.  

The negative effects of substance abuse and treatment options are not a common occurrence in 

television ads. If the effects of substance abuse, whether it is alcohol, street or prescription 

drugs, were in television ads and billboards, similar results would be reached as with the 

antismoking campaigns. The first antismoking ad campaign was launched on Thanksgiving Day 

of 1966 and since then the percentage of smokers has declined. In 1960 the percentage of 

smokers in the U.S. was 54%; the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 

that in 2007 the prevalence of smoking fell to 19.8%.

      There are numerous of community-based substance abuse treatment available to the public 

but it may take some searching to find the right option. The Center for Substance Abuse 

Treatment (CSAT) is a governmental agency that is part of the Substance Abuse and Mental 

Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and through there, individuals and families can 

locate services that will best suit their needs regarding substance abuse treatment. Doing a 

search for treatment facilities located within the 100 mile radius of Sacramento, 490 facilities 

came up. Their services vary from outpatient, residential (both short and long term), 

hospitalization and day treatments. If one is looking for treatments to their drug or alcohol 

problem, there are hundreds of options available. If those options would be advertised in the 

same way that the quitting of cigarettes is advertised, more people would seek help to their 

addictions.



http://www.no-smoking.org/march99/03-30-99-1.html

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/

http://csat.samhsa.gov/

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/27/health/webmd/main3106215.shtml