Public policy statement on core benefit for primary care and specialty treatment and prevention of alcohol, nicotine and other drug abuse and dependence.

Alcohol, nicotine and other drug dependencies are widespread primary chronic diseases [1,2,3,4]. A study of nearly 20,000 adult Americans in the general public, found a 13.5% lifetime prevalence of alcohol abuse or dependence, and a 6.1% lifetime prevalence of other drug abuse or dependence, exclusive of nicotine [5]. The prevalence rates of substance use disorders for children are also significant. Additionally, about 17% of American adults are dependent on the nicotine in tobacco [6]. Alcoholism is associated with 25% of all general hospital admissions [7] and alcohol abuse and dependence cause an estimated 100,000 deaths annually. Smoking of tobacco is responsible for 434,000 deaths per year [8].