Drug Dependency Rising Among Young Veterans

[Dion Silva10]

Mental health professionals are reporting an alarming rise in the
abuse of prescription drugs by young veterans returning from service
in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Phil Landis, CEO of the non-
profit Veterans Village of San Diego, "The younger veterans we're
seeing have really fallen hard and they've fallen fast. Many of them
are addicted to prescribed drugs. We don't see that much among our
other veterans here."


Returning veterans face challenges in readjusting to civilian life and
finding employment and affordable housing. These challenges may be
insurmountable when drug addiction is a factor. Drug addiction brings
a greater risk of homelessness for veterans. In an interview in the
San Diego North County Times, Landis commented on the speed with which
today’s young veterans are spiraling into homelessness. A downward
cycle that used to take place over an 8 to 10 year period is now
occurring in just a year or two.

For more information please visit:
http://www.soberliving.com/blog/2010/12/10/drug-addiction-rising-veterans-alcohol-oxycontin-vicodin-trauma