The $500 million to $24 billion number is misleading.
1. We now have a large number of people who have been using recreational drugs for decades, so that could account for an increased number of people who need anti-psychotics to deal with the long term effects of such usage.
2. There are a lot of drugs, when used properly, can provide real help for those who have the real ailment (not counting the teacher who just doesn’t like normal boys in the classroom.) These useful drugs just didn’t exist 20 years ago.
1. We now have a large number of people who have been using recreational drugs for decades, so that could account for an increased number of people who need anti-psychotics to deal with the long term effects of such usage.
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If you are counting alcoholics among this number ...I agree. I bet psych hospitals are seeing at least 20% eval for drug/alcohol induced dementia.