Dirk Hanson over at Addiction Inbox has a great post about recent SAMHSA findings about addiction/recovery stigma in this country. In its survey, SAMHSA found that fewer than half of the respondents said they would be comfortable living next door to someone in recovery from drug abuse. Of course, millions of Americans already live comfortably next to someone in recovery from drug abuse. They just don’t know it.

Other interesting findings, as blogged about by Hanson:

• “Almost one-third would think less of a person with a current addiction.”

• “Almost three-quarters of young adults agree with the statement that people who are addicted to alcohol could stop if they had enough willpower. Twice as many young adults age 18 to 24 believe that willpower could play a decisive role in recovery from addiction than does the general population.”

• “In general, the older a person is, the more likely he or she is to think less of someone who is in recovery from drugs or alcohol, and the less likely he or she is to feel comfortable with someone in recovery from alcohol or drug abuse. In general, respondents are more comfortable with someone in recovery from alcohol abuse than drug addiction.”

• Overall, respondents feel that persons who are addicted to illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin are much more of a danger to society than those addicted to alcohol, prescription drugs, or marijuana.”

• “Females are much more likely than males to agree that individuals who are addicted to any of the substances mentioned in the survey are dangers to society. This is particularly true in relation to alcohol addictions.”

• “Women are more likely than men to agree that a person in recovery from an addiction to prescription drugs or illicit drugs can live a productive life.”

• “Respondents see programs to help people with addictions to alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs more favorably than treatment programs designed to help people with addictions to illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamines.”