This report describes patterns of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse in the city of Detroit, and their impact on economic and social problems. Drug Strategies estimates that costs related to substance abuse in the city of Detroit exceed $925 million annually. Costs include expenditures for health care, treatment and prevention programs, traffic accidents, foster care and criminal justice. These calculations do not include indirect costs, such as reduced productivity, lost wages and property losses from drug-related crime. Local geography, demography, economy and agency structure provide the underlying context for the city's drug problems and the effectiveness of its solutions.
Geography. Detroit borders Canada, to which it is connected by a bridge, a passenger tunnel and a rail tunnel. Each day, an estimated 30,000 people cross Detroit's international border. Close proximity to Canada enhances the city's social, economic and cultural composition; however, Detroit's international flavor extends beyond its Canadian border. Greektown, Mexicantown and a large Arab population contribute to the city's diversity. More than 75,000 Detroit area residents are employed by over 700 foreign-owned companies representing 23 countries. Although there are broad socio-economic differences between the city of Detroit and its suburbs, both regions contribute to the city's drug problems. City residents are often blamed for these problems because drug trafficking is thought to be more commonplace in Detroit than in the suburbs. However, city leaders report that residents of surrounding communities play an active role in sustaining the local drug market, often traveling into the city to purchase drugs.
Demography and Economy. Detroit is Michigan's largest metropolitan area, comprising approximately 10 percent of the state population. With one million residents, the city of Detroit accounts for 47 percent of Wayne County's residents. Detroit's urban characteristics-a large population, poverty, and until recently, substantial unemployment-make it particularly vulnerable to alcohol and other drug problems. Today, the city's racial composition is 75 percent African American and 22 percent white, while the state of Michigan is 14 percent African American and 83 percent white (other races comprise approximately three percent of the city and state populations ).
Detroit's recent economic upswing has prompted more businesses, private foundations and public agencies to invest in the city's rejuvenation. Since his election in 1994, Mayor Dennis Archer has made economic and civic development a priority, establishing four "cornerstone goals": (1) safety, (2) effective and "user-friendly" services, (3) business expansion and development, and (4) moving forward without incurring new debt. Detroit's recuperating economy sustains over 400 small businesses. Unemployment has decreased dramatically, falling from 14.5 percent in 1990 to 5.8 percent in 1998.
In 1994, the city of Detroit received more than $100 million in federal Urban Empowerment Zone funds. The project has attracted more than $2.2 billion in private investment and created over 1,750 jobs. Detroit's primary industries include manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and professional services; the city remains one of the world's largest producers of automobiles. The DaimlerChrysler Corporation, General Motors and the Ford Motor Company together employ over 21,000 city residents. These auto makers offer employee assistance programs and other health benefits often unavailable to workers in small businesses. Detroit is also renowned for its health and medical facilities, including the Henry Ford Health System, St. John's Health System and the Detroit Medical Center (which is affiliated with Wayne State University School of Medicine); all are major employers within the city.
Poverty as a Risk Factor. In a 1996 survey by the United Way Community Services of Southeastern Michigan, residents of the city of Detroit were 3 times more likely to perceive alcohol and other drug abuse as major problems than were residents of the larger Detroit metropolitan area. Other concerns of city residents included truancy, school dropout, layoffs, unemployment, lack of recreational facilities, crime and neighborhoods getting ?run down.? Local leaders are concerned that drug problems exacerbate the lack of economic opportunities for many adults in Detroit. For example, those who test positive for drugs are immediately disqualified for employment in many public and private institutions.
Local Agencies. The Detroit Health Department (DHD) addresses smoking through the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study for Cancer Prevention (Project ASSIST) and the Tri-Cities Tobacco Action Coalition.The Bureau of Substance Abuse (BSA), an agency within DHD, has primary responsibility for prevention and treatment services in the city. BSA sponsors a wide range of community-based initiatives; provides financial and technical assistance to treatment and prevention programs; and contracts with local agencies to conduct surveys and program evaluations. BSA holds monthly roundtable meetings with prevention and treatment providers to build collaborative citywide efforts. In addition, neighborhood initiatives address drug abuse, education, economic and cultural needs throughout the city.
The Private Sector. Detroit's public agencies rely on federal and state funds, but as in many cities, they often lack the necessary resources to serve city residents comprehensively. The private sector in the city of Detroit and its surrounding areas actively supports treatment and prevention programs. Businesses and private foundations, including General Motors, Ford Motor Company, the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan Avenue 5 Michigan and the Skillman Foundation, are some of the many private organizations whose contributions are critical to the city's health, social and economic well-being. In the early 1990s, the Skillman Foundation funded the RAND Corporation to analyze trends in drug use and related problems in the Detroit Metropolitan Area.The analysis formed the basis of the Skillman Foundation's Drug-Free Youth and Families Initiative. In 1993, the Skillman Foundation funded school and community prevention efforts in Metropolitan Detroit as well as evaluations of these efforts. Other organizations, such as the Detroit Free Press and the Youth Sports and Recreation Commission, also support prevention efforts. Public agencies and local leaders encourage continued partnerships with the city's private sector as an effective way to tackle drug abuse in Detroit.
Data Resources. In preparing this profile, Drug Strategies used specialized local research, Wayne County statistics or state data when city-wide data describing Detroit were not available. Drug Strategies hoped to obtain data on Detroit broken down by neighborhood or zip code; however, funding and training restrictions have so far precluded BSA from compiling this information. The Michigan Department of Community Health, which conducts statewide research, has not gathered trend data on key drug use indicators in the city of Detroit. BSA recently contracted with the Wayne State University Center for Urban Studies to con-duct Detroit's first prevention needs assessment, which will involve detailed sampling of local communities. While the Greater Detroit Health Council gathers information on Detroit, it does not focus specifically on alcohol and other drug abuse.
The city of Detroit lacks trend data on many key indicators. Efforts are currently underway to collect and analyze data on a more consistent basis.Youth alcohol, tobacco and other drug use rates in the city of Detroit are based on data obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS), which is also conducted throughout Michigan. In this report, national averages from the YRBS are used to draw national comparisons with rates of use in Detroit.
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