And now the rest of my answers to questions posed a few weeks ago by Kelsey S., a 16-year-old student at Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, N.C.:

Question: If the government gave more funding for drug treatment, do you think there would be a positive change?

Answer: There is no doubt that we need to reconfigure the war on drugs to expand resources for proven prevention programs in high schools, for research by scientists exploring the neurobiology of addiction, and for treatment at licensed facilities that can demonstrate successful outcomes. Today the federal government spends about $21 billion a year on this war, but only about 20 percent of it goes to these kinds of programs and efforts. Most of the taxpayers' money is spent trying to reduce the supply. But there never has been a sustainable reduction in the flow of illegal drugs into America, the cultivation of homegrown marijuana or production of methamphetamines within our borders, or the abuse of these illegal substances, much less a reduction in the legal use of alcohol, the country's No. 1 drug. Why? Because as long as there is demand, there always will be supply and the consequences that go along with drug use. Only when we dramatically alter the balance to increase efforts to prevent or reduce the demand will we begin to see "positive change."

Question: Why is treatment worth the time and money?

Answer: Because when addicted people get treatment and recover, they pay taxes, raise families, work, vote and don't break the law (although in my 14 years of sobriety, I have been ticketed twice for speeding). So it is certainly worth the time and money. Consider this: On average, it costs about $50,000 a year to house an inmate in a state prison. But the cost of treatment instead of incarceration ranges from a few hundred dollars for community-based outpatient services to $19,800 for 90 days of residential care for men at La Verna Lodge in Indiana to about $16,000 for a year's worth of treatment at Greenhope Services for Women in Harlem, N.Y. Do the math; the bottom line is a big savings. But don't take my word for it. A couple of years ago, the state of California did a study that found that for every dollar spent on treatment, the state saved about $7.

The dollars and cents in this debate make sense to me and should resonate with policymakers who wage the war on drugs. But fundamentally, the issue is grounded in compassion for people and families struggling with alcoholism or drug dependence.

Readers may remember that in her initial e-mail to me in October, Kelsey explained that her questions were part of a research project on drug addiction in her English class. But the impetus for her inquiry went beyond the assignment. She explained why:

"My best friend's parents have been drug addicts her whole life. She just recently had to drop out of high school and get a full-time job; she is only 16. She did so because she felt as if she had to support her parents because they can't support or take care of themselves. Before she dropped out, she was an honors student who was involved in school and had a lot of potential for a bright future. This is affecting her future. She isn't going to be able to graduate high school or even go to college because her parents are drug addicts. Their problem is her problem. Then her problem becomes society's problem. Drug addiction affects everyone, not just the addicts. I'm sure stories such as hers are happening everywhere. These stories would end if people cared and didn't just give up on addicts and act as if addicts aren't there. The reality is that they are there. I do believe that if her parents got treatment, it would make not only their lives better but also her life better. I believe that treatment can really make a positive change and give people the better lives that they deserve."

Here's my question: What is Kelsey's community doing to help her friend's parents help themselves?

William C. Moyers is the vice president of external affairs for the Hazelden Foundation and the author of "Broken," a best-selling memoir. The paperback edition was released in August 2007. Please send your questions to William Moyers at William@WilliamMoyers.com. To find out more about William Moyers and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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