In 2001, the Robert Wood Johnson Institute published an excellent compendium of research and data titled Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem. In a nutshell, "there are more deaths, illnesses and disabilities from substance abuse than from any other preventable health condition," the report stated.

Despite this fact, substance abuse is given short shrift in most medical schools — a matter of a few hours of teaching, in some cases.

"Only a small percentage of physicians consider themselves 'very prepared' to diagnose alcoholism (19.9%), illegal drug use (16.9%), and prescription drug abuse (30.2%)," according to a survey of primary care physicians and patients conducted for The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) in 2000. As a result, "more than nine out of ten — 94% — of primary care physicians fail to diagnose substance abuse when presented with early symptoms of alcohol abuse," CASA reported.

Yesterday's New York Times carried a promising story, "Drug Users' Hard Lessons Become Tools To Teach Doctors."

"In the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's residency program at Montefiore Medical Center, substance abuse training may include lessons from those with firsthand experience," the Times reported. "Since January, three pairs of patients, called Peer Educators, have come monthly from among five methadone clinics in the Bronx to lead 90-minute courses for internal medicine interns through a program called Project Grow (Giving Resources and Options to Women)."

One intern said, "You can read about drug abuse, but if you've never seen it the way it really is, you won't recognize it."

Hopefully, this type of program will catch on in medical schools across the country.

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