According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of women dying drug-related deaths in England and Wales rose by 17% in 2008, and the number of men rose by 8%. The increase in female drug-related deaths came after a period of decline during 2005 and 2007.
The figures include both legal and illegal drugs and read more »

A recent survey investigating underage drinking has found that the excessive alcohol consumption of many teenagers can be put down to boredom, reports the BBC.
When questioning a number of teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 year olds the charity Drinkaware found that 8% admitted when questioned that their drinking is purely down to read more »

Tranquilisers and over-the-counter drugs are too readily available, causing over two million people to develop addictions to them, reports the Independent.
Drugs such as benzodiazepines (tranquillisers) and opiate-based painkillers (such as morphine and codeine) can have serious side-effects, as well as being habit-forming. There has been a huge rise in addiction to these legal drugs, with read more »

Over one million people in the UK are now taking cocaine, the largest figure for 12 years, reports the Times.
The figure comes from the British Crime Survey, which also reveals that around 125,000 people are taking ketamine, a horse tranquiliser.
Over half of those taking cocaine are aged between 16 and 24, possible due to a read more »

A public accounts committee (PAC) report has revealed that only one in eighteen of those with an alcohol abuse problem are getting the help they need from the NHS, reports the Guardian.
On average the NHS spends around £1,744 per head on drug addicts, however, for heavy drinkers the figure is £197 per head. The report read more »

The alcohol industry is launching a government-backed campaign aimed at young people to help reduce excessive drinking, reports the BBC.
The campaign is one of the biggest to date, and 45 companies are supporting it. It aims to promote ‘practical tips’ and ‘responsible enjoyment’ to help people stay safe whilst drinking, such as eating before going read more »

Under-age binge drinkers are consuming up to 20 units of alcohol a week, reports the Independent.
A new survey that looked at the drinking habits of 13,000 14-17 year olds in the north west of England revealed that half drink to get drunk and that one in 20 drink alone. The survey was published by the read more »

A feature on the Independent website today highlights the emotional cost of the recession.
The Samaritans are reporting a rise in the number of calls, mainly from people worried about money. One in ten calls are related to financial worries, with over half of these being from people worried about job security.
Drinking has also risen, with read more »

Families of drug addicts are to be given a drug that can help reverse the affects of an overdose as part of a new trial, reports the Guardian.
In a quarter of over dose cases, a family member is present, but they are left feeling helpless and unable to help the addict, apart from calling an read more »

Speakers at an alcohol summit held in Edinburgh have called for a minimum pricing on alcohol to be put into action in Scotland, reports the BBC.
Alcohol abuse is a major problem in Scotland, with over 42,000 people being admitted to hospital between 2007 and 2008 for alcohol related problems, and nearly half of prisoners claiming read more »