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 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 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 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 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 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 read more »

Instead of encouraging smokers to quit the habit and save money, the recession has meant many are continuing to smoke to help deal with stress, reports the BBC. A survey of 877 smokers and ex-smokers by Ipsos Mori revealed that nearly a quarter of smokers had abandoned plans to try and kick the habit, and read more »

A new survey shows that there has been a significant increase in young girls drinking, reports the Guardian. 11 to 15 year-olds in London alone consume around 180,000 bottles of lager a week, and girls now drink as much as girls. Hospital admissions, however, are twice as high for girls than boys, due to their read more »

New patterns in cocaine use could put younger users at even more risk, reports the Guardian. A new trend amongst cocaine users of mixing the drug in with other substances to allow them to drink for longer is causing health problems for 20 to 30 year olds. However, it is resulting in many users being read more »

New research from Oxford University has shown that smoking is costing the NHS five times more than previously anticipated, reports the BBC. The cost of treating illnesses and diseases caused by smoking is around £5 billion a year, whereas previous estimates put the figure at around £1.4 billion. One if five deaths are the result read more »