NEWS: Daily Telegraph - 20/07/2006 'Aussie addicts on the rise'

Aussie addicts on the rise
July 20, 2006 12:00

ADDICTION rates are reaching alarming heights with research showing Australians are three times more likely to be drug dependent than Americans - and 1.5 times more prone to alcoholism.

The findings, after a survey of more than 10,000 Australians, surprised researchers.

"Possibly there is a genetic vulnerability, this is an area where we need more research," National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre acting director Professor Maree Teesson said.

More than 75 per cent of Aussies aged 18 to 54 drank recently compared with just 46 per cent of Americans - and one in five of our males aged 18 to 24 confessed to having a drinking problem.

About 10.8 per cent of Australians and 11.9 per cent of Americans used drugs in the past year.

But a mere 6.5 per cent of Americans admitted they had a problem - compared to a whopping 21 per cent of Aussies.

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From Daily Telegraph

Well, given how many kids in their late teens-late twenties binge drink over the weekend after a hard week's work, this is hardly surprising. To be honest, I don't think I know one mate that doesn't have at-least a few drinks every week. And, those who don't drink in most circles I have come in contact with, are usually frowned upon. This may be a bit of a generalisation, but I believe that drinking alcohol, especially beer is so heavily embedded in our culture "the hard working Australian", that it is just so socially accepted, and this, I believe, is going to have detrimental effects on alot of aspects in society.

They act as if its new news? I mean what are they talking about exactly? Trying to reduce premature death i suppose?

It's incredibly hard to comment on this without seeing the research paper being mentioned. I just had a quick look on the NDARC site and nothing sprang out at me.

Does anyone know what the actual research in question is? Care to post a link?

But a mere 6.5 per cent of Americans admitted they had a problem - compared to a whopping 21 per cent of Aussies.

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Maybe people here are just more comfortable at admitting when they have a problem? Surely there are factors to do with education/knowledge of what constitutes problem use ... I don't suppose there's a really good way to gauge the percentage of people who have a problem vs the number who will actually admit it.

^I've always been of the stern opinion that statistics are never accurate anyway. Especially the statistics they do in-regards to illicit drug usage. I mean, they are asking random people off the street (in alot of cases) whether or not they "have a problem, "or get involved in illicit behaviour". There's not too many I know that would be comfortable in admitting to some surveryor that they get involved in illicit or inappropriate behaviour. That's why, I in all seriousness reckon that (yes, slightly off-topic, I know), that regardless of what the statsistics show, there'll always be alot more people out there that have a drinking problem, or use illicit substances, than what the stats show.
Dunno, just my P.O.V.

Drink, dope top drug problem for Aussies
Ben Packham
July 27, 2006 12:00am

MORE Australians seek help for alcohol and cannabis abuse than any other drugs and the majority of those seeking help are men.

Of more than 140,000 drug treatment episodes in 2004-05, 37 per cent were for alcohol abuse and 23 per cent for cannabis.

Heroin addicts made up 17 per cent of those seeking treatment, and 10 per cent sought help for amphetamine abuse.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare said two thirds of users seeking treatment were men, and one third were aged 20 to 29.

Among cannabis users, 41 per cent were aged 20 to 29.

The institute said more than half of users that had sought help had problems with more than one drug.

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From Herald Sun

i suspect a lot of americans would lie about their alcohol use.

From many discussions with middle class Americans drinking a beer a night would define you as a alcoholic - Thus there is definately a social taboo to admitting drug use and with the sort of enviroment that the US has i wouldn't be surprised if the Fed Government there would use drug research records to hunt drug users down - like the dogs they are.

I would never admit to drug use in a country like the states - who knows how that could come back and hurt you.

but what do you expect from the rag that is known as the tele - a well thought out piece or a media released, copy and pasted into the article?

OK - I've read THAT paper Hoptis - it's the "Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia 2004-05: report on the national minimum data set"; you can download it from

http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10268

This is a bit different from the initial media article - this report is really looking at "What drugs to people seek treatment for?"

I must say I am surpised at the large percentage of people who seek treament where the principle drug of concern is cannabis. Really??? That blows me away a little. Admittedly, most of the treatment we're talking about here is counselling (not detox), and a good percentage of people are mandated to attend this counselling via drug caution programs.

I checked with a friend who works at a youth detox - apparently pot is the most common drug that people are detoxing from at that service. I find this a little surprising...

Can't people get themselves a real drug habit before they seek professional help? (Joking... I think)

ayjay said:

I checked with a friend who works at a youth detox - apparently pot is the most common drug that people are detoxing from at that service. I find this a little surprising...

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Personally, I don't find it surprising at all.