Alcohol-related cases on increase

The number of cases of people being treated for alcohol problems is rising markedly, the Health Research Board reported today.

According to the latest figures available, alcohol-related cases increased by 21 per cent in 2006 over 2004. One in ten new cases are aged under 19 years-of-age.

The HRB said the total number of cases from 2004 to 2006 was 16,020. It also revealed over a fifth of all people treated for alcoholism also abused drugs.

The three most abused drugs among problem drinkers were cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy.

Dr Jean Long, health of the HRB's Alcohol and Drug Research Unit, explained that the rise could be explained by an actual increase in drinking among the population, a rise in the number of cases being reported by health services, or a combination of the two factors. She said

Dr Long warned that the HRB's collating of cases was still in the initial stages and the true figures may be far higher. Not all alcohol treatment services provided information for the three-year period under review, she said.

"This means that the figures presented are an underestimate of the true extent of treated alcohol use in Ireland and reflect the degree of participation in the reporting system by treatment services, rather than the actual levels of treatment required or, indeed, provided in any one region."

The number of cases of people being treated for both cocaine and alcohol abuse rose by 40 per cent from 2004 to 2006.

Over a quarter of problem drinkers started abusing alcohol and drugs before the age of 15.

"This illustrates a link between starting to drink alcohol and taking drugs and highlights the importance of delaying for as long as possible the use of alcohol by young people," Dr Long said.