Nurses Meeting Lounge

Alcoholism and drug addiction are problems that are growing in severity and spreading like wild fire. The thing is - are we doing enough about these problems? Do enough people actually understand how bad and dangerous alcohol and drugs actually are?

So let me provide you with a few addiction and alcoholism facts and statistics - so you can really begin to appreciate the potential for damage and devastation that alcohol and drugs have.

1) Alcohol is responsible for around 50% of deaths on our roads

2) The use and abuse of drugs and alcohol is a major cause of injury and death in teenagers and young adults.

3) Alcohol often leads to violent behaviour and it has been estimated plays a part in more than 50% of rapes and murders.

4) Approximately 92% of household theft and street muggings are made by drug addicts to get the money they need to fund their addiction.

5) You have in the US roughly 20 million people who are over the age of 13 that use drugs - and more than 21,000 people die every year because of their drug addiction.

I’ve just briefly mentioned a few drug and alcohol related facts and statistics - but the message is hopefully loud and clear. So I just don’t get how we still live in a binge drinking culture where alcohol abuse is glamorised and regarded as cool/socially acceptable. You could half understand it if it were just teenagers going on about their drinking exploits - but adults are even worse. I just don’t think the message of the dangers and damage that alcohol can cause gets through to enough people.

And why isn’t more being done to eliminate the drug dealers, who take advantage of the vulnerable and young in our communities? It’s just plain cowardice targeting youngsters, especially because they are the most vulnerable, with drugs like heroin.

My biggest concern is that things won’t improve and simply continue to get worse. How do you effectively tackle such a massive problem? Our attitudes towards alcohol need to change 180 degrees - and more needs to be done to get drugs off our street. These are issues of such massive proportions.

The addiction and alcoholism facts and statistics are only the tip of the iceberg and will continue to grow and escalate. So it’s about us doing our bit, passing on the message as to the dangers and damage that drugs and alcohol can cause - and living our lives by example. Hopefully that way, with time, others will follow suit …