Alcohol the No.1 addiction

More people seek treatment for alcohol abuse than for any other substance, a new report has found.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report examined more than 150,000 treatments provided through 664 government-funded alcohol and drug treatment agencies in 2005-06.

"Alcohol is the most widely used drug in Australia and is also the most common drug for which people seek treatment," the institute's Dr Chris Stevenson said.

Almost four in ten people seeking treatment said alcohol was their main problem, but another 15 per cent said they had a problem with alcohol as well as other drugs.

Cannabis was the most common illegal drug for which people sought treatment, with 25 per cent saying it was their main problem, followed by heroin at 14 per cent and amphetamines at 11 per cent.

Dr Stevenson said more than half of those seeking treatment needed help with addiction to more than one drug.

He said the drugs nominated by clients were strongly related to their age.

"Alcohol was the most common drug of concern for clients aged 30 years and over," he said.

"However, for younger clients, cannabis was the most common drug nominated, particularly for clients aged under 20 years where cannabis accounted for one out of two episodes."

The median age of people who sought treatment was 31, and about two-thirds were men.

News Limited