Paisley meeting to discuss drink and drug problems

Health, police and social work professionals will gather in Paisley on Wednesday to discuss ways in which they can try and help people with drink and drug problems get on the road to recovery.

Between 1998 and 2004, Renfrewshire had the fourth highest rate of male alcohol related deaths in the UK.

Each year, on average, three Renfrewshire residents are murdered in drink related violence and over 1,500 people are admitted to hospital with alcohol related problems.

Meanwhile, 86 people die because of drink related illnesses – twice the Scottish average. The financial cost to Renfrewshire is also large. The direct cost of drink related crime and health problems is estimated at over £80million a year.

On Wednesday, those in attendance will examine the services available to help people recover from drink and drug addiction and discuss what needs to be done to help more of them.

The event is being hosted by the Renfrewshire Community Health Partnership (RCHP) and Renfrewshire Council.

Councillor Eileen McCartin, convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Community and Family Care policy board, said: “The human cost of drink is terrifying. It plays a major part in murders, assaults, domestic abuse, house fires, traffic accidents and health problems.

“The impact of alcohol abuse amongst teenagers is also becoming increasingly apparent. The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) suggested that in the past year as many as 524 13-year-olds and 984 15-year-olds had been in a fight, been in trouble with the police or stayed off school because of drink.

“Drug abuse extracts a similar toll with heroin being the drug of choice. The effects that we see amongst people using Renfrewshire Drug Services are clear – poor health, premature death, unemployment and, for around one in four, a prison record.

“This event demonstrates that all the organisations involved in fighting substance abuse are working together both to change attitudes and to make sure that there is help available and that it is the right sort of help.”