Addiction to get serious
October 13, 2011
AUSTRALIANS believe that
addiction is not taken seriously
enough, according to a new study
conducted by StollzNow research
for Pfizer Australia.
The research looked at responses
from 1,035 Australian adults
between the age of 18 and 65 and
found that 67% believed that the
treatment of addiction is not taken
seriously enough, whilst 78%
believed that addiction to nicotine,
alcohol or illicit drugs should be
considered treatable medical
conditions.
Interestingly, despite these figures
17% of participants said they thought
there is a safe level for cigarette
smoking, whilst 13% said there was
a safe level for illicit drug use.
Meanwhile worrying trends
revealed in the survey included the
fact that 47% of participants knew
someone with an alcohol problem,
27% knew someone with an illicit
drug problem, and a massive 68%
knew someone addicted to nicotine.
“It’s alarming that people do not
recognise the gravity of substance
abuse in Australia,” said addiction
specialist Dr Raymond Seidler.
“They still think, despite all the
health warnings, that even small
amounts of addictive substances
are harmless, particularly nicotine
in cigarettes,” he added.
Of the smokers surveyed 22% said
that nicotine addiction is a habit,
not a medical condition, whilst 72%
said that they would change their
approach to quitting if they knew
nicotine addiction was a recognised
medical condition.
The change in approach,
according to the respondents
would include seeing a GP (70%)
and using a medicine (64%).
Only 22% said that they would
quit smoking “cold turkey”.
“It is important that all
Australians take action against
these treatable medical conditions
by seeking appropriate support,”
said Seidler.
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