Report shows growing female addiction rates and rise in those seeking help for heroin use

The growth in the number of women seeking treatment for addiction and an alarming rise in heroin use among men seeking help have been revealed by the largest addiction treatment service in the South.

Since the Tabor Group opened its doors 25 years ago, the patient profile has changed from the alcoholic middle-aged man whose drinking tore families apart to a much younger group of addicts, predominantly aged 18-34, most of whom have multiple addictions, according to clinical director Mick Devine.

The number of women seeking treatment also continues to grow, accounting for more than a third of patients in the latest annual report, compared to a 100% male intake in 1989.