Millions addicted to drink

Three million people - one in 13 of the population - are dependent on alcohol and there is a disturbing lack of treatment for them, it was claimed today.

The scale of Britain's alcohol problem, with nearly 400,000 of the nation's alcoholics living in London, was revealed at a conference demanding more support for people with drink-related mental health problems.

Alcohol Concern chief executive Eric Appleby said: "The fact that over three million people can't get through the day without getting a fix of alcohol should surely worry all concerned."

A trend towards stronger and larger drinks on sale could be contributing to the problem, the conference heard. Alcohol Concern warned:

More than twice as many people are hooked on alcohol than on all forms of legal and illegal drugs

65 per cent of suicide attempts are related to alcohol

One in three psychiatric patients have a substance misuse problem

Up to half of all rough sleepers are estimated to be alcohol dependent, and

Almost half of those who attend alcohol treatment agencies fear for their psychological well-being

"Some of the most vulnerable people in our society are not receiving basic levels of support needed to help them get back on their feet," Mr Appleby told the The Solutions In Mind conference at the Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. John Thompson, of the Alcohol Recovery Project, which helps up to 3,000 people a year across London, said: "Given the hysteria that the Government has about drugs, it is surprising there is not the same concern about alcohol dependence."

Increases in the strength and size of drinks sold in Britain, could be part of the problem said Jean Coussins, chief executive of industry watchdog, The Portman Group.

She added: "Consumer information must be top priority. Consumers must know how much alcohol they are drinking."

She said that the Government and the industry "should put far more resources into getting responsible drinking messages across without sounding patronising".

Entertainer Michael Barrymore, who had specialist addiction treatment in 1994, admitted in 2001 that he used to drink and take prescription drugs "until I passed out".

He says he is now clean and runs an Alcoholics Anonymous group near his home in Roydon, Essex.

Alcohol Concern can be contacted on 0207 928 7377. Other support groups include Alcoholics Anonymous, on 0845 76 97 555; Drinkline on 0800 917 8282, or Al-Anon - for relatives of the alcoholdependent - on 020 7403 0888.