Summary
In Western Australia (WA) in 2007–08, 51 government-funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies provided 18,705 treatment episodes. This represented an increase of 7 treatment agencies and around 1000 treatment episodes compared to 2006–07. The median age of persons receiving treatment for their own drug use and those seeking treatment for someone else’s drug use was similar to 2006–07 (30 years and 47 years respectively).
Alcohol (41%), amphetamines (26%) and cannabis (14%) were again the top three drugs of concern.
As in 2006–07, counselling was the most common form of main treatment provided (55% of episodes), followed by rehabilitation (15%) and withdrawal management (11%, up from 8% in 2006–07).