Alcohol, drug use up, poll says

Hurricane Katrina has sparked an increase in drug and alcohol use in the New Orleans area, and many local treatment facilities are struggling to find the staff to handle the surge, according to a survey released Wednesday. About 1 in 7 people responding say they are drinking more alcohol to cope with the emotional stress created by the storm, while 1 in 9 say they are using more prescription drugs, according to an annual survey released by the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CADA) for the Greater New Orleans Area. About 1 in 11 respondents said they knew of a family member using more illegal narcotics.

from the Times Picayune