Study finds addiction costing Australian economy $80b a year

Addiction to drugs, alcohol, tobacco and gambling is costing the Australian economy $80 billion a year, according to a study carried out by KPMG. It's found one of the biggest problems is people's reluctance to seek help – on average it takes 18 years for people to try to address their addiction. KPMG Mental Health Advisory Lead Andrew Dempster says $36 billion is spent on tobacco addiction while $22 billion is spent on alcohol addiction. "The leading cause of cost associated with tobacco is really the health cost and the loss of life costs," he told Sky News Australia. If you or anyone you know needs help: National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline– 1800 250 015 National Gambling Helpline – 1800 858 858 Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au