A DRAMATIC SPIKE in the number of females seeking treatment for various forms of addiction is raising concern amongst health officials.
While there are no documented figures to show the increase in numbers, clinical director at Verdun House in St John, Jackie Lewis, said there had been a significant rise in the number cases presenting to her over the years.
“Women have gone from two or three a year . . . to two to three women a month,” Lewis said – a 1 200 per cent increase.
She stressed the situation was “vastly getting worse and worse”.
Lewis was speaking yesterday at the media launch of Marina House at Verdun House, which is to be Barbados’ first rehabilitation centre for women.
