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Large numbers of people with drug addictions were 'left to kill themselves slowly' during lockdowns
- Substance abuse support groups were classed as non-essential services for five months from March 2020, leaving people without a lifeline.
- A survey of 157 drug and alcohol support services found that 84% of the support groups saw an increase in drug use among their clients.
- “The ball was dropped by the government and people were left to kill themselves slowly for the first year of the pandemic," said one support worker.