Survey prompts rethink on heavy drinkers

MOST people who drink to get drunk are not alcoholics, a new government report concludes, suggesting that more can be done to help heavy drinkers cut back.

The finding, from a government survey of 138,100 adults, counters the conventional wisdom that every "falling-down drunk" must be addicted to alcohol.

Instead, the results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that 9 of 10 people who drink too much are not addicts and can change their behaviour with a little - or perhaps a lot of - prompting.