ALCOHOL and drug abuse is destroying more and more lives in Swansea, a leading expert has warned.

An increasing number of families were being caught up, said Swansea Drugs Project director Ifor Glyn, and the threat was greater than ever.

Mr Glyn said efforts to tackle the problem must be stepped up. He was speaking at the project's annual general meeting on Thursday.

"Misuse of drugs and alcohol is greater than it ever was, with individuals, families and communities paying a heavy price, and lives destroyed or even lost," he said.

"Without a doubt, it is the greatest threat facing the communities in Swansea today. We ignore it at our peril.

"There is no community in Swansea that is unaffected, and most families know of somebody touched by drugs or alcohol."

Today in South Wales, around 40 people will be referred for alcohol or drugs treatment. It was the same yesterday, and will be the same next week, and the week after that.

This is based on figures from 2006/07, which revealed a total of 14,358 people in South Wales were referred for help by various agencies.

The number was 3,283 in Swansea, 1,484 in Neath Port Talbot, and 1,245 in Carmarthenshire.

Mr Glyn said it was a sad fact that there was more of a need for the service now than when it was set up in 1983.

The project has grown from a small agency run by a group of volunteers to a large organisation employing 25 paid workers, and relying on 10 volunteers.

It now helps 1,000 individuals every year, ranging from the age of 13 to 70 for education, prevention and treatment.

Mr Glyn added: "Drugs misuse does not discriminate on age, sex or where you live.

"In its 25-year history, the project has worked with thousands of individuals, of all ages and from all social backgrounds.

"People who become reliant upon drugs are not just numbers or figures at the periphery of society; they are somebody's child, brother or sister, mother or father.

"Before long, everybody will know of somebody who has a problem with drink or drugs."

The problem is growing, despite greater police efforts and more investment in treatment services.

Mr Glyn said: "Despite greater investment and focus on enforcement and treatment services, like most of the UK, we are seeing a worrying increase in the numbers affected."

Efforts must be stepped up to make a real impact, he said.

"The number of drug-related deaths in Swansea over the past two years demonstrates the gravity of the situation," said Mr Glyn.

"Substance misuse does affect everybody, and everybody now has to take responsibility for addressing the issuel."

Becky Hancock, deputy director of the West Glamorgan Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Centre (WGCADA), said two-thirds of its referrals in Swansea last year were for alcohol problems.

"That goes across the board, in Neath, Port Talbot and Bridgend," she said.

"We see people who drink at weekends and have got into a fight, to those for whom alcohol is a dependency issue."

She believes alcohol can be both a physical and psychological addiction.

"Alcohol may alleviate problems for people — but then it can reinforce them," she said.

The terrible toll on the body and mind doesn't end when someone kicks the habit. As well as the shakes and the sweats, alcoholics are at risk of fits in the most severe cases.

"Withdrawal can be fatal," said Miss Hancock.

She reckoned the widespread availability of alcohol was a problem, especially for young people without activities to get involved with.

Going into schools could make a real difference, she said.

"If you're very real with kids with the facts, and the long-term consequences of abusing alcohol, it brings home the message."

She added that people who drink too much at first lose their tolerance, but later became drunk very quickly.

"Then, it just becomes topping up," she said.

For information visit www.swanseadrugsproject.org.uk or www.wgcada.org