Alcohol Use Causes More Harm to Others Than Drinkers, New Study Finds

A new study from Massey University has found that alcohol use causes more harm to others than to the drinker.

Looking at disability-adjusted life years, the research found that 56% of alcohol-related harm was caused to others, with 90% of this due to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

FASD contributed 15 healthy years lost for every 1,000 people, and the harm was twice as high for Māori people.

Road crashes and alcohol-fuelled violence were also highlighted as significant issues for the country, with Māori again disproportionately affected.

The research draws comparisons with second-hand smoking and calls for increased protections around alcohol.