10 Things the Alcohol industry won't tell you about Alcohol
Professor Doug Sellman of the National Addiction Centre at Otago University yesterday launched the start of a nationwide speaking tour at Cutting Edge - the annual conference of the Addiction Treatment sector in New Zealand. In a speech entitled "10 Things the Alcohol Industry won't tell you about Alcohol", Prof Sellman pointed out that the liquor industry makes massive profits out of the 700,000 New Zealanders who abuse alcohol.
According to economist Brian Easton, all this drinking costs the NZ economy around $25 billion every year, a figure five times higher that the social cost of alcohol estimated by the recent BERL report. Most of the social destruction caused by alcohol is because of its impact on crime and the increased cost it imposes on the police, the courts, the prison system and victims. Over the next couple of months Prof Sellman talks about the cost and other issues and will give his speech 37 times in town halls up and down the country.
Prof Sellman recommends the 5+ Solution to combat alcohol related harm in society based on international research sponsored by the WHO:
1) Raise the price of liquor by imposing extra taxes. There is international evidence that this would have the greatest effect in reducing overall consumption. Increased revenue can be used to provide more treatment programmes.
2) Raise the purchase age (back up to 20 or 21). Lowering the age to 18 has led to increased consumption and more alcohol problems by 13 to 17 year olds.
3) Reduce accessibility - ban liquor sales by dairies and supermarkets, limit the hours that bars can stay open.
4) Reduce marketing and advertising - ban all liquor ads on TV and radio, and place compulsory health warning labels on bottles and casks.
5) Increase measures against drink driving - reduce the permissible blood alcohol level from 0.08 to to 0.05. In regard to drink driving, Wellington alcohol and drug counsellor, Roger Brooking also recommendations compulsory alcohol and drug assessment before drink drivers can regain their licence after being disqualified for drink driving.
Plus: Increase funding for addiction treatment programmes. Currently less than 25,000 New Zealanders are able to access substance abuse treatment each year, but there are over 700,000 problem drinkers in the country let alone the thousands of others that abuse cannabis, methamphetamine and other drugs. The National Committee on Addiction Treatment (NCAT) has recommended an increase in addiction funding of 100% to increase the sector's capacity to deal with what Roger Brooking calls "the alcohol pandemic gripping the country". Brooking says a 600% increase may be needed.
Prof Sellman and his medical colleagues have taken the unprecedented step of starting an action group and a website to raise awareness by the media, the public and politicians of the need for reform of the overly permissive liquor laws in New Zealand. For more information go to the Alcohol Action website: www.alcoholaction.co.nz/