Editorial:

THE SUMMER OF OUR DRUNKENNESS

This summer must have been an all-time record for bad behaviour and serious ill-effects resulting from drinking to excess.

At New Year police had to put on riot gear to battle with out-of-control drunk teens at Mt Maunganui and Nelson. It looked almost like Springbok tour days.

In Auckland the Central Business District is regarded as unsafe after 10pm by most people responding to a Friday night survey in the downtown area. This is due to drunkenness and hoons. A quarter of people interviewed said they had been intimidated by drunken people and 58% would support a by-law prohibiting drinking in public places. Drinking on the streets has become more of a problem since the lowering of the drinking age to 18 years.

When in Vancouver, Canada, a few years ago I witnessed a few people drinking quite moderately while watching a cricket match, being admonished by mounted police not to drink in public.

In Lower Hutt Mayor John Terris said that dropping the drinking age to 18 last year had resulted in an increase in drunk young people in the Hutt shopping area. The Hutt City Council is considering funding a private security guard. Retailers are becoming disturbed that shoppers are being put off the area for fear of being confronted with "spitting, swearing and drunk" young people.

Then there are the personal tragedies and near-tragedies. On January 21 the "Dominion" reported that a 10-year-old girl at Gisborne was found helplessly drunk and needed hospital care. The next day Wanganui police pulled a drunk 16-year-old girl and her 12-year-old friend from the Wanganui River. Two days later the "Herald" reported that three boys, one of whom was unconscious from alcohol, had to be taken to North Shore hospital. The unconscious boy was thought to be 12 years old.

How bad does it have to get before Government will legislate to protect our youth from themselves and the liquor industry? When will the fence be put at the top of the cliff so that the ambulance at the bottom is not needed?

Professor Sally Casswell speaking at a recent cannabis seminar said that governments need to think carefully before liberalising drug laws because it almost takes a revolution to tighten them again. This is certainly the case with liquor advertising. The recent Sale of Liquor Act has given New Zealand some of the most liberal liquor laws of the developed world. The effects are sadly obvious.

Viola Palmer

MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON DRUG POLICY

There is a glimmer of hope because this committee is to consider options to restrict alcohol advertising and sponsorship. A paper was provided to the Committee by the Ministry of Health for their October meeting last year. The topic will be considered further at this year's March meeting. Options for review of alcohol advertising are: a ministerial committee, a Select Committee, an appointed committee or an officials' group. These are alternatives to industry appointed review, of which there have been two so far.

One of the barriers to legislation restricting alcohol advertising is the NZ Bill of Rights. This provides that "Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form". The needs of public health would have to be shown to be greater than those of free expression.

Members of the Ministerial Committee are the Ministers of:

Health             A. King (chair)
Corrections     M. Robson
Customs         P. Bunkle
Justice             P.Goff
Police              G.Hawkins
Maori Affairs    P. Horomia
Youth Affairs    L. Harre
Transport        M. Gosche
Education        T. Mallard 

If you would like a copy of the paper contact GALA at PO Box 285, Waikanae or fax number at the top of this newsletter.

YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALCOHOL

This fact sheet has been put out by Alcohol Healthwatch. It is a good recent one page summary of the facts. Available from them at:

PO Box 99 407
Newmarket
Auckland

 or fax 09 520 4152 or ph 09 520 7036.

NEW ZEALAND--- THE STATISTICS

Some stats from the National Alcohol Strategy.

·         in a recent health survey more than 50% of 15 to 24 year old men reported drinking in a hazardous manner.

·         a 1998 national survey found that almost a quarter of women aged 18-19 years who identified themselves as drinkers reported drinking enough to feel drunk at least once a week.

·         a recent national survey found that 44% of male Maori drinkers and 29% of female Maori drinkers consumed alcohol at hazardous levels.

·         estimates suggest that alcohol contributes to between 25% and 50% of physical assaults against spouses. A recent survey found that in the previous 12 months, 10% of men and 5% of women had been assaulted by someone who had been drinking.

·         a study found that 32% of men and 6% of women will meet the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence over the course of their lifetime.

BILLBOARD COMPLAINT

A billboard featuring Lion's chin-head characters was the subject of a complaint to the Advertising Standards Complaints Board by GALA in November. The upside-down chins with eyes drawn on, look like cartoon characters. One says "How's a Lion Red sound?" The other replies "Glug, glug, glug."  The complaint was on the grounds of appeal to minors. The cartoon-like figures, juvenile language and humour are clearly directed at children and teens. The billboard is on State Highway One where it would be seen by holiday traffic over the Christmas period. At time of writing it is 11 weeks since the complaint was made. The complainant has not heard from the ASCB and the billboard is still in place doing its mischief. So much for self-regulation.

Footnote: Complaint Not Upheld. 12 weeks after lodging the complaint, the complainant received this verdict. The explanation is not yet to hand.

ALAC's NEW LOOK

The new chair of the ALAC Council is Professor Andrew Hornblow from Christchurch. We welcome him especially, as he was a personal supporter of GALA's newspaper ad calling for a ban on broadcast alcohol advertising.

The ALAC Act has recently been amended to exclude a liquor industry representative. Although the liquor industry squealed about "no taxation without representation" it is in the end the consumer who pays the ALAC tax. The Council is to include at least one Maori, at least one Pacific Islander and members with relevant experience in public health, social policy, and treating alcohol dependence.

With this new line up can we expect some leadership from ALAC  in promoting legislation which will be effective in reducing harm from alcohol?  Let's hope so.

ALCOHOL ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP: 
Commercial freedom or control in the public interest?
By Dr Linda Hill and Prof. Sally Casswell

This excellent paper summarises all points of view and research. Here are a few snippets:

"About 10% of drinkers drink about half of total alcohol consumption"

"The industry needs continually to recruit new generations of young heavy drinkers in order to maintain profitability."

"Most effective for alcohol is marketing through sporting activities that attract young males, the group most likely to be-or learn to be-heavier drinkers."

Copies of the paper are available from: Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland.

THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY'S LOOK-GOOD FRONT

In a report presented to MPs and prepared by law firm Chen and Palmer, the Beer,Wine & Spirits Council declared themselves in support of the objectives of the health warnings labelling bill but lobbied hard against it. Under the heading of "More Effective Options" they pointed out the BW&S Council's community initiatives. In an attempt to appear reasonable and pro-health they have undertaken a number of these that include:

·         teacher training on how to convey ideas about healthy drinking to students (in collaboration with Christchurch College of Education).

·         the establishment of a medical committee to advise the BW&SC on alcohol and health issues.

·         cards for minors that summarise alcohol laws.

·         financial support for SADD (Students against Driving Drunk).

·         production and distribution of Alcohol Health Fact Sheets.

The tobacco industry uses the same tactics.  Although these sound good, beware the spin. It is typical of the industry to support "soft" options and oppose those that have real impact on the public's health.

FREAKY ICE SORBET

Freaky ice alcoholic icecream or sorbets from the Netherlands will soon be available in New Zealand. These contain about 5% alcohol and are described as a "sophisticated adult confectionery". They will be sold at discos and dance bars but also off premise under the usual age restriction safeguards.

From Liquor Licensee Oct/Nov 2000

DRINKER NOT WARNED

A Frenchman was suing drinks manufacturer Pernod Ricard because it failed to warn him of the dangers of becoming addicted to alcohol, his lawyer said. The 34-year-old man blamed drink for the loss of his wife and his job.

Dominion 25 August 2000