16 March 2007 Speech
National Drug Policy Launch – tobacco, alcohol and prisons
Kia Ora,

It gives me great pleasure to be here at the launch of the National Drug Policy.

I would like to acknowledge my parliamentary colleagues Jim Anderton and Clayton Cosgrove and the Director General of Health Stephen McKernan.

Drugs of all kinds have a devastating effect on the health and well-being of our communities.

Most of us here today know this. Each of us, no doubt, know of personal and professional horror stories about the havoc wreaked by drugs.

For my part, I am reminded on a daily basis, through my job as Minister of Corrections as well as Associate Minister of Health.

We know that drugs are a factor in a large amount of all crimes committed, with illicit drugs often coming to mind.

An example is 'P', which is cited as a factor in an ever-increasing number of crimes, including murder.

In fact, in 1999, 83 per cent of prisoners were assessed as having an existing or previous problem with drugs and/or alcohol.

From the point of view of the overall health of New Zealanders, it is the legal drugs tobacco and alcohol which havethe greatest risk of harm. There is no disputing this.

Tobacco is the number one killer in New Zealand, accounting for nearly 5000 preventable deaths every year. That is more than the number of people in my home town of Westport.

So what are we doing to combat this scourge?

We have, in fact, had some significant successes in tobacco control.

• There has been a gradual decline in the percentage of people smoking and the number of people exposed to smoking in indoor workplaces has been cut from 20% to 8% thanks to the introduction of the Smokefree Environments Amendment Act. Smokefree schools, restaurants and bars are now accepted and indeed expected.

• Progress is also being made through media campaigns to encourage people to make their homes and cars smokefree.

• Last month we approved new regulations requiring large graphic health warnings on all tobacco products. We have also strengthened smoking cessation services and calls to the Quitline continue to rise. The Aukati Kai Paipa programme has been expanded and Pacific Cessation services established.

• However, there is still a lot of work to be done as almost one in four adults smoke, just over 23%, and the rate is twice that for Māori.

• We will continue with our media campaigns, promoting smoke-free cars and homes and pictorial warnings on cigarette packets will be in place by early 2008.

As we know, abuse of alcohol is also a major problem in New Zealand.

We still have a culture of binge drinking amongst our youth. And you don't have to look very far to see where it comes from.

Young people are reflecting the drinking attitudes and behaviours of adult New Zealanders.

We have to acknowledge ourselves as being part of the problem and redefine ourselves as a nation to get away from the pride we seem to have in having a 'hard-drinking' culture.

This Government has two key reviews underway trying to find solutions.

• We have a review of regulation of alcohol advertising is examining whether the current system meets the goals of Government to reduce alcohol-related harm. I am looking forward to receiving the results of that review.
• The sale and supply of liquor to minors will also be reviewed this year. The review will study the harms caused by the sale and supply of liquor to minors, evaluate the effectiveness of current restrictions and develop proposals to address the causes of harm. And should give us guidance on the attitude of adult New Zealanders to access to alcohol by minors.
• Finally, I am particularly keen to see the update of the National Alcohol Strategy progress as a matter of priority.

• I have no doubt that we need to do more to address harmful drinking amongst young people, and I am committed to action in this area. The bottom line is that we all want to see under-age drinking statistics go down and to see a change in the high-risk culture amongst youth New Zealanders. We all have a responsibility and a part to play. Individuals and communities can and do make a difference and must continue to do so.

I now turn to Corrections where New Zealanders end up when all else has failed.

In 1999, 83 per cent of prisoners were assessed as having an existing or previous problem with drugs and/or alcohol, compared with just over 12 per cent of the general population.

Therefore a key focus for Corrections must be to address prisoners’ abuse of drugs and alcohol. To achieve this we need to do two things:

 Reduce the supply of drugs to prisoners
 Reduce the demand for drugs

On the supply side, positive random drug tests inside prisons are now half of what they were in the late 1990s down to below 15 per cent.

We have done this by doubling the number of drug dogs, increased surveillance at gates and checkpoints, new scanning equipment and intelligence gathering capabilities that have all led to a marked reduction in drug use in prisons.

But we must do better.

On the demand side, we are doubling the number of drug and alcohol treatment units in prisons, offering by the end of next year opportunity for 500 prisoners to address their own problems in this area.

• In my view, the real value of this National Drug Policy is not the publication itself but what it represents.

• This policy is a commitment to harness all of government’s efforts to reduce drug-related harm, so it is what comes out of the policy that will make the difference. I look forward to working with my Ministerial colleagues Jim Anderton, the Chair of the Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy and Clayton Gosgrove who have showed such interest and commitment, to take this new NDP forward.

• I would like to compliment and record my thanks to those who have put a lot of work into the NDP

Thank you.

Ends

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