MEDIA RELEASE

Alcohol Healthwatch
Thursday 30 July 2009

Tighten alcohol laws to protect our young and our communities

Alcohol Healthwatch welcomes today’s release of the Law Commission paper on its review of alcohol laws. Director Rebecca Williams says the review is a golden opportunity for the community to reflect on the 20-year experiment which has allowed the liquor industry to exploit our young. She urges people to make a submission to the Law Commission.

“After all, it’s communities that have to pick up the pieces following alcohol-related deaths and injuries, not to mention alcohol-fuelled crime and violence.”

Rebecca Williams says our current alcohol laws are not working, and as a consequence, 61 percent of our young people drinking and 34 percent are binge drinking.

“Our young people can buy relatively cheap alcohol, from a large number of places at all hours of the day and night. The subsequent loss of life and life potential is simply unacceptable.”

She says in 2008 alone, alcohol was a factor in the deaths of 28 drivers aged 15 to 24 who were killed in crashes themselves, and in the deaths of 27 passengers in vehicles driven by a drunk young person.

“Young people are also turning up at hospital emergency departments for detox or treatment for other alcohol-related injuries.”

Rebecca Williams says New Zealand needs a stronger Sale of Liquor Act, to protect our young people and create a safer drinking culture.

“If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we’ll keep getting what we’ve always got. We have to make bold changes, now.”

Alcohol Healthwatch would like to see:

• an increase in the price of alcohol, and controls on alcohol price discounting

• a reduction in the number of outlets selling alcohol and the hours they operate

• the elimination of alcohol advertising and sponsorship

• the minimum purchase age returned to 20 years

• the blood alcohol level for driving lowered

• giving communities back their say into the planning for alcohol-harm reduction in their neighbourhood

• the provision of accurate nutritional information and bold warnings on alcohol containers, and at point of sale, about the risks drinkers are taking.

ENDS

© Scoop Media