Berl “out of touch with economic reality”

ALCP are backing Roger Kerr, executive director of the Business Roundtable, over his criticism of Berl (Business and Economic Research Ltd). Nonsensical economic figures have been created by Berl and spouted as facts in the media by its spokesperson Ganesh Nana.

Mr Nana and his organisation are clearly out of touch with economic reality in New Zealand after it has emerged that Berl's figures for the harm caused to New Zealand by alcohol use have been exaggerated by up to 20 times the real level. Berl placed the annual cost, stemming from use and abuse of alcohol at $4.8 billion. However a university peer review of the study revised the figure to just $146 million.

Once again Berl are using their fabricated figures to justify greater restriction on recreational drugs, in this case alcohol. This study uses the same modus operandi that was used by Berl to make outrageous claims about illicit drugs, like cannabis and LSD.

Berl claimed that $336 million worth of harm is caused to New Zealand each year by cannabis. Approximately half of this ridicules figure is plucked out of thin air, as every kg of cannabis is assumed to automatically generate over $5000 worth of harm, just by existing. Added to this are the massive costs of law enforcement, prosecution and incarceration of cannabis users. These costs are not caused by cannabis use, but by an outdated and unnecessary drug prohibition laws.

The ALCP do not support raising the drinking age or adding prohibitive restrictions to any drug. However the ALCP do support more socially responsible attitude towards alcohol and other drug use.

ALCP are also calling for greater scrutiny of Ganesh Nana and his so-called economic research team.

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