Change To The Heavy Drinking Culture Is Now Virtually Inevitable
“Change to New Zealand’s heavy drinking culture is now virtually sealed by the Law Commission’s final report released
today” said Dr Geoffrey Robinson, New Zealand President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
“Where we were 40 years ago as a tobacco smoking country, is where we are now with heavy drinking.”
Dr Robinson predicts that the heavy drinking culture, which is fuelled by excessive commercialisation of alcohol, will
now reduce considerably, in the same way as the smoking culture has altered over the past four decades.
“The Law Commission has clearly considered the evidence and been convinced by it” said Dr Robinson
More than 450 leading doctors and nurses in New Zealand have already endorsed the “5+ Solution”, a summary of the
international scientific evidence on how to reduce alcohol-related harm. The Law Commission has now confirmed this
comprehensive strategy as well, with these 5+ key strategies strongly expressed in the report released today.
“It would be prudent for government to take this report very seriously and begin to enact its recommendations with
urgency” said Dr Robinson.
ENDS