Wednesday 9 September 2009

Alcohol Action Launch

A new organisation called Alcohol Action NZ is being launched at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, in Wellington tomorrow to work for more effective alcohol laws.

Professor Doug Sellman, from the University of Otago, Christchurch, one of four medical spokespeople for a group with wide-ranging support, will present Alcohol Action's blueprint for change - a clear evidence-based solution to the excessive drinking culture in New Zealand. The campaign is being launched at the “Cutting Edge” addiction conference at Te Papa, where Professor Sellman is giving a keynote address. This will be followed by 37 lectures nationwide by Professor Sellman over the next 10 weeks on the topic “Ten things the alcohol industry won’t tell you about alcohol”. Professor Sellman says that alcohol has become totally over commercialised in New Zealand, encouraging a heavy drinking culture that leads to serious health problems, fractured families and increased violence and crime affecting thousands of people.

He says the causes are clear: "The easy availability of alcohol at all hours, low prices and continuous bombardment of very clever advertising and highly strategic sponsorship deals are key drivers of our dangerous drinking culture." “The alcohol industry is spending in the region of $200,000 a day marketing alcohol to the New Zealand public, and has particularly targeted young people and women over the past ten years. The statistics show that around half of its multi-million dollar profits come from binge-style, out-of-control drinking”.

“It’s time to recognise this industry is a major driver of our huge drink problem in this country, and stop simply blaming young people and alcoholics for having problems.” “Alcohol Action NZ wants to see the supply and sale of alcohol positioned in the middle ground between the extreme of excessive commercialisation on the one hand, where we are at present, and prohibition of alcohol at the other extreme.” Professor Sellman, who holds a personal chair in psychiatry and addiction medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch, says that the “Ten Things” lecture tour to towns and cities across the country aims to promote scientifically-based information about alcohol and how to better control alcohol use.

“There are many things about alcohol that the public as consumers have the right to know, such as the fact that alcohol can cause cancer and damage the brain, and what exactly low-risk drinking is – things the industry keeps very quiet about”.

The Law Commission recently released a public discussion document “Alcohol in Our Lives”, which details many of these aspects and has called for public input.

“The Commission’s report is an important part of a growing awareness and widespread concern in New Zealand that we have an alcohol crisis and that serious changes are needed" says Professor Sellman. Professor Sellman will be speaking at 4.45pm in the Oceania Room, Level 3 at Te Papa, Thursday, 10 September 2009.

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