Otago research: high public support for more alcohol control

Otago research confirms high public support for more control of alcohol

Just a few days ago, a previously unreleased Health Sponsorship Council survey showed that the general public strongly support increasing the price of cheap alcohol, restricting hours of sale, raising the purchase age and reducing promotion and advertising of alcohol.

Today, newly published research from the University of Otago in the International Journal of Drug Policy, has independently reported public concern about harm from alcohol and support for more restrictive policies.

In this study, Dr Brett Maclennan asked members of seven diverse New Zealand communities about local government policies on alcohol, rather than national ones.

Professor Jennie Connor, a medical spokesperson for Alcohol Action NZ, said she was “not surprised that communities described youth drinking as a problem and identified alcohol as a contributor to a number of other major problems in their areas including vandalism, dangerous driving and family violence.”

“This demonstrates that the public are very aware of the damage that is being done in their neighbourhoods by heavy drinking, and the impact of cheap availability of alcohol on young people”

“Much of the damage is clearly suffered by people other than the drinker themselves, so everyone has something to gain from better controls” she added.

While the study found that people wanted the local governments to do more to reduce alcohol availability and advertising, and to increase the use of liquor bans, local authority staff who were interviewed wanted backing from better national policies rather than being left to deal with the problems themselves.

“Giving local councils more say in alcohol control is the centrepiece of the new Alcohol Reform Bill,” said Professor Doug Sellman, “but local government needs much more effective national policies that reduce availability and promotion of alcohol across the board to get better control and these are missing from the proposed legislation”.

Alcohol Action NZ
www.alcoholaction.co.nz

ENDS