Boozing still a way of life in NZ

By ANGELA GREGORY

New Zealand is a nation of boozers.

Results from a survey of drinking habits says just over half of New Zealand adults, about 1.5 million, can be classified as binge drinkers.

And according to the research, commissioned by the Alcohol Advisory Council, our young people are not much better.

Just over half of youths aged between 12 and 17 years admit having binged on alcohol (five or more drinks). Of those, close to half had done so in the last fortnight.

Many were given alcohol by their parents but not supervised.

Researchers say the cost to New Zealand of binge drinking runs into millions in areas like health, loss of productivity and crime.

Alac chief executive Dr Mike MacAvoy said despite the increased popularity of methamphetamines alcohol remained the drug or preference and was by far the greatest source of harm to the community.

"The others pale into insignificance."

Dr MacAvoy said of the 52 per cent of adults who at times binge (seven or more glasses in a session), about one in three could be described as uninhibited binge drinkers.

That means they tend to drink two or three times a week, with 14 per cent consuming between seven and 10 drinks the last time they drank and 11 per cent having more than 11 drinks.

About one in four are labelled constrained binge drinkers who are restricted by lack of money and opportunity.

Dr MacAvoy said that the new study - The Way We Drink: A Profile of Drinking Culture in New Zealand - showed that the wealthier people were the more they drank.

The research included interviewing 1783 people by telephone last year.

It found binge drinkers were most likely to be white New Zealand men, living in cities and with a household income over $70,000. Half of New Zealanders accepted drunkenness as socially acceptable.

"What this research shows us is that drunken behaviour is a part of mainstream New Zealand culture."

Dr MacAvoy said raising the price of alcohol would probably be the most effective way of cutting consumption but would not be popular. The Government could do only so much through legislation.

"New Zealanders have a habit of when they drink, of drinking to excess. The Government can create the environment for change, but this takes a change in community attitudes."

The situation, particularly with the alarming results for youth, was urgent.

Alac would use the research to find strategies that might help, but it was an "extraordinarily difficult" challenge.

He was disappointed middle New Zealand and the educated affluent were still binge drinking.

New Zealanders had to confront the reality of their drinking habits. "It is never okay to get drunk."

The study showed young people's attitude towards alcohol was less inhibited than adults.

Despite 63 per cent of adults saying they set strict rules about their children drinking, Dr MacAvoy said only half knew when their children drank.

About half the under-18s who binge drank socially. Their parents provided the alcohol, but 48 per cent said they were not supervised by an adult when they drank.

He said young people had the perception their parents were okay with their drinking habits.

"We all need to also think about how we tacitly approve of the apparent 'rite of passage' that involves drinking copious amounts of alcohol. We cannot ask young people to change their attitudes and behaviours if adults don't change theirs."

Dr MacAvoy said a fifth of women over 18 who drank were binge drinkers, matching men in the amount they drank.

The study showed Maori drank less regularly but more heavily than most New Zealanders.

Pacific Island people had the highest numbers of non-drinkers, but those who did drink, drank heavily.