Difficult Drinkers

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31090, 20 June 1966, Page 15

Difficult Drinkers

“We still have the almost insurmountable difficulty of the man or womah who will not acknowledge that he or she has a problem with alcohol, and will not agree to discuss the matter with anyone,” said the chairman of the Christchurch branch of the National Society on Alcoholism (Mr E. B. Reilly) at the annual meeting. ‘Projected legislation providing for the .compulsory treatment of alcoholism would have given the answer to this,” Mr Reilly said, “but although a great deal of preliminary work has been done, I regret the desired goal has not yet been achieved.” In his annual report, he said the branch had dealt with 150 requests for assistance and advice, and 27 talks had been given to a total audience of 3559. Some of the addresses were given in schools, to Form V and Form VI pupils. “W e hope to repeat these to even more schools this year. There is little doubt that these lectures to the schools have been appreciated, and a certain maturity of thought concerning the use of alcohol has been very evident in this age group.”