Synod Concerned About Drugs And Alcohol

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32114, 9 October 1969, Page 15

Synod Concerned About Drugs And Alcohol

Concern at the increasing incidence of alcoholism and drag addiction in the community was expressed in a motion by the annual synod of the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch in Christchurch yesterday. “Drug addiction Is something that we ought to be alerted to and something that, without any doubt whatever, is coming or has come to this country,” said the former Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt Rev. A. K. Warren). Bishop Warren said that the question was that what might be harmless to some people was very harmful to others. “To a person who is emotionally stable it may be no harm whatsoever, but to an emotionally unstable person it is terrifying and he needs someone to hold on to,” be said.

What might begin as a harmless habit led in many cases to something much more harmful and to the person taking something stronger such as LSD or heroin. Mr N. W. Tillman (Opawa), who put the motion, said there were 30,000 alcohol or drug addicts in New Zealand

. as well as many thousands > more who were indirectly involved. ’ Many people had a part to ■ play in reducing this inciI dence, including parents, the I church, schools and the com--1 munity, but when it came to I discussing drugs, alcohol or i sex, ar anything vaguely em- , barrassing, persons were inclined to think that it was the job of someone else. “We have to ask ourselves, i are we as a church doing all - we can?” he said. 5 Mr Tillman said that the National Society on Alcohol- ' ism was approaching the pro- " blem in three ways—direct ' assistance, education and re- ■ search. In Christchurch . alone last year, 236 calls for J direct assistance had been , made. The society had also ■ given 17 addresses last year * to more than 2000 people, including many secondary ’ school children. i “This seems to be a fairly j worth-while eflort, but frankly ; it is only scratching the sur- , face," he said. Seconding the motion, the

Rev. R. F. N. Thompson (St John’s, Latimer Square), said that while this increasing incidence in drug and alcohol addiction might not be a matter of “panic stations” it was a social cancer, and only a fool would ignore cancer however small it might be. He urged each parish to

make available information from groups such as the Automobile Association, the Police Department and the National Society on Alcoholism and to warn young people of the dangers of alcohol and drugs. Mr Thompson said that his ministry among alcoholics warned against alcohol as an essential lubricant for every social occasion.

“The personal example is a very powerful ingredient,” he said. “We as church people can do much to develop that climate in which the standard practice is to offer soft drinks along with alcoholic beverages without in any way belittling or ridiculing the use of soft drinks.” A motion such as the one before synod which had been put forward out of the concern of a layman, should have clerical support, he said. The synod agreed to commend the work of the National Society on Alcoholism and to urge clergy to make greater use of the material and speakers provided by the society.

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