Dealing with the ‘ugly problem’ of alcohol

Press, 11 December 1981, Page 12

Dealing with the ‘ugly problem’ of alcohol

Mervyn C. Campbell, public relations officer of the New Zealand Temperance Alliance, has written to “The Press” in reply to an editorial which appeared on December 2 under the heading “Any need for liquor poll?”. Mr Campbell writes:

Thank you for your acknowledgement of the fact that the Temperance Alliance is doing a job that must be done. We must point out that we see alcohol not as a beverage but as a drug, indeed New Zealand’s number one problem drug. The liquor poll serves several useful purposes. It brings to the nation's attention in a very direct way the issues and problems that alcohol is causing, and it gives the nation the opportunity of expressing itself on the alcohol problem. It will be noted that in the liquor poll “prohibition” received 22 per cent of the votes cast. This is approximately the same proportion of votes that were received in the 1978 poll. On that occasion it was claimed that the “Abortion Lobby” had influenced the vote by its protest action in asking its members to vote “prohibition” as a protest against the Government for not granting a referendum on the abortion issue.

Presuming that the vote for prohibition was inflated by this unfortunate side-issue, the indication is that in this election, unaffected by such tactics, the proportion of genuine "prohibition” voters has again risen, which would seem to justify the Temperance Alliance’s claim that there is a growing concern among responsible people about the effects that alcohol consumption is having on the community. I wish also to comment on your statement that "two of the three choices offered the voters are impracticable." Your arguments against “State purchase and control” are reasonably valid, but your contention tliat prohibition could not be enforced without giving rise

to “ugly social problems” seems weak when one considers the “ugly social problems” that our present liberal drinking laws give rise to. It seems that the road toll this. year will exceed 600 deaths, a conservative estimate of 50 per cent of these being attributable to alcohol. Is not this ugly? Is it not ugly that 6000 people have been seriously injured on the roads this year as the result of alcohol?

According to a judge of our High Court between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of all crimes of violence are the result of alcohol consumption. Is it not ugly that our public places cannot be considered safe? There are 60.000 addicted alcoholics and 100.000 hazardous drinkers in New Zealand. Could the ugly social problems you envisage be worse than these?

May I call vour attention to statements maoe by two of New Zealand s ” foremost authorities on alcohol. Dr Frazer McDonald, Superintendent of Carrington Hospital has said: “Alcohol is a mind-chang-ing drug. It must be grouped

with the amphetamines, heroin, LSD, and marijuana — and it by far exceeds all these combined as New Zealand's biggest drug problem.” Dr Pat Savage of Oakley Hospital adds: “Alcohol is part of our culture and commerce but if it had only just been discovered it would never win marketing acceptance under today's stringent codes. Alcohol is so” toxic that it would probably be barred even as a prescription drug.” Alcohol creates problems. The tendency is for an ever increasing number of liquor outlets. In 1970 there were 2012 liquor outlets in New Zealand. By 1980 this had risen to 3813. The Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council has stated that any increase in the number of outlets will inevitably lead to an increase in consumption leading in turn to more problems. Dr Rhys Johns of Carrington Hospital has referred to the number of teenagers being treated for alcoholism.

If prohibition is not the answer how are we to deal with this uglv social probleni?