Perilous Times
Booze cheaper than water in New Zealand
* From correspondents in Wellington
* From: AFP
* October 15, 2010 2:05PM
ALCOHOL has become cheaper than bottled water in New Zealand, a study
showed today, with researchers warning there could be major
implications for public health.
Otago University researchers found wine cost as little as 62 NZ cents
(47 Australian cents) a standard drink, compared with 67 cents for
250ml of bottled water and 43 cents for the equivalent amount of milk.
The study, published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, also found the
relative price of alcohol had plummeted over the past decade as average
wages increased.
"Our analysis suggests alcohol is now probably the cheapest
recreational drug in New Zealand and has become increasingly
affordable, at the same time as concern about binge drinking culture
has grown," Associate Professor Nick Wilson said.
"International scientific evidence strongly indicates that cheap
alcohol is a factor in promoting binge drinking by young people, and in
increasing the overall size of the health and social harm from alcohol
misuse."
He said heavy discounting at supermarkets and liquor stores was
exacerbating the problem, making alcohol more readily available.
A grape glut in New Zealand has driven down the price of wine in recent
years as winemakers seek to offload excess stock.
Prof Wilson and co-researcher Fiona Gunasekara said cheap alcohol was
taking a toll on New Zealanders' health and placing a burden on the
publicly-funded health system.
They argued the Government should adopt the same policies that helped
curb tobacco consumption - raising taxes and controlling marketing and
sponsorship activities, as well as limiting the opening hours of
retailers.
The researchers also called for a minimum price per unit of alcohol,
particularly in cask wine and alcopops.
"These policies will have little impact on moderate drinkers and will
help curb the down-side of New Zealand's binge drinking culture," they
said.
Read more:
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/booze-cheaper-than-water-in-new-zealand/story-e6frfku0-1225939218245#ixzz12OthBdCc