Alcohol bingeing still a way of life in NZ

Carmen

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Mar 4, 2004, 2:29:06 PM3/4/04

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Reports say most binge drinkers in NZ are likely to be white males over 30
and earning $70,000 +

Surely there can't be too many people earnng $70,000 +

Alcohol bingeing still a way of life in NZ

05.03.2004
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
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3553011&thesection=news&t
hesubsection=general

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Mar 5, 2004, 3:57:03 PM3/5/04

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Why guess when there is probably the exact info that we want?
It would be nice if the stats department could arrange their website
so I could find the equivalent of table 6.13 online.

In the meantime, from the 1998 table 6.13:

$68,200 to $87,999 118300 households
$88,000 or over 117600 households