New Zealand doesn't even have a "half-hearted" alcohol reform process
It is not surprising that experts have walked out of working with the
Government in England to reform alcohol policies [1]. In New Zealand,
where a new Alcohol Reform Bill is currently before Select Committee, our
Government showed similar signs of being influenced by vested interests by
ruling out changes to "excise tax" before the Select Committee process
even began. This was despite the importance of price being highlighted in
a major recent report reviewing New Zealand's alcohol laws [2], and the
increasing affordability of alcohol [3]. Similarly, the Government is
refusing to reduce the country's relatively high blood alcohol limits for
driving, despite popular support for this measure. Finally, the proposed
reforms hardly touch the issue of advertising and sponsorship of alcohol -
despite this country pioneering such controls for tobacco back in 1990.
If governments are to reduce the harm from alcohol, it is critical
that they focus on public health and societal wellbeing, and completely
abandon attempts to keep the alcohol industry happy.
References
1. O'Dowd A. BMA and others walk out of "half hearted" national
alcohol plan. BMJ 2011, 342:d1659.
2. New Zealand Law Commission. Alcohol in Our Lives: Curbing the Harm
(NZLC R114). Wellington: New Zealand Law Commission, 2010.
3. Imlach Gunasekara F, Wilson N. Very cheap drinking in New Zealand:
some alcohol is more affordable than bottled water and nearly as cheap as
milk. N Z Med J 2010, 123(1324):103-107.
Rapid Response:
New Zealand doesn't even have a "half-hearted" alcohol reform process
It is not surprising that experts have walked out of working with the
Government in England to reform alcohol policies [1]. In New Zealand,
where a new Alcohol Reform Bill is currently before Select Committee, our
Government showed similar signs of being influenced by vested interests by
ruling out changes to "excise tax" before the Select Committee process
even began. This was despite the importance of price being highlighted in
a major recent report reviewing New Zealand's alcohol laws [2], and the
increasing affordability of alcohol [3]. Similarly, the Government is
refusing to reduce the country's relatively high blood alcohol limits for
driving, despite popular support for this measure. Finally, the proposed
reforms hardly touch the issue of advertising and sponsorship of alcohol -
despite this country pioneering such controls for tobacco back in 1990.
If governments are to reduce the harm from alcohol, it is critical
that they focus on public health and societal wellbeing, and completely
abandon attempts to keep the alcohol industry happy.
References
1. O'Dowd A. BMA and others walk out of "half hearted" national
alcohol plan. BMJ 2011, 342:d1659.
2. New Zealand Law Commission. Alcohol in Our Lives: Curbing the Harm
(NZLC R114). Wellington: New Zealand Law Commission, 2010.
3. Imlach Gunasekara F, Wilson N. Very cheap drinking in New Zealand:
some alcohol is more affordable than bottled water and nearly as cheap as
milk. N Z Med J 2010, 123(1324):103-107.
Competing interests: No competing interests