Media Releases 2005 - CDHB Communications

COMMUNICATIONS

Drinkers advised to 'Get Into It, Not Out of It'

Today marks the launch of a South Island wide campaign that aims to support bars becoming safer and more social places to drink and less tolerant of drunks.

The ‘Get into it, not out of it’ message will be seen and heard in and around popular bars throughout the South Island over the Christmas and New Year period. The important message to bar customers is if they have had too much to drink, by law they wont be served or allowed to stay.

Alcohol related harm in New Zealand generates considerable social and economic cost. The Sale of Liquor Act aims to reduce the harm and costs by legally obliging licensed premises to serve alcohol responsibly. The Law prohibits intoxication on licensed premises. All licensed bars, restaurants, clubs, function and event centres risk large fines or possible loss of licence for intoxication offences.

In conjunction with the campaign, more late night monitoring of bars is planned. Barry McDonald, Health Promoter and Liquor Licensing Officer for the CDHB said that most licensed premises operate responsibly and achieve a balance between good business and responsible service.

“However, there are still bars that break the law. Bars that turn a blind eye to intoxication send a false message to the public that there are no rules. The public deserves a consistently safe standard of service and a consistent message”’

Steve Holmes from Holy Grail Sports Bar said intoxicated customers were ‘bad for business.’

“‘Customers are very discerning. We know they want to be entertained and looked after with no dramas to spoil the experience”

The ‘get into it, not out of it’ campaign also aims to empower the public by informing them of the minimum legal standards they should expect when visiting licensed premises. As well as not having to put up with drunks, a good range of food and non-alcoholic drinks must be conveniently available whenever alcohol is served, and assistance with safe transport options must be available from bar staff.

Barry McDonald said “People socialising in bars and clubs are entitled to a happy and safe environment – that means no drunks. ‘Get into it, not out of it’ is all about drinkers enjoying themselves, behaving themselves, and being looked after by their licensed responsible host.”

The campaign is organised by the Alcohol & Drug South Island Network (ADSIN) comprising Public Health Units in the South Island in partnership with ALAC, ACC, NZ Police and South Island District Licensing Agencies.

Ends.

For further information please contact:

Barry McDonald
Health Promoter & Liquor Licensing Officer
Community & Public Health
Canterbury District Health Board
Phone 379-9480 ext 771
Mobile 027-687-2281

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ALCOHOL IN NEW ZEALAND – SEE THE PROBLEM?

In 2004, New Zealanders aged 15 years and over drank a total of 28.69 million litres of alcohol.
Internationally, that puts New Zealand 24th in alcohol consumption per head out of 50 countries.
88 percent of men and 83 percent of women are happy to claim that they are drinkers.
Nearly half the population thinks that it is okay to get drunk.
25 percent of current teenage drinkers admit to having drunk at least five glasses of alcohol at least once in the last two weeks.
125,000 teenagers under the age of 17 fall into the category of binge drinkers. 75,000 will drink regularly – once every two weeks – and binge. 50,000 drink at least once a week and binge, usually with the intention of getting drunk.
635,000 adults drink at least once a week and binge. 785,000 adults drink regularly, often every day, and with equal regularity binge.
1.2 million drinkers are okay with bingeing or accepting of bingeing and regularly do so.
450,000 of us were binge drinking on our last drinking occasion.
In New Zealand we conservatively estimate that alcohol harm costs around $4 billion a year.

- It costs the public health sector $655 million.
- It costs in crime and related costs $240 million.
- It costs in social welfare $200 million and in other government spending $330 million.
- In lost productivity, it costs about $1.17 billion a year.

Alcohol is responsible for 70 percent of accident and emergency hospital admissions.
75 to 90 percent of weekend crime is attributable to alcohol.
One in four women can’t remember what they did while drinking.
3.9% of all deaths in New Zealand in 2000 were attributable to alcohol consumption (approximately 1040 deaths)

Source: ALAC (Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand, 2005)