An archive of recent news articles on the topic of alcohol and drugs.
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Study 'supports need to keep tobacco hidden'
10th August 2010
A study linking shop tobacco displays to increased smoking experimentation by young people reinforces the need to legislate the products out of sight, an anti-tobacco group says. After the Government previously refused to ban retail displays, officials are now considering afresh whether to recommend the policy, one which tobacco control researchers say would be important in reducing New Zealand's smoking rate. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found in California that exposure to tobacco displays and advertising at convenience, liquor and small grocery stores was a risk factor for young people taking up smoking.
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Cricket boss lashes drunk All Black fans
5th August 2010
New Zealand Cricket boss Justin Vaughan has denounced the behaviour of drunk All Black fans at last weekend's Bledisloe Cup test, saying their antics spoiled the occasion and were symptomatic of wider alcohol problems. Vaughan was dismayed by a section of New Zealanders at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium who hurled abuse at Wallaby fans throughout the match. In an opinion piece in today's Herald, Vaughan says he "was embarrassed to be a New Zealander at the ground on Saturday night, surrounded as I was by a good number of drunk, aggressive, and obnoxious All Black supporters".
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Marlborough police oppose 'drunken weekend'
5th August 2010
The Undie 500 car rally planned for Seddon is an "openly advertised pub crawl" that will not benefit Marlborough, a senior Blenheim police officer says. Senior Sergeant Naera Parata said the event was not welcome in the region. He was representing the police at a Marlborough District Council hearing yesterday to consider a bid by Christchurch events company Partyhoppers Canterbury for a liquor licence for the event.
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Army battling youth drinking culture
4th August 2010
As figures show many young soldiers are facing drinking-related court charges, an army base head says many are arriving in the army from a teenage culture of alcohol abuse. Thirty-four soldiers at Linton Army Base in the Manawatu have faced the courts in the first six months of this year, the Manawatu Standard reported. Fourteen faced drink-driving charges, while six were charged with careless driving and four with wilful damage. Other charges included disorderly behaviour, common assault, fighting, male assaults female, driving while disqualified, public urination, breach of the liquor ban and assault.
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NZers want end to commercial tobacco sales - survey
4th August 2010
The majority of New Zealanders support an end to commercial tobacco sales by 2020, a UMR Research survey has found. The survey, for anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), asked 750 respondents if they agreed or disagreed that "New Zealand should be a completely Smokefree nation by 2020. This means smoked tobacco would not be widely available for sale." Fifty-nine per cent of respondents "agreed" or "strongly agreed" with the statement, ASH said.
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Nearly half of road deaths involve drugs, alcohol
3rd August 2010
Nearly half of drivers who die in road crashes have alcohol and/or drugs in their system, according to an Environment, Science and Research (ESR) report. The report completed for the New Zealand Police and looking into the extent drugs played in driver deaths was a wake up call for road safety, the Automobile Association said today.The five-year study looked at 1046 drivers who died between 2004 and 2009 (89 per cent of dead drivers during that time).
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Drink driving: why the law must change
3rd August 2010
A test in which a Weekend Herald staff member knocked back nine beers before hitting the legal limit has brought accusations from health groups that the Government is condoning drink-driving. "It doesn't surprise me, because we have legal drunk driving in New Zealand," said Professor Doug Sellman of the Otago University-based National Addiction Centre yesterday, after being told of the supervised drinking session, held to measure what the existing limit allows.
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Agency says World Cup booze licence move 'risky'
29th July 2010
Plans to fast-track liquor licences for the Rugby World Cup are "risky and unwise" because of New zealand's binge drinking culture, and show a "callous disregard" for public health and safety in favour of the alcohol industry, the Government was told yesterday. The Government administration select committee yesterday heard submissions on the Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill which would make it easier to grant urgent approvals for temporary activities and facilities during the tournament.
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Call for clearer guidelines on alcohol intake during pregnancy
29th July 2010
AUSTRALIAN guidelines on alcohol intake during pregnancy are inconsistent and research is urgently needed to establish the effect of low to moderate drinking on the unborn child, researchers say. In an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia yesterday, researchers found about 80 per cent of women drink alcohol during pregnancy - a figure that has remained steady despite changes in government guidelines.
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Joyce concedes lower limit could save lives
28th July 2010
Transport Minister Steven Joyce has conceded that reducing the legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers could save lives, prevent injuries and save millions of dollars in social costs. But he said the Government's road safety package - announced Monday - already includes measures that will achieve the same ends, including a zero limit for repeat drink-drivers and drivers under 20. The Ministry of Transport estimates that reducing the blood-alcohol limit to 0.05g and increasing public awareness and enforcement could save up to 33 lives, prevent up to 680 injuries and save between $111 million and $238 million every year.
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