Concern about a drinking culture

The Families Commission intends to contribute to the Government review of restrictions on the sale of alcohol to young people.

Deputy Chief Commissioner, Sharron Cole, says the debate around the proposed amendment to the Sale of Liquor Act late last year showed that there was widespread concern about young people who drink to excess.

"Our drinking culture is pervasive and goes across all ages. In June we published a report Families and Heavy Drinking: Impacts on Children's Wellbeing which showed the widespread effects of heavy drinking by parents on the health, wellbeing and development of their children," she said.

The review's goals are to determine the harm caused by the sale and supply of liquor to minors, evaluate the effectiveness of current restrictions and develop proposals that might be necessary to address the causes of harm.

"The review will need to look at these issues within the broader context of our drinking culture," she said.

Late last year the Commission asked members of its online feedback panel The Couch for their views on attitudes toward alcohol. Just over 800 members chose to take part.

Most felt that parents and society as a whole had a part to play in changing what many saw as a 'drinking culture'.

Comments included: "It is considered OK and normal to get drunk, or REALLY drunk"; "Alcohol has been glorified in New Zealand culture for many generations"; "We are teaching our children about this world. They didn't arrive on this planet with their views about alcohol – they learn it from us".

Most (87 percent) said they and other adults in their home drink alcohol. A third of these were parents or caregivers of teenagers.

"They were very aware that parents and caregivers need to set a good example and teach their children to drink responsibly. However, they felt that young people were most influenced by the behaviour of their peers and that increasing public, parental and young people's disapproval of drinking to excess would be helpful," said Ms Cole.

About half of all the respondents said they would allow young people under the age of 18 to drink in their home in the presence of a parent or caregiver. However, only four out of 10 said they would provide the alcohol, and only two in 10 had ever actually given drinks to someone under 18. Of those who did provide alcohol, most said they limited consumption to just one or two glasses. Most had not, and would not provide alcohol to young people to drink away from the home.

More than three quarters of the panel respondents said they did not support introducing a legal age at which young people could start drinking, however, about half did support increasing the purchase age to 20.

"We look forward to contributing to the review," said Ms Cole.