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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

We don't have a youth drinking problem, we have an adult drinking problem



First how terribly sorry I am to Brian Gaynor and his whanau, what a terrible heartbreaking event for them to have to go through in the full glare of the unblinking media.

I think there are two very different issues here - The latest death at Kings and the wider issue regarding society and alcohol.

On the first issue, i think the intense focus on these young men from these elite famailies at Kings is now part of the problem. Without getting specific because of the sensitivities of this case, it seems that stress has come to a dreadful conclusion. We don't have a youth drinking problem in NZ, we have an adult drinking problem in NZ, and when it comes to the wider debate about alcohols devestating social impact, this Government are gutless sell outs to the booze industry.

If this Government were serious about booze they would...

No booze in supermarkets
No booze advertising
Minimum prices
Lower the blood alcohol limit for driving down NOW not in 2 years.


Mana are also floating the idea of a vice tax that is a 20% tax on the after tax profits of the tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries for direct re-investment back into the communities those products harm the most, and I think all political parties should look at this vice tax.

Stop blaming the kids and get real about the social cost of booze.

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3 Comments:

At 15/6/11 9:58 am, Blogger frances jane said...

I agree, here's wot i said: http://piebid947.blogspot.com/

 
At 15/6/11 11:52 am, Blogger Tim said...

Word to that Bomber

 
At 17/6/11 8:18 am, Blogger Me said...

Everyone knows national are in the pocket of the booze industry!

 

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