The NZ Herald reported today that one of the many drivers snapped in last weekend’s blitz was 9 months pregnant.
The 20 year-old from the Bay of Plenty was nearly twice over the legal limit when breath tested.
Sergeant Ray Wylie of the Eastern Bay of Plenty strategic traffic unit said that Child, Youth and Family has been told about the woman.
He also said that he was concerned with the amount of women with high levels of breath-alcohol.
Filed under Alcohol Laws, Binge Drinking
Australia and New Zealand joined forces in the weekend for “Operation Unite” – a blitz on drunken violence.
The blitz began at 6pm on Friday (11th Dec 09) and ended 6pm Sunday.
Police across Australia and New Zealand deployed 9554 officers, made 2991 arrests, recorded 472 assaults and recorded 1681 licensing breaches over the weekend.
The operation was an attempt to show Australia and New Zealand drinking citizen’s that police’s tolerance for public weekend drunkenness is wearing thin.
“Success, for police, would be having a weekend free from public drunkenness, from young people being arrested for breaching liquor bans, from public place violence fuelled by alcohol and from family violence incidents where alcohol is a factor,” said Assistant Commissioner Viv Rickard in a NZ Police press release today.
“Sadly that wasn’t the case this weekend. There were too many arrests and too many violent incidents where people were affected by alcohol.”
The UK Telegraph wrote an article before the blitz.
Filed under Alcohol Laws, Binge Drinking
The Independent reported today that Malvern St James School for Girls in Worcestershire has introduced a wine-tasting club for its students in an attempt to curb binge drinking.
The new club – introduced by Rachel Huntley (who teaches critical thinking at the school) – is one of the most popular out-of-school activities for sixth formers (NZ seventh form).
The girls can join the club once they have turned 16 and has been a selling point for some girls to stay on for their last year.
“We want to introduce the girls and their friends to good wines and their complexity, and educate them to develop an interest in the making of the wines rather than them seeing wine as something that you knock back in the summer holidays without thinking,” said Mrs Huntley.
During the wine-tasting sessions the girls take notes and are urged to comment on bouquet, colour and taste. The wines are accompanied by regional foods.
“Far better to enjoy a candlelit dinner with boys in the form of a quiz night blind wine-tasting than rely on the awful discos which are the standard diet in many schools,” said Mrs Huntley.
Filed under Binge Drinking
The Southland Times reported yesterday that Queenstown is now one of the leaders in NZ’s growing binge-drinking culture, according to National Addiction Centre director Dr. Doug Sellman.
He said that Queenstown’s late-night alcohol problems are getting worse by the year.
“I see women comatose every year I come down. It seems to get worse.
“They’re lying all over the place with half their clothes off and they do seem to be getting younger,” he said.
“People are slumped over tables; I often see people just sitting on the pavement with their head in their hands.”
Dr. Sellman think that the reason Queenstown’s drinking is so out of control is because it is a tourist spot and therefore, has a lot of bars.
In its small CBD, Queenstown has 93 liquor licences, 41 of them nightclubs, pubs and bars. The entire Queenstown Lakes district has 332 licensed premises, 242 of them on licences, 76 off-licences and 14 club licenses.
Filed under Alcohol Laws, Binge Drinking
A media statement was released yesterday by NZ’s Provgressive Party stating that 1000 people die each year because of heavy drinking.
Progressive leader and MP for Wigram Hon Jim Anderton welcomed the release today from New Zealand doctors and nurses, which called for the Law Commission to recommend reducing the marketing and advertising of alcohol; lowering the purchase age; increasing the price of alcohol; reducing the availability of alcohol; and doing more to counter drink-driving.
“This is our chance to do something about binge drinking. The legislation must be changed, and the Law Commission is looking at that right now,” he said.
Filed under Alcohol Laws, Binge Drinking
Police commissioners from Aussie and New Zealand met yesterday to launch a united front against binge drinking.
The Police commissioners met in Perth after saying they have “had enough” of the binge drinking culture in both countries.
NZPA released yesterday that both countries were planning a series of crackdowns against alcohol-fuelled crime and antisocial behaviour, with the first on the weekend of December 11 and 12
“The `drink to get drunk’ culture cannot continue, or become the norm, and that is why we are taking decisive action. While we cannot arrest our way out of this problem, we agree there is a need for stronger policing,” said Commissioner Howard Broad.
Filed under Alcohol Laws, Binge Drinking
The Taranaki Daily News reported that leading addiction expert Professor Doug Sellman said that Alcohol kills fifty times more people than A-class drug methanphetamine.
Professor Sellman addressed a public meeting at the New Plymouth District Council earlier this week on the dangers of alcohol.
“Alcohol has become totally over-commercialised in New Zealand, encouraging a heavy drinking culture that leads to serious health problems, fractured families and increased violence and crime affecting thousands of people.
“The easy availability of alcohol at all hours, low prices and continuous bombardment by very clever advertising and highly strategic sponsorship deals are key drivers of our dangerous drinking culture,” he said.
Filed under Binge Drinking
Last week, Stuff reported that the Christchurch City Council has decided to push for tougher liquor rules.
Mayor Bob Parker said the proposals are an attempt to tackle the country’s dangerous binge drinking situation.
The council has called for:
A minimum age of 16 years for drinking, 18 for buying alcohol in licensed premises and 20 for off-licence purchasing.
A national closing time for bars of 2am that local councils can extend or reduce.
Health-warning labels on alcohol products.
Powers to force bars to offer standard measures of wine, beer and spirits.
Higher tax on alcohol.
Stopping below-cost alcohol sales in supermarkets, and restricting discounts.
Controls on liquor advertising.
A blood-alcohol limit of zero for drivers under the age of 20.
Filed under Alcohol Laws, Binge Drinking
dollartree / google images
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York has banned students from playing Beer Pong (a popular drinking game) due to outbreaks of Swine Flu.
The game has been blamed for nearly two dozen confirmed reports of swine flu at the school. Seven students are in isolation rooms on the school’s campus and seven others have returned home.
The cups used for the game are reused over and over, hence the spread of germs and the banning of the game.
Students get told all the time not to share water bottles etc. in flu times. Surely it’s common sense to do the same when drinking alcohol?
Filed under Uncategorized
NZPA reported yesterday that Otago University has banned all alcohol advertising and sponsorship from its events, after drunken behaviour at o-week events.
gpforums
The ban was made effective immediately two days ago,after a recommendation was made by vice-chancellor Professor Sir David Skegg.
The ban is believed to be the first of its kind in New Zealand.
Professor Skegg said it was one step forward in addressing the “grim and chronic national problem” of binge drinking.
Filed under Uncategorized
