TIMELY WARNING FROM ALAC BOSS IS WELL WORTH TAKING TO HEART

Some words of warning from Dr Mike MacAvoy, CEO of the Alcohol
Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) are well worth considering as
we approach the festive season.

It is at this time of the year that the "party" season heats up and
there are invariably accidents and incidents that could be avoided.

Dr MacAvoy has welcomed the select committee report recommending the
return of the legal purchase age for alcohol to 20.

But he concluded: "Finally, I would emphasise that this bill alone is
not the cure-all for the problems with alcohol in New Zealand. A
whole lot of other things need to be done if we are to change our
current binge-drinking culture - legislation on its own is not
enough, especially to change such entrenched behaviour."

He is right. Our wish for the youngsters in the Gisborne-East Coast
region is that moderation will rule their actions. This applies
particularly where alcohol is concerned.

Getting plastered is not the way to celebrate anything.

Staggering around legless is sheer stupidity.

Drunkenness is far too common among our youth.

They appear to have this crazy idea that there is something big and
grown-up in getting drunk.

But no one is more obnoxious than a drunk.

And no one is more vulnerable than a drunk . . . because he or she
can neither run away from trouble nor handle it when it finds them.

Then, of course, we have a drug problem. Anyone who believes that
cannabis is just a harmless smoke is asking for trouble.

For instance, the Court of Appeal has refused to accept a defence
plea against an attempted murder conviction, made on the grounds that
the accused might have been suffering from a psychosis brought on by cannabis.

The court did accept, however, that the use of the drug may have
contributed to the accused forming an intention to murder his victim.

And people say cannabis is harmless. They must be crazy. It's a tough
world out there, don't make it any tougher for yourself.