DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO ALCOHOL DOWN IN NZ

Wellington: New Zealanders' drinking habits are changing, leading to fewer
alcohol-related deaths, according to the Beer, Wine and Spirits Council of
New Zealand.

Chief executive Nicki Stewart was responding to figures released by Health
Minister Annette King on Tuesday which showed the number of deaths in which
alcohol was the underlying cause - including gastritis, liver disease and
alcoholic psychoses - was 419 between 1994 and 1996.

The figures, released in response to a series of written parliamentary
questions by Labour MP Tim Barnett, showed alcohol may have been
responsible for a further 509 deaths resulting from external causes, such
as road crash, drowning, suicide and falls.

For the same period, there was one death in which cannabis was listed as
the underlying cause, and 23 deaths from external factors such as drowning,
road crashes, suicide, poisoning and falls to which cannabis may have
contributed, Ms King said.

Ms Stewart said she did not want to enter the debate on the merits of
cannabis use but pointed out there were 38% fewer alcohol-related deaths in
the 1994-96 period than in the 1980-82 period.

"That decline is continuing, and that is the result of a fundamental change
in New Zealand society," she told NZPA.

Education and changes in drinking habits had both been contributing factors.

"Alcohol has been normalised in society. Whereas in the past alcohol may
have been the reason for a social occasion, now it is merely part of a
social occasion," she said.

The council was working with the Alcohol Advisory Council, Students Against
Drunk Driving and the Hospitality Standards Institute to get its safety
message across, Ms Stewart said.

"There is a lot of educational work being done but we feel that is an
ongoing area that must be maintained.

"Binge drinking is still a problem in New Zealand and we will continue
working to minimise those numbers."

Medical Association chairwoman Pippa McKay said little could be taken from
the death statistics alone.

"It would be pretty hard to draw conclusions from that," she said.

"I would imagine the alcohol-related deaths would be higher because it is
more generally used than cannabis."

Dr McKay said there was still much to be learned of the harmful effects of
cannabis, such as the damage it caused to users' lungs.

"We all know that alcohol is dangerous, particularly used in excess, but we
don't know enough about heavy use of cannabis over time."

People mixing drugs also clouded the issue, she said.