88762 alcohol.org Jun 04 · approach favours reducing alcohol-related harm by encouraging all...

Vol 5 No.1. June 2004

ALCOHOL ADVISORY COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND

Kaunihera Whakatupato Waipiro o Aotearoa

FeatureCall for adults to moderate drinking behaviour

Pacific peoples Pacific Spirit conference

Information services New website for ALAC

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The Alcohol Advisory Council ofNew Zealand was established by a1976 Act of Parliament, under thename the Alcoholic Liquor AdvisoryCouncil (ALAC), following a reportby the Royal Commission of Inquiryinto the Sale of Liquor.

The Commission recommendedestablishing a permanent council whose aim was to encourage responsible alcohol use and minimise misuse.

ALAC’s aims are pursued through policy liaison and advocacy,information and communication,research, intersectoral andcommunity initiatives, and treatmentdevelopment. ALAC is funded by alevy on all liquor imported into, ormanufactured in, New Zealand forsale and employs 30 staff. TheCouncil currently has eight membersand reports to the Minister of Health.

alcohol.org.nz is publishedquarterly by the Alcohol AdvisoryCouncil of New Zealand/teKaunihera Whakatupato Waipiro oAotearoa. An editorial committeeoversees the newsletter.

The next issue of alcohol.org.nz willbe published in September 2004.To receive a copy, contact:

Alcohol Advisory CouncilPO Box 5023Wellington New Zealand

Phone 04 917 0060Call free 0508 258 258Fax 04 473 0890Email [email protected]

© ALAC 2004alcohol.org.nzISSN 1175-2831Editor/writer: Lynne Walsh

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WORDS FROM THE CEORecent reports on young people and alcohol have re-ignited the debateover New Zealand’s legal minimum purchase age. A common misconceptionin the debate is that New Zealand has a minimum legal drinking age. Wedon’t. What we have is a minimum legal age to purchase alcohol.

Interestingly this is quite different from other nations, for example theUnited States, where they have a minimum legal drinking age. No oneunder a specified age (this varies from state to state but is generally setat 20-years-old) can legally either drink or purchase alcohol.

In 1999 the New Zealand Parliament voted to lower the legal purchaseage from 20 years to 18 years. At the time we at the Alcohol AdvisoryCouncil vigorously opposed this move.

However, I think we need to be very careful about calling for a return to20 as it will not provide the “quick fix” that some people might think.

It’s easy to look at young people and say they are drinking problematically;they are the problem – let’s deal with it through the law. Well, actually,the problem is the risky drinking culture of adult New Zealanders.

Further, because the main source of supply for minors in New Zealandare parents, it also means raising the minimum legal purchase age inNew Zealand is unlikely to have the same impact as raising the minimumdrinking age did in Canada and the United States as we don’t have theoption to prosecute minors with alcohol.

New Zealand’s binge drinking culture is deeply entrenched in all sectorsof our community. Given this culture, ALAC would be concerned if amove to increase the minimum legal purchase age was made in isolationfrom a strenuous effort of behalf of the Government and its agencies tobring about a change in New Zealand’s drinking culture.

But it seems any change to the purchase age will have to wait to seewhether a proposed private member’s bill will be drawn in the ballot.

In the meantime in this edition of alcohol.org.nz we outline where ALACis going in our efforts to change New Zealand’s drinking culture.

June 2004

Contents

Feature 2

Call for adults to moderate

drinking behaviour

Pacific peoples 8

Pacific Spirit

Information services 12

New website for ALAC

Early intervention 14

Had enough?

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

News 18

CPO Guidelines

Gary Harrison Memorial Scholarship

Yata workshop

ALAC Resources

Dr Mike MacAvoy Chief Executive Officer.

Kia ora, Kia orana, Ni sa bula, Namaste, Taloha ni, Malo e lelei, Fakaalofa atu, Halo olaketa,

Talofa lava, Greetings...

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Feature

Tena koutou katoa.

I began working for ALAC as the Strategic Advisor Policy in

October 2002 coming with a strong policy background but no

expertise in the alcohol field. Since joining ALAC I have read,

analysed, read some more and listened to people who hold a

wide variety of views and have different levels of expertise in

different areas.Wendy Moore, ALAC Strategic Policy Advisor.

There seem to be two main points ofview. These points of view, with variationson the theme of course, largely centrearound two theories or approaches toalcohol policy – per capita consumption(or single distribution theory) and peroccasion consumption or patterns ofconsumption.

Generally, the per capita consumptionapproach favours reducing alcohol-related harm by reducing the averageconsumption of all drinkers while at thesame time encouraging those who dodrink to do so moderately. The WorldHealth Organisation supports this approach.

In contrast, the per occasion consumptionapproach favours reducing alcohol-related harm by encouraging all drinkersto drink moderately, by reducing high-risk or binge drinking and by changingthe drinking culture in a society fromone that accepts and sometimesencourages intoxication to one thatrecognises the intrinsic role of alcoholin developed societies and activelypromotes moderation. Since the

1990s, there has been a growing groupof alcohol researchers and policystrategists who support this approach.

It seems to me that supporting oneapproach necessarily prevents one fromseeing the value in the other approachand this led me to ask the question,“Are these two approaches diametricallyopposed or, in fact, complementary?”This paper is an attempt to answer thatquestion. The paper is not an academicexamination of each policy approachbut is rather designed to promotediscussion and, hopefully, encourageproponents of each view to see thevalue of each in the effort to reducealcohol-related harm.

Per capita consumption and peroccasion consumption – wheredo they come from?Per capita consumptionPer capita consumption analysis looksat the development of alcohol policiesfrom the position that there is a directrelationship between per capita

Call for adults to moderate drinkingbehaviour

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Kreitman (1986)3 took the per capitaconsumption analysis further when hisstudies found what is referred to as the“preventive paradox”. Kreitman arguedthat the majority of alcohol problemsare caused by low to moderate drinkerswho, though they were a low-risk group,collectively produced more problemsnot only because they outnumbered byfar the heavy drinkers but primarilybecause of their tendency towardssporadic outbursts of high-riskdrinking.4 He therefore concluded thata significant reduction in alcohol-related problems could only be broughtabout by an across-the-board decreasein drinking and not by a reduction inconsumption by heavy drinkers alone.

Thus the control-of-consumption approachgained a new rationale. Availabilityinfluenced all or any drinking, which inturn influenced the prevalence ofproblems. By price maintenance,restricted availability and educationmeasures, all drinkers would bepersuaded to cut down. Heavy drinkersmight be resistant, but moderate oreven light drinkers would yield publichealth gains because of their greaternumbers. There was no need to arguethe link between per capita consumptionand alcohol problems on the basis ofthe distribution theory, because theprevalence of problems among themoderate range had been establishedempirically.5

Per capita/general population surveyscan provide information on how thepopulation can be divided into differentsubgroups according to frequency ofdrinking and amount consumed pertypical occasion. However, per capitaconsumption approaches do notdistinguish between acute and chronicharm – the focus is to reduce all harmacross the population.

In broad terms, per capita consumption-based policies favour reducing theaverage consumption of the wholepopulation through policy instrumentssuch as price and accessibility, for examplerestricting the number of licensedpremises and hours of availability andprohibiting alcohol advertising.

Per occasion consumptionPer occasion consumption analysislooks at the development of alcoholpolicies from the position that it is

patterns of consumption that are morerefined predictor of alcohol-relatedharm than average consumption acrossthe population. In other words it is themoderate or light drinker whosometimes drinks hazardously (or bingedrinks) that is at greater risk of not onlyincurring alcohol-related harmthemselves but in causing harm toothers.6 This harm is generally socialharm but some health harms also maybe suffered.

Per occasion consumption, unlike percapita consumption, comes from aposition of seeking an understanding ofalcohol’s changing role in society bygaining an understanding of howdrinking culture and patterns influencethat consumption. Evidence of howpeople actually use alcohol in theirdaily lives is crucial to an understandingof alcohol’s role in public health.7

Those drinking are affected by thegeneral place of drinking in the culture,the drinking customs prevalent amongdifferent drinking groups and in differentsettings, and the norms regarding thedrinking behaviours of individuals.

Drinking in an even and regular pattern,for example one to two drinks per day,is extremely unusual and thereforedrinking is predominantly intermittent.Drinkers generally want to “feel theeffects” of the alcohol they drink,therefore information andrecommendations on safe drinkinglevels are very unlikely to result indrinking that is limited to one to twodrinks per day evenly across the sevenday week. In fact, if safe drinking levelswere followed and sustained there maybe an increase in per capitaconsumption.

There are norms in every societyconcerning drinking behaviour. Thesenorms lead to the incidence of, anddefining the limits of, socially accepteddrinking behaviour. Norms vary withdifferent groups and vary over time andin response to individual desires andchanges in the entire society. There aresome societies where abstinence is thenorm through to those societies wheredrinking beyond mild intoxication to thepoint where inebriation takes over is the norm.8

Again, in broad terms, per occasionconsumption policies favour reducing a

1 p 13, Eric Single and Victor E Leino authors inDrinking Patterns and Their Consequences,International Center for Alcohol Policies Series onAlcohol in Society, Edited by Marcus Grant andJorge Litvak, 1997.

2 n.1 above p 13.

3 n.1 above p 9.

4 Stockwell et al (1996) showed that if you removethese sporadic episodes of high risk drinking thenheavy drinkers come to the fore again.

5 n.1, pp 138-9 John B Saunders and Simon deBurgh authors.

6 This appears closely aligned to Kreitman’s view –the difference is where this approach takes theidea of the majority of drinkers incurring moreharm than heavy drinkers based on the “healthrational” drinking argument and publicacceptance of whole population policies of priceand restricting availability.

7 Chapter 5, Alcohol in Developing Societies: APublic Health Approach, Management ofSubstance Dependence Non-CommunicableDiseases, WHO, June 2002.

8 p 212, Robin Room and Eric Single authors inContemporary Drug Problems: An InterdisciplinaryQuarterly Vol 21, No.2, Summer 1994.

consumption and the prevalence of awide range of health and socialproblems associated with the misuse ofalcohol. It is known generally as thesingle distribution theory but will bereferred to in this paper as the percapita consumption approach.

Several authors have noted a strongrelationship between per capitaconsumption of alcohol and theprevalence of heavy drinking (Lederman1956; Bruun et al. 1975; Skog 1982a;Simpura 1987; Rose and Day 1990).1

The per capita consumption theory (orsingle distribution theory) is based onLederman’s work, which found that themean level of alcohol consumption inany society tends to be closely relatedto the number of persons drinking atlevels associated with high risk ofdeveloping alcoholism or alcohol-relatedproblems. This means that once themean consumption among drinkers isknown, one can predict with reasonableaccuracy the number of peopleconsuming at any level, including anumber who might be deemed to behigh-risk or alcoholic. Bruun et al19752 gave some support to theseconclusions in their work.


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population’s tolerance of high-riskdrinking or changing the drinkingculture to encourage moderate, low-riskdrinking, through server intervention,drink-drive laws, enforcement of existinglicensing laws and providinginformation on safe drinking levels. Percapita consumption policies tend tofocus on the acute harm resulting fromrisky drinking rather than reducing allharms across the population. Havingsaid this, however, many theorists whosupport this approach note thatsustained reduction of per occasionconsumption is likely to reduce chronicharms also.

DiscussionWhile the per capita consumptionapproach has its problems in terms ofmeasurement – measuring for theaverage drinker does not take intoaccount those that are drinking a lotmore than the average on some occasions– the approach continues to beimportant in the overall drive to reducethe incidence of alcohol-related harm.

In terms of per occasion consumptionand its associated harms, researchshows that acute alcohol-related harmis the costliest aspect of alcohol-relatedharm in terms of taxpayer dollars spentand individual and community harm.10

Public drinking to intoxication and therelated street disorder is a case in point.

However, with per occasionconsumption it is difficult to measurethe impact of policies. If one ismeasuring average consumption andthis reduces, then the theory allows theconclusion that alcohol-related harm isalso reduced. A focus on reducing peroccasion consumption that discourageshigh-risk drinking requires a strongemphasis on collecting different data,for example per occasion consumptionover longer periods (usually surveys askfor consumption over the last month orfour weeks), the drink type anddrinking environment, enforcement,and accident statistics includingalcohol or proxy indicators.

One development which is perceived ashaving an impact on the support for aper occasion consumption approach isthe epidemiological studies that indicate

that drinking in moderation is in factgood for you if you belong to certainage groups.11

The “health rational attitude tomoderate drinking”12 will clearly enjoythe support of the liquor industry andindeed it is put forward as a reason whyencouraging abstinence and/or reducingaverage per capita consumption are notdesirable policy approaches from acost/benefit analysis perspective. Notonly this, but “health rational” drinkingis based on moderation or limitingone’s per occasion consumption.

This is one of the more controversialaspects of the per occasion consumptionapproach – along with “health rational”drinking it appears to enjoy the supportof the alcohol industry.

Clearly, on the other hand, a policyframework that has at its heartreducing consumption by all drinkerswill not find favour with an industrywhose raison d’être is to make a profitfrom producing, distributing and sellinga commodity, albeit a commodity thatcan have devastating side-effects notonly for the individual drinker but forsociety itself.13

Assuming that there are individualhealth benefits to be gained by regularmoderate drinking for some individuals,what will be the effect on average percapita consumption of drinking if largenumbers of individuals who arepresently below the “optimum level”increase their drinking? That is, bypromoting a level of regular moderateconsumption will such health messageslead to an increase in per capitaconsumption which, in turn, under thesingle distribution theory leads to anoverall increase in harm?14

The industry does and should have apart to play in reducing alcohol-relatedharm. What exactly that role should beis unclear and needs serious engagement.Failure on the industry’s behalf toaddress concerns about alcohol-relatedharm may mean re-regulation ratherthan deregulation if, for governments,the cost in terms of a viable, working,reproducing population begins tooutweigh the gains in revenue.

Another issue that affects the type ofpolicy interventions used is the level ofgeneral public acceptance of thosepolicies.

Generally, studies have found that thepublic favour interventions aimed atreducing intoxication but does notfavour policies that restrict individualaccess to alcohol such as increasingthe price and restricting accessibility.15

There exists a definite self-otherdiscrepancy in expectations aboutalcohol’s effects. It has been foundthat people believe others to be muchmore prone to the various negative andpositive effects from consumingalcohol, while the self is perceived asrelatively less likely to be affected.16

Public drinking again provides a goodexample of how members of thegeneral public are getting sick ofpicking up the pieces of intoxication,feel unsafe in their own communitiesas a result and therefore support the

9 New Zealand now has 15,475 liquor outlets orone outlet for every 259 people. This figureincludes those under the age of 18.

10 Devlin et al (1997) estimated that in 1991 socialcosts to New Zealand of alcohol consumptionranged from $1 billion to $4 billion. Other morerecent estimates state that alcohol misusereduces New Zealand’s effective GDP by up to4%. In 2003, Australian economists David Collinsand Helen Lapsley assessed the total tangiblecosts to Australia of alcohol misuse and abuse at$5.5 billion. Those costs are borne by business(39%), the individual (37%) and government(24%).

11 BWS pamphlet on health benefits and NZ Beer,Wine and Spirits Council (2004) “Drinking toYour Health”.

12 n.1 above p 243, Makela.

13 Alcohol consumption contributes significantly tothe incidence of assault, drink-driving anddomestic violence and contributes a significantcost to the community in terms of the cost ofhealthcare, policing and the administration ofjustice.

14 p 240, Klaus Makela author, in ContemporaryDrug Problems: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly Vol21, No.2, Summer 1994.

15 Expectancies About the Effects of Alcohol on theSelf and on Others as Determinants of AlcoholPolicy Attitudes, Angela Paglia and Robin Room,Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1999, 29,12, 2632-2651 1999.

16 n. 13 above.


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introduction of liquor bans. However, atthe same time, they support the growthof the hospitality industry because it is“good for the economy” in their cityand/or region.

The future for New Zealand The tenure of the third Labour Govern-ment saw the beginning of a decline inper capita consumption in New Zealand.17

This decline in consumption continuedthrough the 1990s despite an increasein the number of outlets,18 a decreasein the relative price of alcohol, theintroduction of brand advertising onradio and television in 1992 and finallythe lowering of the drinking age in1999. However, despite this decline inper capita consumption, indices ofharm continue to show an upward trendin levels of acute harm, particularlyamong M≠ori and young people.

ALAC’s view is that these harm trendscan be largely brought home to the factthat risky drinking is endemic in NewZealand19 and New Zealand has adrinking culture that not only toleratesdrunkenness but in many ways alsoencourages it.

There is considerable evidence, bothinternationally and in New Zealand, ofsignificant inequalities in healthbetween socio-economic groups, ethnicgroups, people living in differentgeographical regions and males andfemales (Acheson 1998; Howden-Chapman and Tobias 2000). The NewZealand Health Strategy identifies theneed to reduce inequalities for M≠ori,

for Pacific peoples and for all people inlower socioeconomic groups.20

Research indicates that M≠ori onaverage have different alcoholconsumption patterns from non-M≠ori.21 They are less likely to drinkalcohol, drink less often but drink moreon a typical drinking occasion whencompared to non-M≠ori. Thedifferences are such that averagealcohol consumption per day amongM≠ori and non-M≠ori is similar but theimpacts on health are likely to differsubstantially with M≠ori suffering morefrom a disproportionate amount ofacute alcohol-related harm than non-M≠ori.22 Although New Zealand hasreduced its average per capitaconsumption, the alcohol-related harmsuffered by M≠ori has not changed.23

There are similar results for Pacificpeoples24 – they are less likely to drinkat all but those who do are likely tosuffer more from acute alcohol-relatedharm than chronic. It is risky peroccasion consumption that is the majorissue and not the average amount ofalcohol consumed. Thus per occasionconsumption, rather than per capitaconsumption, is the critical issue forboth M≠ori and Pacific peoples – these are the same populations whowill make up almost 50 percent of New Zealand’s population by 2040.

In addition, many in these groups willnot, because of acute harm and earlydeath, accrue the health benefits that“health rational” drinking assumes exist

for moderate drinkers of certain ages.

Risky per occasion consumption is alsoa major issue for New Zealand’s youngpeople. Injury is a major contributor toalcohol-related mortality beingresponsible for 51 percent of deathsand 72 percent of years lost. Mostalcohol-related deaths before middleage are due to injury.

ConclusionOn 20 May 2004, Tony Blair, the BritishPrime Minister, warned that alcoholabuse was fast becoming the “newBritish disease”. His focus was alcohol-related violent crime caused by aphenomenon he referred to as “bingedrinking”. Is New Zealand heading downa similar path?

ALAC accepts that the desire toexperience some altered state ofconsciousness, whether by usingalcohol or any other drug, seems to bean intrinsic part of the humancondition25 and we are not suggestingthat people should not drink at all orthat there is anything inherentlyimmoral or wrong in being drunk.

However, we are suggesting that riskyper occasion consumption is endemicin New Zealand and that the acutealcohol-related harm occurring is adirect result of New Zealand’s drinkingculture. Drunkenness is not onlytolerated but it is also encouraged. This view is supported by research that indicates that 1.2 million New Zealanders consider drunkennesssocially acceptable, with 350,000binging on their last occasion and275,000 setting out to get drunk.26

The usually moderate drinker on a“binge” is, for the period of that grossintoxication, at risk of acute alcohol-related harm and the many forms it cantake. Further, continuous bingedrinking behaviour will almost certainlylead to long-term health problems,particularly if it continues into aperson’s forties. While most peopleslow right down as they go into their

17 For example, beer consumption dropped 25%over a 10-year period.

18 See footnote 9.

19 Ministry of Health “A Snapshot of Health:Provisional Results of the 2002/2003 NewZealand Health Survey”, December 2003. This survey shows that almost one in six New Zealanders have hazardous drinking habits.

20 Implementing the New Zealand Health Strategy2001.

21 The burden of death, disease and disability dueto alcohol in New Zealand Jennie Connor, JoannaBroad, Rod Jackson, Steve Vander Hoorn andJurgen Rehm, May 2004; “The Way We Drink”BRC, March 2004.

22 This is particularly so for the 15-29 age group.

23 n.21 above.

24 “The Way We Drink” BRC March 2004.

25 Living with Drugs 3rd edition, Gossop M, 1993Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.




later twenties because of family/workresponsibility, ALAC’s researchindicates that these normal inhibitorsare being “frayed” by the pressure tostay “forever young”.27

In saying that, ALAC recognises the riskof focusing entirely on per occasionconsumption and acknowledges thatper capita consumption interventionssuch as excise tax have their place(ALAC was the prime mover inrecommending an increase in the taxon light spirits).

We believe that it is important not tolose sight of either ball especially inattempts to prove that one approach issuperior to the other. Everyone has apart to play in the one goal – reducingalcohol-related harm in the many formsit can take.

Our view is that prevention policies foralcohol-related problems should focuson high-risk drinking patterns – anddrinking to gross intoxication inparticular – as well as on overall levelsof drinking.

Focusing on empowering a change ofculture – particularly for the group thatmany of us will be relying on for asecure future for all New Zealand’speople – will provide an environment inwhich policy interventions aimed atreducing alcohol-related harm will have agreater level of success than currently.Let’s work together. He tangata, hetangata, he tangata.

Wendy Moore ALAC Strategic PolicyAdvisor

Bibliography1994. Contemporary Drug Problems:An Interdisciplinary Quarterly 21(2).

ICAP. 2004. Drinking Patterns: FromTheory to Practice. ICAP Report 15.Washington, DC: International Centerfor Alcohol Policies.

Gual A. 2001. From Paris toStockholm: where does the EuropeanAlcohol Action Plan lead to? Addiction96 (8): 1093-1096.

ICAP. [2001]. Harm Reduction andAlcohol Policies. Washington, DC:International Center for AlcoholPolicieswww.icap.org/international/harm_reduction.html<http://www.icap.org/international/harm_reduction.html>

WHO. 2002. Alcohol in DevelopingSocieties: A Public Health Approachto Management of SubstanceDependence Non-CommunicableDiseases. Geneva: World HealthOrganisation.

Acheson D. 1998. IndependentInquiry into Inequalities in Health.London: The Stationery Office.

Casswell S. 1997. Population levelpolicies on alcohol: are they stillappropriate given that “alcohol is goodfor the heart”? Addiction (Supplement1) S81-S90.

Gossop M. 1993. Living with Drugs(3rd Edition). Aldershot: AshgatePublishing Ltd.

Grant M, Litvak J (eds). 1998.Drinking Patterns and theirConsequences. International Centre forAlcohol Policies Series on Alcohol inSociety.

Hawks D. 1988. Why in Seeking toAddress A Policy Relating to Alcohol isit Necessary to Consider the WholePopulation? Keynote addresspresented to the InternationalConference Drugs, Society andLeisure, Brisbane, 27 June -1 July1988. Bentley, WA: National Centrefor Research into the Prevention ofDrug Abuse.

Howden-Chapman P, Tobias M (eds).1999. Social Inequalities in Health:New Zealand 1999. Wellington:Ministry of Health.

Peele S, Grant M (eds). 1999.Alcohol and Pleasure: A HealthPerspective. Philadelphia, PA:Brunner.

Raistrick D, Hodgson R, Ritson B(eds). 1999. Tackling AlcoholTogether: The Evidence Base for UKAlcohol Policy. London: FreeAssociation Books Ltd.

Rehm N, Room R, Edwards G. 2001.Alcohol in the European Region –Consumption, Harm and Policies.Geneva: WHO, Regional Office forEurope.

Room R. 1998. Drinking patterns andalcohol-related social problems:frameworks for analysis in developingsocieties. Drug and Alcohol Review17(4): 389-398.

Roche A M. 1997. The shifting sandsof alcohol prevention: rethinkingpopulation control approaches.Australian and New Zealand Journalof Public Health 21(6).

Simpura J, Nordisk. 1999. DrinkingPatterns and alcohol policy:Prospects and limitations of a policyapproach. Alkohol &Narkotikatidskrift 16: 35-45 EnglishSupplement.

Simpura J. 2001. Trends in alcoholconsumption and drinking patterns:sociological and economicexplanations and alcohol policies.Nordisk Alkohol & Narkotikatidskrift18: 3-13 English Supplement.

Stockwell T, Single E, Hawks D,Rehm J. 1997. Sharpening the Focusof Alcohol Policy from AggregateHarm to Risk Reduction. AddictionResearch 5 (1): 1-9.

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The Alcohol Advisory Council of NZ (ALAC)

hosted its fourth biennial Pacific Spirit

Conference on 3 and 4 March 2004.

“Pacific approaches to inform change” was the overall theme for the 2004conference, says ALAC Manager Pacific Programmes Tina McNicholas.

“This theme acknowledged Pacific approaches to care and the role of culturalbeliefs and practices in enhancing healthcare for Pacific people.”

Tina says the conference provided a forum for Pacific alcohol and drugpractitioners to share and showcase their successes, discuss challenges with otherstakeholders and recommend solutions for the future.

The conference also discussed how to develop supportive environments for Pacificworkforce sustainability – the environment requires funders, providers andpractitioners to build collective commitment to ensure high levels of professionalinnovation, support and delivery, she says.

Approximately 200 people attended, representing a diverse range of services aswell as government and non-government agencies. Pacific alcohol and drugproviders were particularly well represented this year, as were Pacific cliniciansfrom more generic health services throughout the country.

The opening keynote address by Dr Ana Taufe’ulungaki, Director of the Institute ofEducation at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, received a standingovation and highlighted the significance of Pacific core values and their role inshaping the various aspects and functions of Pacific peoples’ lives

Dr Taufe’ulungaki’s presentation clearly reinforced the need for strategies thatacknowledge and take account of the differences between Pacific and Westernconceptualisation and how these differences fundamentally influence thephysical, mental and spiritual worldview of Pacific peoples, says Tina.

Some of the 200 Pacific Alcohol and Drugworkers, policy makers, funders, researchersand other stakeholders that attended “PacificSpirit 2004”.

Marilyn Kolhase – Senior Pacific publicservant and one of the conferenceorganisers.

Other participants taking time out:Silipa Take (New Zealand AIDSFoundation), Norman Vaele (Youth &Cultural Development), and SiaosiMulipola (New Zealand AIDSFoundation).

Pacific SpirPa

cific

Spi

rit


9

Pacific peoples

A highlight on day two was a multimedia performance led by Pacific workers from the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, which focused on examining theprinciples of positive Pacific youth development using performing arts andmultimedia. Their message was clear: young people were resources to bedeveloped and not problems to be solved.

Overview of key issues and implications for ALAC

Tina says overall impressions from the conference proceedings indicate a growingawareness and acceptance that Pacific Spirit is the only national forum whichprovides an opportunity for people with an interest in the impacts of alcohol anddrug matters on Pacific peoples to come together, build networks and exchangepertinent information.

There were queries from various providers in the field about the futureimplementation and utility of the Pacific practitioner competencies that werepublished by ALAC in 2002.

“There is large-scale support for these competencies which are viewed by Pacificproviders as an important step towards providing the first documented account ofthe core skills and beliefs which Pacific A&D workers apply and exemplify in theirclinical practices.”

ALAC was grateful for the support of Radio Niu FM and ACC

A dynamic multimedia presentation from an alliance of Pacific providers was oneof the main highlights at the conference. The group consisted of Edward Cowley,Siaosi Mulipola from the Pacific Peoples Project, New Zealand AIDS Foundation(NZAF), Yvonne Kainuku-Walsh from the Centre of Youth Health, Rene’e Haitouafrom Affirming Women and Asey Lio from Mt Albert Grammar. The group treatedthe audience to a 90 minute presentation, “Imperishable Seeds, a metaphor foryouth development”.

The drama, film and music portrayed stories of alcohol abuse, domestic violence,suicide and other issues. “It was such an emotional experience for me because Icould relate to the stories being told and it was also a time of self-reflection onmy role as a drug and alcohol worker in assessing if I was doing everythingpossible in supporting youth with A and D issues,” said one participant.

Drama, film and music deliver the message.

The drama, film and music portrayedstories of alcohol abuse, domesticviolence, suicide and other issues.

Edward Cowley, Yvonne Kainuku-Walsh,Rene’e Haitoua, Siaosi Mulipola.

pirit


Pacific peoples must

mend the broken circles

in their communities if

they hope to address

serious social ills facing

Pacific peoples not only

in the Pacific region

itself, but also in the

metropolitan countries

to which they have

migrated, says Tongan

academic Dr Ana Maui

Taufe’ulungaki.

In her keynote address to the “Pacific Spirit 2004” Conference in Auckland, Dr Ana Maui Taufe’ulungaki called for the restoration of core Pacific values in thetransformation of Pasifika.

Drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, armed theft and gang warfare, highunemployment and over-representation in crime and the prison population wereamong the symptoms of a broken society, she told the 200 delegates attendingthe March conference.

Alcoholism was but a symptom of the decline and destruction of communities.

There was no better way of destroying a community than by undermining itsvalues and beliefs systems.

“To effectively address alcoholism in our societies, we must mend the brokencircles in our communities.

“We can do this by strengthening their values and building strong relationships.”

Dr Taufe’ulungaki said the history of colonialism for many Pacific peoples andtheir cultures was one of subjugation and subservience and the swift and sureerosion of the values and the relationships that bound communities together.

“For too long in this process of dominance and suppression, we Pacific peoplehave allowed others to write our stories, sing our songs, name our world anddefine who we are.

“I am arguing that we have too often looked outside for support when the sourcesof our liberation lie within us, in the core values of Pacific societies.

“From these we can create the tools and institutions, processes and practicesthat could set us free. We need to take responsibility for destinies and in takingresponsibility for our creation we gain meaning and worth.”

Dr Taufe’ulungaki said identity was critical for the development of self-esteemand self-worth, the pre-requisites for learning and personal growth.

In today’s world and global culture, young people growing up in metropolitancountries faced multiple complexities in societies in states of constant flux;moving from the rural to the urban, from the Pacific to the first world, they haveto learn anew how to cope, but they are not alone.

Their parents too have to learn along with them the new system. Those whocannot cope have no clear idea as to who they are and have little sense of self-worth.

“We need to construct new urban and metropolitan communities which canembody our community values of sharing and caring with shared spaces andresponsibilities for young and old.

Pacific Spirit c

10


“We need to develop bridges between these two different cultures by using ourown as the basis for understanding and the acquisition of the new.

“Youths are often perceived as problems but these young people bear the brunt ofcultural change. At the beginning of the 21st century they should have wide lifechoices but the reality today is that those choices are increasingly narrowing.What are the alternatives? How can we build on principles of community whichwe value so much in our region? How can we salvage the lost and alienatedamong our young?

“We need to develop capacity building by networking, a kind of people andcommunity movement, that is, globalisation from below, and provide the kinds ofsupport that would encourage community initiatives, such as sharing informationand decentralising resources and services.

“New social organisations are growing up. The move to the urban areas hascreated new ones. The rascal gangs and the new middle class overlap withtraditional but changing forms of social organisation. Some of these could holdthe keys for change, directing it in more positive and meaningful directions.

“We need to learn to seed ownership and to share power so that identifyingproblems and finding solutions are not hierarchical but community structures.

“Governance could be developed to create transparency, accountability, greaterparticipation and integrity not just in the central state and its political system,but also in traditional communities and leadership in regional and community-based organisations. There is a need to be flexible and proactive.

“We need to create new forms of civil societies and to seek new modes ofgovernance, new ways of developing relationships, of consulting and talking toeach other.

“This is indeed a time of challenge, excitement and promise, despite andbecause of the changes we have to manage. It is indeed a critical period in ourdevelopment. The opportunities are there for radical and innovative solutionsbased on our values and sense of community.”

rit continued

Keynote speaker: Tongan academic,Director of the Institute of Education at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, Dr Ana Maui Taufe’ulungaki.

11

Pacific Spirit


The Alcohol AdvisoryCouncil’s website

has been redesigned,restructured and

renamed in order tomake life easier

for you, the user.

New website The first and most obvious change is the new name:alcohol.org.nz now becomes alac.org.nz to establish ALAC asthe provider of the information to assure the user theinformation on the site is reliable. Along with the new namecomes a new structure to enable easier access to theinformation available.

Feedback from user surveys and focus groups indicated thecurrent site was difficult to navigate, says ALAC ManagerInformation Services Annette Beattie.

“There was a lot of information that people never came acrossbecause they couldn’t find it. So there was fantasticinformation there but the infrastructure was such that youcouldn’t access it very easily or quickly.”

By contrast, she says, the new site is user friendly and able tobe navigated easily.

12


For youth there is a list of possible sources of help, forthemselves or their friends.

This section also outlines strategies to change drinkinghabits and looks at what treatment is available, what ismeant by addiction and how dependency can develop.

Annette says the home page of a website covers many functions.

“It’s the first impression of an organisation, and the place tomake sure people can easily springboard to the informationthey’re looking for – we had a lot to balance and weightappropriately.

After a cull and some reworking, information from the 500-page old site was migrated.

“We are going to continue to flesh out some of the sectionsof the website. While we have been culling the informationthat was on the previous site, we have noticed a lot of itneeds to be freshened up or added to.

“Some of sections on the site will be getting a lot more depthto them over the next six months. We are still compilingthings like frequently asked questions, devising them from allthe requests the regional administrators get as well as thequeries that come to national office.”

Annette says ALAC is looking to develop a research databasethat will be like a directory listing all alcohol-related researchbeing done in New Zealand or by New Zealanders.

“This is something the academic community has requestedfor some time. ALAC’s previous site did have a researchdatabase on it but we are aiming to update and expand it.This will be one of the bigger projects for the next six months.”

Annette says managing the project has presented theexpected challenges.

“It has been a big positive learning curve. It has been greatworking with the Information Services project team and withProvoke Solutions Ltd, the Wellington-based company thatwon the tender for the redesign. It’s also been good seeing aproject that has involved everyone in ALAC at some stagecome together with solid results.

“We look forward to feedback from users and look ahead toenhancing the site further.”

site for ALACAnnette says the analysis workshops held at the start of theweb project showed people come to the ALAC website for fourreasons:

• To find out about ALAC

• To get resources to do their job or fulfil their need

• To find out about alcohol as it relates to them

• To get some help and advice.

“So we decided to restructure the site on the basis of thesefour user groups.”

The four headings on the home page are ALAC, Resources,Alcohol, and Help. Each has a pull down menu outlining whatis contained in each area.

Under the ALAC heading is all the corporate informationsuch as who we are and what we do, says Annette. Thissection includes ALAC’s vision, strategies, policies,corporate reports, information on staff and Council and howto contact ALAC.

The Resources section covers research and publications,media releases, booklets and videos, professional tools, casestudies, and information on Acts of Parliament, alcoholbans and liquor licensing. This section includes informationon serving alcohol on both licensed and unlicensedpremises, including hosting parties and after ball parties.Also in this section is information on Manaaki Tangata andscholarships and grants.

Under the Alcohol section is information for youth,information on standard drinks, low-risk drinking andinformation on the effects of alcohol on the body. There isalso information on sports and alcohol; pregnancy andalcohol; women and alcohol; men and alcohol. It includestips on how to be safe and a section on youth and the law.

The Help section has information for the public on where togo for help with their own or someone else’s drinking.Anyone concerned about their own drinking can take theonline test (for over 18 year olds) to see if they should beconcerned about their drinking. A list of an ALAC series ofself-help booklets entitled Drinking and Your Health isincluded.

Information services

13


14

EHadHad Enough? This question posed through theHad Enough? TV and press advertisementscontinues to effect a steady stream of calls to theAlcohol and Drug Helpline by people wanting toaccess one of the Had Enough? videos andworkbooks. So, who are these people that areaccessing this resource?

A current interview survey of recipients of thepack that have filled in evaluation forms andprovided contact details suggests some interestingcommonalities.

The first finding is that recipients of the packhave usually had no previous access to anyalcohol or drug service, nor experienced or soughtany other intervention prior to their call to theAlcohol and Drug Helpline to access Had Enough?As well as this, users of the pack tend to have noknowledge of where they can access interventionor where they can find help.

This lack of contact or knowledge of services isunusual because another commonality of therecipients is that they are invariably at theheavy/dependent end of drinking. These are notpeople that have one-too-many occasionally.Rather they are people that are drinking largeamounts of alcohol on a regular basis and arealready experiencing significant problems relatedto its use.

Hence, people that have rung the Alcohol andDrug Helpline to access the resource have made achange simply by taking what is for most of thema first step. “Actually we give equal status to allparts of the intervention,” says ALAC’s ManagerEarly Intervention, Sue Paton.

“The first intervention is watching and identifyingwith the advertisement. The second is ringing theHelpline to access the video and workbook. Thethird is engaging in the video and working throughthe workbook.

“We even see that filling in the evaluation isanother step in the intervention and as such haverecently integrated motivational techniques intothe question design. The telephone call backinterviews also contribute to this process of change.”

Most of those recipients that have been interviewedhave continued this process of change includingaccessing counselling, finding an AA group,cutting down, and periods of abstinence. Thischange is also reflected in the 400 evaluationforms collected over the last three years.

A consistent theme is that the recipients felt theywere able to identify with the real-life stories ofthe people on the Had Enough? videos and thathearing these stories gave them hope to makechanges for themselves. Most recipients alsoreport finding the workbook useful in helpingthem come to a place of making the decision tochange. We are presently updating the workbookand will include a section of ideas of where userscan look for services that could provide furtherintervention.

A previous interview process to evaluate the HadEnough? resource took place in May 2002. Thisresearch focused also on the change that peoplehad made as a result of receiving the pack.

The call backs this time have been structuredaround a formal questionnaire that aims initiallyto build rapport and then if appropriate delve intothe drinking behaviour of the respondent, theirlifestyle and the changes that have beenattempted over the years.

“Rather than merely looking at the impact of theresource on the respondent, we have discussedthe past and present drinking situation, thecurrent lifestyle, the motivation for change andthe framework in which the Had Enough? packwas sought,” says Michael Bird.

“The aim of this approach has been to help usprofile our callers. To look at why they call, howthey engage with the resource and what impact ithas on them. We then discuss whether the packhas helped effect change and what, if any, is thenature of that change.”

Over the three years of receiving evaluations theresults have been extremely consistent. Around10% of evaluations have been returned with verypositive feedback.

Evaluating the evaluations

Had Enough?


15

Early intervention

Had Enough?Enough?The “Had Enough?” resource

The “Had Enough?” resource was developed toprovide an intervention for people who have had noprevious contact with alcohol and drug services orare unaware of what is available.

• The programme is a series of televisionadvertisements depicting situations that aredesigned to trigger a response in thoseexperiencing difficulties around their drinking.

• Viewers that identify with these advertisementsare encouraged to ring the Alcohol and DrugHelpline to access the resource pack.

• The resource pack includes a video documentary,an action workbook, an evaluation form (givingusers the opportunity to share some of theirexperience with another person), and a letterencouraging them to access a local alcoholand drug service.

The video documentaryThe interview style video documentary morefollows the lives of four different people and theirreal-life relationship with alcohol and change.Three of them have stopped drinking, one on theirown, one by going to residential treatment and onethrough AA. The stories act as triggers for viewers’own thinking and behaviour.

Comments about the video:“Useful to have other peoples’ experience. Makesme think about my own issues.” John

“I saw so many things I could relate to concerningmyself.” Bruce

“I have run through the tape every time I have felttempted to have a drink. I really relate to Jim’sstory.” John

Workbook for Action:Accompanying the video is an action workbook sothat viewers can more fully engage with theresource and work through their own story.

Comments about the workbook: “I found out a lot more about myself and my

upbringing.” Robyn

“I think I need to take the bull by the horns anddo it for myself.” Bruce

“It has taught me a lot about my drinking.Thanks.” Jemma

“Your information helped make my decision tochange easier.” Unnamed

“I’m glad that I have made the right start insorting my drinking problems out and I find theinformation I’ve received was awesome guys.”Unnamed


16

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) isthe term given to the range of effects thatresult from pre-natal alcohol exposure.

Thousands of babies are exposed pre-natallyto alcohol each year. Some develop life-longdisabilities.

Effects can range from the typical physicalsigns of children who suffer from fetalalcohol syndrome. Their face can appearflattened and their eyes wide apart. They maysuffer deformities to the limbs, heart andkidney defects, hearing and sight impairment,and moderate to severe mental retardation.

Others may suffer lesser effects. Thesechildren often have trouble learning,controlling impulses, thinking abstractly,getting along with people, paying attention,remembering things and making goodjudgements – problems that follow them intoadulthood. Often they are unable to live ontheir own and have difficulty holding a job.

Dr Kwadwo Ohene Asante (Medical Directorand paediatrician), Dr Julianne Conry(psychologist) and Audrey Salahub (CentreCoordinator, Family Advocate and adoptiveparent) from the Asante Centre, Canada,visited New Zealand at the invitation of theAlcohol Advisory Council.

The Asante Centre is an internationallyrecognised centre offering diagnostic,assessment and family support services,based on a multidisciplinary team approach,for children, youth and adults affected byFASD. It started as a community centre butdemand was such that it became a regionalcentre funded by the state.

Dr Asante has been working in FASD areasince the early 1970s, his interest sparkedafter working with children in the Yukondisplaying what is now known to be thetypical facial features of FAS.

ALAC funded the Asante team to visit NewZealand to provide training, to help in thedevelopment of a strategic plan to tackleFASD and to increase awareness of the risksof alcohol use during pregnancy.

The Fetal Alcohol Support Trust and AlcoholHealthwatch worked in collaboration withALAC to organise the workshops and supportthe visit of the Asante team.

They held a range of seminars and workshopsfor families and service providers on FetalAlcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and alsomet with officials from the Ministry of Health.

In his workshops, Dr Asante stressed theimportance of diagnosis.

“FASD is a medical diagnosis made by aphysician with specialised training.

“The diagnosis is best made by a multidisciplineteam including a paediatrician, registeredpsychologist, speech and languagepathologist and others as needed.

“Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome(FAS) can be within the normal I.Q. range(100-110), and yet suffer memory andattention impairment.”

Dr Asante acknowledged there are manyfactors that make diagnosis difficult such asa lack of historical pre-natal information;other medical factors; environmental factorssuch as chaotic home environment, parentswho lack parenting skills, addiction etc); andchanging physical features (especially facialfeatures). Although there can be greatdifficulty in determining a diagnosis, thebenefits are considerable, Dr Asante said.

“The earlier the diagnosis and interventionsare put into place, the greater the likelihoodfor the reduction of associated symptoms(school disruptions, mental health problems, etc).

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DiA best practice model for the treatment of children and adults suffering from

emotional, mental or behavioural problems as a result of exposure to alcohol in

the womb was outlined in a series of workshops throughout the country in April.


Early intervention

17

m Disorder“An explanation of the individual’sbehaviour can reduce frustration forcaregivers and for the affectedindividual. When parents/caregiversunderstand that it is not “bad parenting”that is causing the problems, they mayexperience personal healing andunderstand that they are not to blame.

It can also lead to the establishment ofmore realistic expectations about whatthe individual is likely to achieve.Management strategies can be put inplace to support the individual’slearning and life skill development.And diagnosis can act as a tool forlegal professionals to use in court andcustody issues.

Early diagnosis of FASD is a strongpreventative measure for all secondarydisabilities (e.g. mental healthproblems, disrupted school experience,trouble with the law, confinement,inappropriate sexual behaviour, alcoholand drug problems, and problems withemployment and dependent living, etc).

Assessments also benefit families ofthe individual with FAS. A mother’sresponse to an Asante Centre evaluationform illustrates those benefits:

Question: How did you feel about theassessment / diagnostic process?

Response: “I feel this assessment wasthe best thing we ever did for ourchild, and for us too. We learned a lotabout her and ways to handle differentsituations that come up daily. It wasneeded years ago.”

Shortly after the assessment wascompleted, the parent added: “This assessment has made a greatdifference at the school level. The teachers now listen to us.”

There is also significant benefit todiagnosis in the legal realm, Dr Asante said.

One of the foremost concerns of theAsante Centre is that youth andadults with FASD have a remarkable

propensity to get into trouble with the law.

Thus, a comprehensive assessmentreport can help lawyers and judges torecognise the significant disabilitiesassociated with FASD. With thisunderstanding, informed judges andlegal professionals can begin toappreciate that prison does not act asa successful deterrent for people withFASD (persons with cognitivedisabilities). In addition, appropriateand coordinated care plans aresuccessful and may be the only toolthat may help individuals with FASD tobreak the cycle of criminal behaviour.

Dr Conry has been active in researchand the clinical assessment ofchildren, youth and adults withFAS/FAE for the past 20 years and hasappeared as expert witness on FAS inthe Provincial and Supreme Courts ofBritish Columbia and the Yukon.

Dr Conry said international figuressuggest one to three babies in every1000 have FAS and five to 10 timesthat number are affected to someextent but may not have obvioussymptoms.

The true extent in New Zealand isunknown but the Ministry of Healthestimates 2-3 per thousand live birthsfor FAS and 4-5 per thousand livebirths for partial-FAS.

This can be compared to Cystic Fibrosisat one per 3000 live births, DownSyndrome at one per thousand andCerebral Palsy at 1-2.6 per thousand.

Shirley Winikerei from the Fetal AlcoholSupport Trust says the modelpresented by the Asante team wasexcellent.

“This is just what we need here in NewZealand,” she says. “A paediatricianalone cannot pick up the full range ofproblems that can exist in a childaffected by alcohol.

“We need the multidisciplinary approach.”

• One of the most severe effects ofdrinking during pregnancy is FetalAlcohol Syndrome, which results inphysical deformities and brain damage.FAS represents the severe end of thespectrum.

• Damage to the foetus can occur at anytime during pregnancy and the severityof the effects does not necessarilycorrespond to the level of alcohol intake.

• In spite of increasing knowledge aboutthe effects of drinking during pregnancy,babies continue to be exposed to highamounts of alcohol.

• In 1999 a New Zealand study found that81 percent of pregnant women drankalcohol and 29 percent continued afterconfirmation of the pregnancy.

• Birth defects associated with prenatalalcohol exposure can occur in the firstfew weeks of pregnancy before a womanknows she is pregnant.

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and FetalAlcohol Effects (FAE) can occur fromjust one heavy drinking occasion.

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and FetalAlcohol Effects are 100 percentpreventable.

• There are no known safe levels of alcoholconsumption during pregnancy. The bestadvice is that women should avoiddrinking if they are pregnant, planning tobecome pregnant or at risk of becomingpregnant.


18

NewsALAC contracted Barry Macdonald fromChristchurch to write the guidelines based on theincreasing use of CPOs as a viable method ofmonitoring licensed premises with regard toillegal sale of alcohol to young people.

ALAC Group Manager Population StrategiesSandra Kirby says a controlled purchase operationis a planned programme using volunteerpurchasers aged under 18 to attempt to purchasealcohol from licensed premises.

“In one evening it is often possible to monitor alarge number of premises very efficiently. Usuallya CPO involves two or more of the agenciesinvolved in monitoring the Sale of Liquor Act. Iam not aware of any CPOs run without Policeinvolvement.”

Monitoring the sale of alcohol, particularly fromoff-licence premises is a time consuming task,she says. To run observations on a large numberof premises would tie up enforcement resourcesbeyond what is practically possible.

This publication of the guidelines follows theclarification of the legality of CPOs by Parliamentin the Sale of Liquor Amendment Act passedearlier this year.

In 2002-2003 there were 35 LLA hearingsresulting from CPOs. As a result: 29 on-offlicences were suspended and 21 generalmanagers’ licences were suspended.

In addition, so far this year there have been ninelicence suspensions and five general managers’licences have been suspended.

However, says Sandra, there is evidence that themessage might not yet have got through –especially in rural areas. A CPO in the rural SouthIsland resulted in seven out of 10 premisestested having sold to young people – these wereall rural.

CPOs differ from a pseudo-patron survey, whichuses volunteers aged over 18, but who often lookyounger, who attempt to purchase alcohol withoutshowing their ID. CPOs use a volunteer aged, andlooking, under 18. Because a purchase bysomeone under 18 is a breach of the Sale ofLiquor Act the monitoring agencies can decidewhether to use the CPO results as an educativetool or take action against sellers, managersand/or licensees.

Many agencies have used their first CPO as aneducative tool and let all licensees know theresults. Some agencies have gone a little furtherand brought sellers, managers and licenseesbefore a panel to issue a warning.

Some believe that there is no need for warnings.If a volunteer is able to purchase then the lawhas been broken and enforcement is the logicalconsequence.

Where second and subsequent CPOs have beenrun then enforcement proceedings for breaches isthe next logical step.Some communities have runpseudo-patron surveys. Pseudo-patron surveysprovide an indication of whether licensedpremises are routinely asking for ID before servingyoung looking people. They have potential foreducation and publicity purposes, but nobreaches of the Act can be detected.

Controlled Purchase Operation Guidelines will be published and

distributed in July as an ALAC Occasional Publication.

CPO Guidelines


19

Ross is a general practitioner and an alcohol anddrug clinician. He is the New Zealandrepresentative to the Chapter of AddictionMedicine Committee, Royal Australasian Collegeof Physicians. He has 25 years’ experienceworking with alcohol and drug impaired clients,working with organisations such as OdysseyHouse, Higher Ground and various governmentregulatory authorities.

Ross has a strong research output havingpublished widely about screening and earlyintervention for problem use of alcohol withingeneral practice, management of the opioiddependent client and educational initiativesdesigned to improve primary care.

These research themes have been combined invarious educational projects led through theGoodfellow Unit. These include the Tobacco,Alcohol and other Drugs project educating generalpractitioners, nurses, M≠ori health workers,Pacific health workers and peer educators inschools about screening and early intervention forproblem use of alcohol and drugs and about otherlifestyle issues, and the opioid training programmeeducating pharmacists, practice nurses andgeneral practitioners about management of opioiddependency within primary healthcare.

Ross began his career as a research scientist inchemistry and, after attending medical school asa “mature” student became a general practitionerin Parnell. He was awarded the MSD Fellowshipin Family Medicine in 1988 by the Royal NewZealand College of General Practitioners toresearch and teach marketing to generalpractitioners. He was appointed Medical AdvisorPrimary Care to the Auckland Area Health Boardin 1990, was appointed Manager of Primary Carefor the Northern Regional Health Authority in

1993, and was appointed the GoodfellowProfessor of Postgraduate General Practice in1999.

On his forthcoming sabbatical Ross will be basedat the National Addictions Centre, Kings College,University of London, with an appointment asHonorary Visiting Professor. He will be leadinvestigator in a developing research projectdesigned to establish new methods of improvingcare of the risky and problematic alcohol user bygeneral practices both in England and NewZealand, linking leading alcohol and drug researchgroups in the United Kingdom.

Ross is married to Jean who is a lawyer and whowill accompany him to London. He has two adultchildren and three cats. He enjoys reading, trampingand lawn bowls, this last much to his wife’s disgust.

Professor McCormick said being awarded the GaryHarrison Memorial Fellowship is a tribute to thehard work of those in his teams that havecontributed to alcohol and drug research in NewZealand in the last 10 years, and also to thosewho have contributed to educating primaryhealthcare workers about alcohol and drug issues.He thanks ALAC for the award and for theirongoing support in various projects, and is lookingforward to bringing back new thoughts to sharewith the alcohol and drug field on his return fromsabbatical.

Gary Harrison was well known in the alcohol anddrug field in New Zealand. He worked as ALAC’sTreatment Advisor and Deputy Chief Executiveduring the period 1985 to 1990. Prior to workingwith ALAC, Gary was director of PresbyterianSupport Services’ Alcohol and Drug DependenceProgramme in Auckland. He died of cancer in1990. The ALAC Council instituted thescholarship in his memory.

This year’s recipient of the Gary Harrison Memorial Scholarship is

Professor Ross McCormick, Director of the Goodfellow Unit, School of

Population Health, University of Auckland. This unit runs various research

into practice programmes designed to encourage best practice by

community primary care providers such as general practitioners.

Gary Harrison Memorial Scholarship

Professor Ross McCormick

News


20

NewYoung people and alcohol: some statistics to 2002 onpossible effects of lowering the drinking age / Barb Lash.Wellington: Ministry of Justice, 2004.

See www.justice.govt.nz/pubs/reports/2002/young-people-alcohol-drinking-age/chapter-1.html for further details.

Standard drink calibration: an in-depth investigationof volumes of alcohol consumed by Youth UncontrolledBinge Drinkers and Adult Constrained & Uninhibited BingeDrinkers/Wellington: ALAC, 2004.

Many New Zealand drinkers are actually consuming muchmore than they realise. The primary objective of this researchwas to test the hypothesis that reported consumption in termsof “drinks” understates consumption if expressed in termsof standard drinks, and to provide in-depth informationabout exactly how much alcohol people are consuming.

For the Executive Summary see PDF linkwww.alac.org.nz/resources/publications/calibration_exec.pdf

N

NEWS – ALAC resources

The YATA initiative is a project that works with broad-basedcommunity teams. It is aimed at reducing the alcohol-related harm experienced by young people throughencouraging adults in the community to reduce the illegalor irresponsible supply of alcohol to young people.

The two-day workshop sponsored by ALAC was held on 10 and 11 May at the Rydges Hotel and was the first timeall the communities have been brought together in oneworkshop since the project started in November 2002.

National organisations represented included the AlcoholAdvisory Council, the Ministry of Justice’s Crime PreventionUnit, ACC and the Ministry of Youth Development.

ALAC’s Community Action Coordinator, Samantha Clark,says it was great to get all the communities together toexchange ideas and showcase successful programmes thathave been run in different areas of the country.

The workshop included a panel discussion on the “ThinkBefore you Supply Alcohol to the under 18s” campaign,which has been successfully run in many communities.

Communities presented on campaigns in their own areas.ALAC gave an update on available resources to support thecommunities in their work.

CPU, ACC and the Ministry of Youth Development outlinedsome of their programmes that could link with YATA.

Yata workshop

The Way We Drink: The current attitudes & behavioursof New Zealanders (aged 12 plus) towards drinking alcohol/Wellington: ALAC, 2004.

This report presents the results of a survey of New Zealanders,12 years of age and more. It was specifically undertaken inorder to identify and segment the current attitudes(motivators and inhibitors) and behaviours of NewZealanders towards the consumption of alcohol.

For the Executive Summary see PDF linkwww.alac.org.nz/resources/publications/ALAC_The_Way_we_drink_Exec_Sum.pdf

“Not on the job, mate!” Alcohol and other drugsworkplace programme kit/Wellington: New ZealandEngineering, Printing & Manufacturing Union (EPMU),2004. This kit has been adapted from the Australianprogramme with support from ALAC and ACC. Each kitcontains a video, a cdrom, workbook, posters, leafletsstickers etc.

The video tells the story of a company that identifies apotential alcohol problem, then looks for and implements aneffective and fair solution.

Some 60 participants representing 22 communities nationwide gathered in

Christchurch last month for a Youth Access to Alcohol (YATA) workshop.

ALAC Resources


Two electronic mailing lists have been set up toenable individuals to communicate via email with other alcohol and drug professionals in NewZealand.

You can either subscribe to a general mailing list orregister to connect to a network of M≠ori alcoholand drug workers.

Electronic mailing lists for the alcohol and drug field

REGIONAL OFFICES

AUCKLAND 09 916 0330 [email protected] 03 365 8540 [email protected] 04 917 0060 [email protected] FREE 0508 258 258

SUBSCRIBE NOWSUBSCRIBE NOW

Contact other alcohol and drug professionals:

1. If you have access to the web, subscribe by going to http://lists.iconz.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/aandd

You will find a form to fill out. You will need to choose apassword.

2. If you don’t have access to the web, send an emailmessage to [email protected] leaving thesubject line blank.

In the body of the message type: Subscribe ***** (where ***** is an alphanumericpassword of your choice between 4 and 8 characters).

If you have any problems with the above, or for furtherinformation, please contact Kristine Keir.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 04 917 0703

Join a network of Maori alcohol and drug workers:

1. If you have access to the web, subscribe by going tohttp://lists.iconz.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/te_kupenga_hauora

You will find a form to fill out. You will need to choose apassword.

2. If you don’t have access to the web, send an emailmessage to [email protected]

Phone: 04 917 0708


How many standard drinksare there in whatI’m drinking?

For more information contact:Alcohol Advisory Council of New ZealandFree phone: 0508 258 258website: www.alac.org.nz & www.waipiro.org.nz

Because drinks have differentamounts of alcohol in them,the number of standard drinksin each bottle, can or caskwill be different.

Look on the label to see

how many standard

drinks there are in what

you are drinking.


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