-
James Webster - Source: ONE News -
Watch Video
-
Related
There is growing pressure for the government to tighten up New Zealand's alcohol laws following a report into the death of a teenager from binge drinking.
Sixteen-year-old James Webster died from acute alcohol poisoning after attending a party in Auckland's Grey Lynn in May last year.
Coroner Gordon Matenga recommended in the report that parents and schools develop alcohol awareness programmes to improve education around the issue.
However principals and health promotion experts have said this morning that it will take more than education to tackle the problem.
Speaking on TV ONE's Breakfast, Rebecca Williams from Alcohol Healthwatch said it can only be part of the solution.
"We will not educate our way out of this problem," she said.
"Education is not the strongest tool we have to deal with this issue. The most effective way of dealing with this issue is for us adults to let go of our love for alcohol.
"We need to tackle the price of alcohol, we will need to tackle the promotion, the aggressive marketing, the sponsorship of alcohol and we will need to reduce the amount of alcohol out there - the number of outlets the hours they're open, those are the things that will work," Williams said.
She urged those concerned about the problem to speak out.
"New Zealanders, if we want to do something, we need to rise up and demand the government do something about this."
Secondary Schools Principals' Association president Patrick Walsh agrees education can only do so much.
He said schools already have comprehensive programmes, and Students Against Drunk Driving.
Walsh said he is disappointed the government chose not to fully implement the Law Commission's alcohol recommendations and said those would have gone a long way to preventing the binge drinking culture in New Zealand.
The coroner's report said Webster "drank a number of shots of Jagermeister and vodka and was seen to scull the last 50 mm of vodka contained in the bottle" at the party.
The teenager was found dead in bed the following morning.
What do you think? Leave your thoughts on the messageboard below.
- with Newstalk ZB
Latest NZ News Video
-
ONE News Minute 9am update: May 26 (1:00)
-
Kids cough up $14m for Government (1:50)
-
Education ministry 'barbaric' (1:55)
Add a Comment:
Post new comment