Doctor: Restrict alcohol sales

Dr Alistair Dunn

The Drink Debate

Alcoholics do not always fit the stereotypes society has come to recognise, says a Northland addiction specialist.

Dr Alistair Dunn, said alcoholics are generally not the heavy drinkers who sit around with a bottle of wine in a paper bag.

"You can be quite a high functioning person but have a problem with alcohol," he said.

While some people could recognise they had a problem, others lacked insight and struggled to get to that place, he said.

Dr Dunn, who works for Northland District Health Board, has 20 years' experience in addiction medicine. The local alcohol policy was an opportunity to be part of the solution to alcohol harm, he said.

"The crux of it is that reducing availability will reduce consumption."

He saw the local alcohol policy as being part of the "5+ Solution".

The 5+ Solution is a set of policy directives set out by Alcohol Action New Zealand as a solution to what the organisation called the "national alcohol crisis". The five solutions are: raise alcohol prices, raise the purchase age, reduce alcohol accessibility, reduce marketing and advertising, and increase drink-driving counter-measures.

"I see this as an evidence-based proven strategy for reducing harm in our community," Dr Dunn said.

A big part of the local alcohol policy was community involvement, he added. "I think we need to listen to what the public want."

In terms of what he wanted, Dr Dunn said he would support the introduction of more restricted hours in which supermarkets can sell alcohol.

While Whangarei District Council's draft policy proposed supermarkets and general stores be allowed to sell between 7am and 10pm, Dr Dunn said it should be tightened up in line with Auckland Council, where the proposed policy made it 9am-9pm.

This story is part of a series running while bylaws around alcohol in Whangarei are up for debate.

Public submissions are open for the Whangarei District Council draft local alcohol policy until July 10.