Binges bad news as more people depend on alcohol

Up to 5 per cent of people are estimated to be chronically dependent on alcohol, says Alcohol Advisory Council chief executive Dr Mike MacAvoy.

He told a conference in Palmerston North yesterday that about 10 per cent of the population might experience a level of dependency at any stage in their drinking lives.

But that did not mean they were alcoholic, nor did they necessarily need to give up drinking entirely.

"We would estimate that about 2 to 5 per cent of the population is chronically dependent at any one time. Conversely our research shows that about 1.2 million people are accepting of intoxication and 350,000 binged on their last drinking occasion.

"This is where the major harm is occurring."

A statement from the council - known as Alac - said the conference, dealing with alcohol, drug and co-existing disorders, had been told it was important to ensure treatment was available not only for those who were alcohol-dependent but also for those who were just beginning to experience problems or weren't at the dependent stage.

Dr MacAvoy had said that in the past the tendency had been to concentrate on those who were dependent.

But Alac was now involved in identifying early intervention strategies for use with people at the early stages of alcohol-related problems. Intervention early on could prevent problems worsening, it said.

The work being done included projects that could be used in the workplace, with young people, with students, police and with the medical profession, Dr MacAvoy had said.

- NZPA