Zac saga contains a salutary message

Memo to Zac Guildford: we owe you a debt of thanks.

Few others can so aptly have raised the public awareness of the dangers of over-indulging in alcohol as the young All Black speedster.

In one incident-laden weekend he has reinforced that alcohol is indeed a dangerous substance. Guildford's is but another in a long line of cautionary tales in respect of booze.

Drinking to the point where your moral compass goes awry and your behaviour loses any aspect of civility is not a new phenomenon. Nor is Guildford the only sportsperson whose indiscretions have become public.

At least, when pushed, Guildford has the decency to front up. Recall the embarrassing press conference after the Bledisloe bash?

Of this latest incident, he has at least the good grace to issue a public apology. Sympathy is not something he wants, he says - and it is just as well, as there will be little offered. He may well a fine man when not under the influence, but that can and has been said of many a defendant before the courts and doesn't excuse the behaviour that got him into trouble.

Many millions have been spent on advertising the dangers of alcohol, and its addictive qualities are well known. Alcoholism is a disease that, once you are in its grip, takes a monumental effort to break free. Just ask Professor Doug Sellman. As head of the national Alcohol and Addiction Centre, he has been a vocal proponent for the campaign for law reform.

Coincidentally, Prof Sellman is to speak in Wanganui this week, and his views from the front line are well worth hearing, especially as access to alcohol is such a hot topic in this city. The district council has voted to delay hearing any new applications until it has formed a policy, a move which is tied to the anticipated passing of the Alcohol Reform Bill in April.

That bill in itself, while allowing a raft of measures to limit access to alcohol, has been criticised for not going far enough.

This latest case is not Guildford's first alcohol-fuelled incident. He has access to support and guidance by virtue of being an elite athlete.

But, as Guildford's case proves, knowledge is one thing, being able to act on it is another. We can only hope he can lay his demons to rest, if anything to prove to others that the battle is winnable and the war worth waging.

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