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Working towards liquor law reform.
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| Subject: |
Nurses
(Political activity) Liquor laws (Interpretation and construction) Medical societies (Political activity) |
| Pub Date: | 05/01/2010 |
| Publication: | Name: Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand Publisher: New Zealand Nurses' Organisation Audience: Trade Format: Magazine/Journal Subject: Health; Health care industry Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 New Zealand Nurses' Organisation ISSN: 1173-2032 |
| Issue: | Date: May, 2010 Source Volume: 16 Source Issue: 4 |
| Topic: | Event Code: 290 Public affairs |
| Product: | Product Code: 8043100 Nurses; 8622000 Medical Associations NAICS Code: 621399 Offices of All Other Miscellaneous Health Practitioners; 81392 Professional Organizations SIC Code: 8621 Professional organizations |
| Organization: | Organization: New Zealand Nurses Organisation |
| Geographic: | Geographic Scope: New Zealand Geographic Code: 8NEWZ New Zealand |
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| Accession Number: | 227796735 |
| Full Text: |
NZNO supports the Law Commission's report into the alcohol
industry and its recommendations for reducing the harm caused by
alcohol. The report was released late last month following the
commission's review of New Zealand's liquor laws. This is
considered the first significant opportunity in 20 years for communities
to have their say on alcohol law reform. "Raising alcohol prices, restricting the hours that alcohol can be sold, reducing marketing and advertising, and raising the drinking age are all tools to reduce alcohol harm," said Canterbury public health nursing service charge nurse manager, Alison Clarke. "Nurses deal directly with the effects of alcohol abuse. Midwives care for pregnant women who drink; nurses working in schools see the effects of foetal alcohol syndrome; mental health and prison nurses cope with alcohol-induced violence; and public health nurses providing clinics at secondary schools deal with unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. "Emergency nurses are forced to re-prioritise sick people when victims of drunk driving, or alcohol poisoning are admitted; and district and primary health care nurses see the negative effects of alcohol on families and communities. "As a public health nurse, I have worked with many young people who are affected negatively by alcohol. Young people need to discuss openly the consequences of alcohol abuse and to make informed choices when dealing with alcohol consumption and associated peer pressure. "Raising the drinking age and limiting the transparent alcohol marketing that targets youth will be a good first step in changing the culture of alcohol abuse in this country," Clarke said. NZNO hopes the government will take the Law Commission's report seriously and work toward positive liquor law reform. Alcohol Healthwatch and the New Zealand Drug Foundation are encouraging as many people as possible to lobby the government on the issue. Postcards to send to MPs promoting reform and the "5+ Solution" are available through NZNO offices or by contacting contact@alcoholaction.co.nz. |
| Gale Copyright: | Copyright 2010 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. |