title: The benefits and harms of alcohol use in New Zealand: what politicians might consider.
abstract: The New Zealand Government is currently considering ways to reduce alcohol-related harm, following on from a detailed report by the Law Commission. To inform discussions we briefly summarise the benefits and harms of alcohol use in this country. The most substantive benefits to society are probably pleasure to users and economic benefits (largely to industry). The most substantive harms are probably those to mental and physical health, harm to society (e.g. from crime) and adverse net economic impacts. Overall the picture is suggestive that New Zealand society would be likely to achieve a large net benefit from reducing heavy and binge drinking, and shifting alcohol consumption towards a pattern of smaller amounts. The substantial harm to non-users is a key argument for democratic governments to use regulations and taxes to minimise harm from alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Otago Wellington, PO Box 7343 Wellington South, New Zealand. nick.wilson@otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Imlach Gunasekara
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000374:Aggression; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000191:economics; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011050:Policy Making; D011247:Pregnancy; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012926:Social Control, Formal; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013660:Taxes; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology