Science Media Centre

Two academics have slammed an industry-funded report claiming alcohol has little impact on night-time violence in Australia and New Zealand. Researchers Nicki Jackson from the University of Auckland and Professor Kypros Kypri from the University of Otago and the University of Newcastle in Australia, published their critique of a report funded by the alcohol industry this week in […]

A new study has stirred up discussion on imposing a minimum price per standard drink to curb heavy and dangerous drinking. The authors of a survey of dependent drinkers at an Auckland clinic conclude that “it seems likely that a minimum pricing regime would result in an overall reduction in alcohol consumption” in this group. […]

A minimum price on alcohol is unlikely to drive drinkers to criminal or dangerous behaviour, say the authors of a new study. Previous studies have suggested that imposing a minimum price per standard drink of alcohol could reduce harmful alcohol consumption. Last year a Ministry of Justice report explored the possibility of a minimum price […]

From today, the drink-drive limit has been lowered to 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath or 50 milligrams per 100ml of blood. The law change aims to reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes – which have killed or injured about 6400 New Zealanders over the past 10 years. Michael Forbes at The Dominion Post looked at the science behind how […]

New results from an international alcohol research collaboration show that heavy-drinking New Zealanders tend to buy cheaper, off-premise alcohol, and purchase it at later times. The survey of the purchasing behaviour of New Zealanders at on- and off-premise outlets covered 1,900 drinkers aged 18 years and older. The results showed that heavier drinkers were more […]

Leading medical journal The Lancet has published a special series of articles focusing on adolescent health, including an international comparison of health and mortality data which highlights New Zealand’s poor ranking in youth suicide and death statistics. The 45th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population Development, which has an adolescent health theme takes […]

New research published today in the New Zealand Medical Journal has highlighted the link between unhealthy behaviours like drinking and smoking. NZ Newswire’s David Williams covered the story. An excerpt (read in full here): Hit booze in smoking battle: experts The government should consider alcohol law changes as part of the battle against smoking after […]

New research suggests that one -and only one- drink of alcohol a day could be good for the health of middle-aged women. However, the implied benefits of alcohol are drawing criticism from some experts.   US researchers have studied over 121,000 nurses enrolled in the US Nurses’ Health Study which started in 1976. They compared […]

Several articles in the current issue of New Zealand Medical Journal have made headlines as they bring into focus Kiwi drinking habits and their wider impact. Today’s issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal contains three studies and two editorials examining how we drink, the damage it causes to others in society and calls for […]

Dan Satherley reports for 3 News on recent research showing that heavy drinkers are less likely to die than teetotallers. While the reasons for this are unclear, scientists posit that it could be that drinkers are more relaxed and social than their non-drinking counterparts. An excerpt: (read in full here) “Former heavy drinkers were excluded […]