Abstract
Alcohol causes significant harm to the health and wellbeing of the consumer, their families, and society as a whole, making it Aotearoa New Zealand’s most harmful drug. The way alcohol products are currently legislated perpetuates this, particularly for Māori who experience a disproportionate amount of harm.
New independent public polling commissioned by Health Coalition Aotearoa and the Cancer Society has found that the majority of New Zealanders support improved measures around alcohol availability, affordability, advertising, and protecting policy development from alcohol industry influence. These findings build on previous years’ research and give the government a strong mandate for action to put health, safety and equity at the centre of our alcohol legislation.