WELLINGTON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The latest report estimates the total cost of harms from alcohol is about 9deadpoolpinball.1 billion NZ dollars (5.6 billion U.S. dollars) in New Zealand.
"The harms from alcohol are felt by more than the drinker," non-governmental organization Alcohol Healthwatch Executive Director Andrew Galloway said on Wednesday.
The report, conducted by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research Inc and commissioned by the Ministry of Health, said alcohol harms include intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, societal cost of road crashes where alcohol was a factor, lost productivity associated with alcohol use, including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), crimes and workplace absenteeism.
The report, released on Tuesday, recommended changes to the alcohol levy, collaboration across the system to improve the evidence base and action on FASD.
Alcohol Healthwatch said imposing more restrictions on alcohol availability and increasing the price would be positive evidence-based measures for the government to consider.■