Problems

The report helps in the entire analysis of the usage of the alcohol which is being used by the different individuals who are staying in New Zealand. It has been seen that there is majority of the individuals in New Zealand uses and consume alcohol because of the various facts that the alcohol is being used for different recreational activities such as relieving pains along with recreational activities. However, on the other hand, this can be seen that alcohol is being used by the different individuals and this leads to different negative effects on the health of the individuals in a negative manner.

There have been different kind of instances in the New Zealand which have been published in different newspaper article such as productivity issues and other traffic accidents as well (The Ministry of Health, 2015, p. 1, p. 9). Furthermore, according to Ministry of Health and ACC (2009, p. 61), this has been analysed that there is more than $4,939 million of the cost which is economic and this is due to the result of intoxication along with dangerous consumption of alcohol between the years 2005 and 2006 within NZ country which are being estimated in nature. Lastly, the report helps in estimating and describing the different risks and issues related to alcohol in New Zealand along with providing different recommendations and solutions as well (Ministry for Transport 2016, p. 4).

Problem 1- The different accidents on road due to drunken driving

This is one of the major problems in which this is caused due to alcohol consumption and due to the drunken driving, there are more than 1262 accidents caused. Ministry of Health has tried in recording more than 90 deaths due to crash from motor vehicles (Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand, Accident Compensation Corporation & New Zealand Drug Foundation and The Department of Labour, 2008, p. 1). Furthermore, the total social cost of the different accidents has been around $790 million and as per Ministry of Transport, the concentration of blood alcohol has increased car accident risks to a huge extent (Easton, Burd, Rehm, & Popova, 2016, p. 75-76, p. 78).

Problem 2- Loss of Productivity due to Consumption of Alcohol

This is the second major issue related to consumption of alcohol and this is linked with working in New Zealand. This has been noticed that more than 48% full time working employees who are binge kind of drinkers contribute to the workplace in negative manner Public Health England, 2016, p. 79). Furthermore, in year 2013, more than 0.03% of the workforce in New Zealand suffered decline in productivity as there was syndrome of alcohol. The total loss in the income were about $49 – 200 million (Assum, 2010, p. 1523, p. 1529).

In order to settle the situation effectively, there are potential solutions which have been taken into consideration such as MoH and MoJ have been taken into proper consideration. The resolutions are as follows:

Increase in the regulation of taxes and prices is the first element in which the ministry of NZ needs to increase and impose the same as this will restrict the affordability of the individuals on NZ (Middleton et al., 2010, p. 575-576). The duties on alcohol should be increased to about 2% inflation each and every year. This solution has been applied in Great Britain in successful manner as well and this has helped in dropping the consumption of alcohol as well (Babor & Caetano, 2005, p. 330).

Resolutions

Proper revision of the laws relating to BAC levels is required as to control number of the accidents due to intoxication of alcohol (The Public Health England, 2016, p. 86). The level of the BAC legally should be reduced from 0.05g/100ml to 0.02g/100ml. For instance- Norway is one such example wherein this has been revised and this has reduced the nonsense to a huge extent. Introducing new level of consumption of alcohol helps in changing behavior of the individuals (Alcohol Healthwatch, 2009, p. 1).

There should be reduction in the days and hours of the sale of the alcohol in market such as restriction in the sales of alcohol and this will lead to decline in excessive kind of consumption of alcohol as well. This method is being applied in US and there is no sale of alcohol on Sundays as well. the hours of selling alcohol should be reduced as well (Kaestle, Droste, Peacock, Bruno, & Miller, 2018).

Based on different problems and solutions, this can be analysed that there are three possible resolutions which have been suggested such as increase in taxes on liquor along with prices will help in contribution towards the manufacturing and smuggling of liquor in market.

The identification of such resolutions will help in decreasing the overall consumption of alcohol to 10%. Furthermore, this respective method will help in contributing towards the positive impacts on employment and performance of labour as well (Babor & Caetano, 2005, p. 331; Fell, &Voas, 2014, P. 782-783).

There are more than 17000 employees can be helped in reducing performance related problems due to consumption of alcohol. Furthermore, this has been seen and analysed that the liquor taxes are moderate in nature in NZ in comparison to the other countries (The Ministry for Transport, 2016, p. 14).

For the solution suggested in the second one, lowering the BAC level legally consists of some kind of biasness and this depends on different gender and age. However, the 0.05 level of BAC has increased risk of crash of vehicles. The reduction of the same can be effective in nature and this can be changed with the situation as well for gaining better results in the future as well and this is appropriate for NZ (Hahn et al., 2010, p. 602; Public Health England, 2016, p. 118).

Lastly, the third solution is relating to the new regulations on affordability of alcohol. There is a huge weakness of the respective solution as due to ban, the individuals who are smugglers can sell the alcohol across different countries and this can be dangerous in nature as well. However, this is equally essential and important in nature wherein the policy will lead to increase in the enforcement cost in NZ (Public Health England, 2016, p. 118).

Conclusion

Therefore, this can be concluded that from the respective outcomes, such as introducing limited hours of selling alcohol along with restriction on days must be rejected as appropriate solution. This report helps in offering the increase in rate of the tax and regulation of the prices along with recommending a decrease in the level of BAC will be one major solution that can be adopted by NZ ministry which will reduce the consumption of the alcohol effectively.

Discussion

Therefore, this can be recommended that in order to solve the issues in an effective manner, both MoJ and MoH have to undertake few solutions which will improve stated problems.

Increase in the regulation of prices and taxes is one recommendations in which both MoH and MoJ must have regulation of price on progressive taxes on liquor prices as well.  Proper 10% escalation in prices of liquor will reduce consumption of alcohol among the different individuals in NZ. Furthermore, both MoH and MoJ needs to keep focus on setting regulation of illicit manufacturing of liquor along with working with liquor industries to ensure suitable kind of prices (World Health Organization, 2004, p. 57). Therefore, there is a strong and huge correlation between the implementation of the respective policy along with decrease in the different injuries related to alcohol.

Changes in law relating to level of BAC is the other recommendation wherein MoH and MoJ have to lower level of BAC from 0.05g/100ml to 0.02g/100ml and both MoJ and MoH must work with authorities of NZ to reveal different cases of drunken driving. Furthermore, there should be penalty for offenders and this will change the attitude of the individuals towards driving in a proper manner as well (Assum, 2010, p. 1523). The authorities of NZ do not implement heavy kind of penalties on the different offenders in comparison to the other countries. This can be difficult for the NZ authorities to analyze their crimes and this can be issue in order to solve the issue in an effective manner as well (Babor & Caetano, 2005, p. 330).

References

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Middleton, J. C., Hahn, R. A., Kuzara, J. L., Elder, R., Brewer, R., Chattopadhyay, S., … & Task Force on Community Preventive Services. (2010). Effectiveness of policies maintaining or restricting days of alcohol sales on excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. American journal of preventive medicine, 39(6), 575-589.

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https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/alcohol-use-2012-13-new-zealand-health-survey-feb15-v2.docx

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