Wine service ? ...or drug deal

bonobo 2016-12-07 03:27:56 UTC #1

I just noticed the BNZ wine service

I am wondering if this is actually good for customers. Wine contains ethanol which is on the international agency for research on cancer ( IARC) group 1 list for causing cancer. Even low amounts cause cancer. To put in perspective, it is on the same list as asbestos, mustard gas, plutonium and tobacco for causing cancer in humans. Roundup is a group 2 agent- probably causes cancer in humans

But its more fun to drink alcohol than roundup eh?

My problem with the wine service is that alcohol is New Zealand's most damaging drug. 14 people die each year from metamphetamine, and 800 die each year from alcohol related issues.

Now. I drink alcohol, which medically is just as risky as metamphetamine, and I am not a prohibitionist. But i do drink in the low risk category- less than 14 standard drinks per week and less than 4 SD at one time. There are 8 SD in a bottle of wine

The wine service, is actually a drug service. It is the normalization of a drug responsible for 70000 sexual and physical assaults and 4000 serious injuries to children each year. 5 people die each week from cancer relating to alcohol.

So, the BNZ would be more service to New Zealanders by supporting Alcohol Action NZ , which promotes evidence based alcohol policy- half way between prohibition and excessive commercialization of this drug. There is a World Health Organisation solution for this damage, which would affect risky drinkers, not "responsible " drinkers- increase purchase age , decrease advertising, reduce availability, increase excise tax and increase treatment opportunities for those suffering alcohol related harm.

The wine service is probably an alcohol industry tactic- to keep the idea going that alcohol is a daily commodity not a high risk to public health.

come on kiwis- let's enjoy our alcohol, but let's look after ourselves as well. To the BNZ, please consider not selling drugs- it's not a good look for a community bank.

michaelnz 2016-12-07 05:56:19 UTC #2

What a load of bull.

Go and have a bong, dude, and meditate on the meaning of stuff.

greeneschemes 2016-12-12 10:19:24 UTC #3

This guy must be taking the ■■■■ surely?

michaelnz 2016-12-14 03:35:34 UTC #4

No pun intended, right? lol.

bonobo 2016-12-14 04:06:04 UTC #5

Wish I was. check out www.alcoholaction.co.nz Also check out the World Health Organisation International Agency for Research on cancer - alcoholic beverages - and see what it says. The problem is that alcohol has become so normalised that people just cant believe the facts. Medically alcohol is a drug that if it was new, it would be classified like morphine or amphetamine ( I can give you the references if you want). Unbelievable eh? This is because alcohol companies are good at dealing drugs and keeping the real facts away from its customers. Sorry I am a bit of a spoil sport. I do drink, and I have drunk a lot in the past. If I knew then what i did now I reckon I would have drunk less, to be honest

bonobo 2016-12-14 04:08:50 UTC #6

Great advice dude. Cannabis is much safer and has medicinal properties. meditation is also really beneficial. But this isnt about my drug habits or preferences. Its about drug harm to the end user. If you commercialize any harmful drug you will get more harm. If you ban a harmful drug you will get more harm. So you need to have a balance between prohibition and excessive commercialisation. That is what alcohol companies ( and seemingly the BNZ) doesnt want.

michaelnz 2016-12-14 04:20:27 UTC #7

Impartial activism...?

Remorse? We don't all sit on the extremes of the pendulum, dude.

To look at things another way - I am Jewish but I don't have an issue with companies giving away a Christmas ham.

greeneschemes 2016-12-14 04:50:47 UTC #8

I think you missed the point.
I was in disbelief not at the effects of alcohol but that anyone would have a issue with the promotion.

bonobo 2016-12-14 06:36:30 UTC #9

Yeah i get that. my point of view comes from WHO evidence. to reduce 15 deaths a week and the damage from 60 different medical conditions we need to do these things
1 increase excise tax on alcohol2 reduce advertising of alcohol3 reduce availability of alcohol4 increase the purchase age5 increase drink driving countermeasures
Plus increase treatment for those experiencing problems relating to alcohol
The law commision published a document supporting the World Health evidence but our government ignored most of its recommendations when it reviewed the ssle of liquor act.
So the bnz promotion is advertising alcohol and increasing availability which unfortunately creates drug harm. it also normalises alcohol because we see alcohol related images daily. Drugs are not ordinary commodities but we see wine at hairdressers, school fundraisers and all through our magazines. if you look at drug harm, profesorr David Nutt published a paper on drug harm showing that alcohol is our most harmful drug, surpassing heroin metamphetamine and cocaine.
So if the promotion supports this level of harm, then yes i do object

bonobo 2016-12-14 06:38:25 UTC #10

I think you are comparing apples to oranges. Christmas ham is not a drug causing cancer, violence or death in our communities

Anna 2016-12-14 18:10:15 UTC #11