Coroner urges warnings on alcohol

A HAMILTON coroner is calling for alcohol to carry warning labels after ruling on four deaths this year from people who had been drinking to excess.

Peter Ryan made the call in an inquest into the death of an Auckland factory worker.

The woman had been drinking heavily at a family party, and was brought home unconscious. Her daughter looked after her during the night but her nephew found her dead the next morning.

Ryan said he was concerned by the number of similar cases he had come across recently; this year there had been more than in any previous year. He said it was part of a coroner's job to educate the public to prevent unnecessary deaths.

"There is an inherent danger in people's lack of knowledge about the dangers [of over-drinking]," he said.

The call for some form of warning label has been supported by the Ministry of Health and Alcohol Advisory Council (Alac) but dismissed by the liquor industry.

Alac spokesperson Jo Fitzgerald said there was "currently a lack of evidence to suggest that warning labels are effective".

There were also problems "with putting such warnings on alcohol products when there are health benefits for some people".

However Alac did believe it was possible to use warning labels for targeted markets, such as the dangers of drinking while pregnant.

The Distilled Spirits Association said studies showed "at-risk" groups were unlikely to heed warnings, and it believed there were better ways of educating people about alcohol that specifically targeted at-risk groups.

Chief executive Thomas Chin said warning labels would impose substantial costs on alcohol producers and importers which would be dumped on consumers.

But Ryan said there were parallels with the cigarette industry, which had to comply with regulations and have warning labels on packets.

"[Warning labels] should be made to draw people's attention to the dangers of drinking to excess."

Ryan had no statistics to back up his claim that people were unaware excessive drinking could be fatal, but he believed there must be a benefit in warning the public.

Alac said targeted labelling would be the best way to educate the public on the dangers of alcohol.

"FSANZ [Food Safety Australia New Zealand] is currently looking into [warning labels for pregnant women] as well and reports are due next year some time."

Ministry of Health spokeswoman Barbara Phillips said the ministry "supports specific pregnancy health advisory labels and supports the process being undertaken by Food Standards Australia New Zealand to consider the proposal for general health advisory labels on alcohol beverage containers".

It would be appropriate for this review to consider the coroner's recommendation, she said.

But warning labels did not necessarily change drinking behaviour. 

- © Fairfax NZ News