Cop wants absinthe banned NZ wide

Invercargill's raid squad boss wants absinthe banned nationwide, applauding Southland's two licensing trusts for pulling the potent spirit off the shelf.

Sergeant John Harris said yesterday absinthe had the highest alcohol by volume content for a spirit sold in this country. He would like to see it banned everywhere.

New Zealand already had enough of an alcohol problem without having something as strong as absinthe for sale to anyone over the age of 18 years, he said.

Mr Harris commended the Invercargill and Mataura licensing trusts for banning sales in their patch after a Gore teenager nearly died from drinking absinthe shots.

The publicity has resulted in absinthe being removed from the shelf at independent outlet Wetlands Liquor of Otatara.

Owner-manager Rebecca Munro said she decided to keep it behind the counter in the interests of the public. Staff would monitor who it was sold to.

Absinthe ranges in strength from 69 to 89.9 percent alcohol content. A few shots of the latter almost killed teenager Marc Hansen four weeks ago.

The 17-year-old stopped breathing three times before being put on life support at Southland Hospital.

The Alcohol Advisory Council said incidents such as Marc's were a graphic reminder of the dangers of consuming high-alcohol content products.

However, acting chief executive Tuari Potiki said binge drinking was not a single product issue.

Alcohol was a drug with toxic side effects if consumed in excess.

Marc's mother Monica Hansen said the family had been overwhelmed by the calls of congratulations and support from throughout the country since the teenager's story appeared in The Southland Times.

Marc has always taken full responsibility for his actions and was not proud of what he did.

But he was pleased with the outcome in raising awareness of drinking too much, Mrs Hansen said.

- © Fairfax NZ News