Why are we drinking so much?

The study by doctor Laura Joyce illustrates a doubling of emergency department presentations with excess alcohol, from 5 per cent to 11 per cent, from 2013 to 2022 at Christchurch EDs (NZ Herald, Apr 12). What could be the reason?

The older age groups have increased, the youngest decreased. Is this generational shift due to education? Alcohol was removed from the science curriculum, but a drink-drive limit of zero was introduced for under-20s in 2016.

Is the availability of alcohol to youth gradually becoming pricelimited by rapid increases in rental accommodation costs, but older age groups are more likely to own their home?

The recent cost of security to protect emergency department workers from abuse may end soon, Heath Minister Shane Reti has hinted. This study will inform him, hopefully, that it is an increasing problem.

Reducing the drink-drive limit for over-20s and increasing penalties will be cost-effective, but is it anathema to Act and NZ First lobby groups? Alcohol industry advertising occurs throughout the media. Could that be part of the problem?

Is it a case of people with time and money and increasing mental health stresses turning to alcohol? Should the problem need further study to protect ED staff, police and ambulance officers?

Priorities need reassessment before all three groups increasingly waste their time and taxpayer money on drunks. Pruning waste is currently the coalition mantra so it’s hard to defend doing nothing.

Would raising the alcohol excise tax help? It did with tobacco. But coalition lobby groups might object?

Who runs this Government? We’ll obviously find out.