Nigel Latta TV Series

[Damap]

Yes our culture is very sad. I was 16 when I started sneaking into the Exchange Pub and was completely hammered weekend after weekend. Fell asleep driving home many times. But it was "cool" then. Half my form was there........
We aren;t quite as bad as the Ozzies mind you :-)

[klauster]

True, people cause accidents without the influence of alcohol and under the limit of alcohol, but that is not the point.

Repeatedly convictions for drink-driving and conviction for driving while disqualified are the problems. Do you think these people care of .05 or .08 as they drive at levels several times over the limits?

And jail sentences – few months free accommodation, foot and exercising in the jail-gym, why not confiscating and selling the objects of crime, paying the victims of accidents and for costs to keep lawbreakers off the street?

[drelly]

I think focusing on the symptoms of drinking such as drink-driving and domestic abuse is all good but misses the point. Damap hit the nail on the head. Like every issue we face, we need to work on the cause. Drinking is not the cause of domestic violence, it is just the catalyst that allows it to happen more than it otherwise might. I had an Uncle who was a lifelong alcoholic. He committed suicide last year. Alcohol was how he numbed himself to deal with his life. Even if you could take alcohol away, it would only be replaced by something else. We need better ways of dealing with the issues that lead people to commit crime, drink, do drugs or whatever. Otherwise it's just an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.

[Damap]

I need a "like" button for Drellys post above

[klauster]

“We need better ways of dealing with the issues that lead people to commit crime, drink, do drugs or whatever” - Drelly - What do you expect from human nature?

Big statement - but what is the “wonder medicine”?

Even in the paradise crime did happen and subsequently expelled Adam & Ava

[drelly]

“We need better ways of dealing with the issues that lead people to commit crime, drink, do drugs or whatever” - Drelly - What do you expect from human nature?
Big statement - but what is the “wonder medicine”?

The point I was making is that there is no miracle cure.

Even in the paradise crime did happen and subsequently expelled Adam & Ava

No such thing

[artemis]

Alcoholics are addicted, basically, and it seems some are predisposed. They might start out drinking as an escape but once addicted it is a very hard road back.

I grew up in a household with an alcoholic father. It was pretty bad. My mother joined AlAnon (support and information for families of alcoholics). I remember her saying that brains of alcoholics often turned to custard - not quite literally but actually close - mushy and not fully functional. And that when sober they often could not remember (or believe) that they had acted so badly.

I am sure there is much more known about the condition now. Which is not a lot of help to those impacted day to day. Trust me on that.

[Maccachic]

My Grandmother started after my Grandfather got Alzheimer's - family had to intervene, get her put in a home and control her finances to help her (she would pass out injuring herself), she still drinks every now and again but no where near as bad.

[donna]

A great doc by Nigel on alcohol - essentially it confirmed Governments etc are driven by powerful businesses and people come second. Without the sugarcoating - it's a dog eat dog world and that's just the way it is and will remain so. It's up to the individual to decide how best to live including how tempted they are to alcohol etc. Growing a thick skin and strong character is just part of survival - if your weak, too sensitive and easily led life's going to be hard going at best. Most of us can get on with it - others fall through the cracks.

cheers,

Donna

[Davo36]

I agree Donna, the government can't protect us from everything, we have to look after ourselves.

I believe it's not the government's job to make life "Heaven on earth", but to make it "Not hell on earth" i.e. they should fix the really bad problems/issues but then leave people to get on with life.

[drelly]

I believe it's not the government's job to make life "Heaven on earth", but to make it "Not hell on earth" i.e. they should fix the really bad problems/issues but then leave people to get on with life.

I tend to agree with you... but then when people are wandering the streets homeless, dying of lung cancer, obesity and getting run down by drunk drivers, people say "Why didn't the Government do anything?".

[Davo36]

Well people are always looking for someone to blame. That's just human nature.

[drelly]

Well people are always looking for someone to blame. That's just human nature.

Where do you stand on the "junk food in tuck shops" thing? Personally, I was disappointed in National for letting it back in. To me, it's like saying... "Hey, Astronomy or Astrology... it's YOUR CHOICE!" To me it's a no-brainer that the food we offer kids at school should be healthy.

[Davo36]

Well I guess in my above comments I was talking about adults. For children I reckon they should be protected more.

And yeah, I reckon healthy food in tuckshops is a really good idea. The thing is though, who is going to make all this healthy food?

[drelly]

Well I guess in my above comments I was talking about adults. For children I reckon they should be protected more.
And yeah, I reckon healthy food in tuckshops is a really good idea. The thing is though, who is going to make all this healthy food?

Not some big multi-national trying to get as much sugar into our kids as possible?

The same applies with many other things though. It's just a matter of what is acceptable. Seatbelts, crash helmets, not smoking in bars... all the same. I doubt we will see alcohol banned any time soon but I think we definitely need to reduce the number of off-licenses, advertising and promotion. It's getting ridiculous.