A group of psychiatrics has expressed that the government was not doing enough to limit the habit of binge drinking among New Zealanders. The group in question is the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, who felt that the recent Alcohol Reform Bill had next to nothing to curb binge drinking.

Apparently, the recently passed bill has proposed the splitting of the legal age of drinking, with people above 18-years being allowed to drink in bars, while only those above 20-years old will be allowed to buy alcohol from liquor stores. The proposal also has also stated the type of public places, where drinking should be banned.

The organization has further expressed that NZ government would also have to act sternly in order to curb the prevalence of alcohol abuse among kiwis.

While talking about the problem of alcohol abuse in NZ, the National Committee Vahiraman, RANZCP, New Zealand, Dr. Lyndy Matthews said that a minimum of 25% drinkers in New Zealand, drank heavily. She also stated that almost 50% cases related to violent crimes were also linked to alcohol abuse. It also needs to be reminded that alcohol abuse can have a long-lasting affect on the mental health of a person.

The Alcohol Reform Bill had passed its first reading in the beginning of November.