More Alcohol! More Outrage! And ALAC...
by Harriet Geoghegan on Tuesday 2th February, 2010.
Following on from my last post about the media coverage of us students in our intoxication:
A few weeks back I was invited to an ALAC meeting in Christchurch with representatives from Canterbury, Lincoln and Otago University Students' Associations as well as heads of colleges and Student Health Practitioners from Dunedin and Christchurch.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss alcohol related harm on campuses and how to reduce it. And it was one of the most frustrating meetings I have ever been to!
At one stage an ignorant but daring man decided to put up his hand and tell us all that the root of all drinking problems was students' associations putting on events! He was quickly shot down by all of us, as we pointed out that allowing students to drink in a managed environment was much more constructive than forcing them to the streets or their flats with no alternatives.
I abruptly informed him that we have security, bar staff, other entertainment, free water bottles and food, harassment contacts and paramedics on hand at all our drinking events. We also drive home anyone who has had too much to drink or is leaving on their own.
If you haven’t sensed by now, I get quite annoyed at everyone trying to point the finger at students for New Zealand’s drinking problems so you can imagine I was quite frank. (I’m not one to stay quiet when our members are getting unfairly picked on.)
One thing we did resolve was that the biggest problem drinkers out on the town or around our campus are the ones who get wasted at home then go out. But what’s the motivation for you to buy drinks in town when it is so much cheaper to buy a bottle of vodka and drink at home?
I don’t know about the rest of you, but if I could drink at a bar and not have to worry about it costing me $7.50 per drink I would rather be there than at home.
I’d love to know what you think, so if you have an opinion on the topics please take a second to fill out this poll:
http://www.doodle.com/8t3n5dgyimppw2eb
(Names can be anonymous)
Next on the agenda in terms of drinking problems in Dunedin is lobbying the council for lower prices in bars and making sure they don’t close at 1:30am. If I have some more support from students it may make me sound a bit less radical!
Comments
Comments (1)
Helleojagasip, Saturday 19th June, 2010
Hi VEry nice posts i'sure i'sts nice