Proposed Extensionof Nightclub Opening Times
"Studieshave shown that as the number of outlets and their days and hoursof operation increase so do rates of problems...."
Dear Sir:
Further to the letter of 8 June, 2001, inwhich it was indicated that it was the intention of the NationalDrug Council to discuss, formulate and commit to writing its formalpolicy statement as regards is position on the above-captionedproposal, we now write to inform you that at a formal meetingof the National Drug Council held on 4 July, 2001, the matterwas discussed and the Council sees no reason to support the proposalto expand the opening hours of the night-time establishments.
We would also take the opportunity to pointout the following important findings on alcohol consumption:
There is a growing body of research linkingalcohol availability both to the level of overall consumptionand to rates of related problems. Studies have shown that as thenumber of outlets and their days and hours of operation increaseso do rates of problems, such as alcohol dependence, liver cirrhosis,traffic crashes and arrests for public drunkenness.
Most of the studies of changes in hoursof sale or opening days for alcohol outlets have demonstratedincreased drinking associated with increased number of hours,and decreased drinking with the elimination of some days of sale.
Burn et al. (1975) concluded that environmentalcontrols on alcohol availability could affect alcohol use andthus alcohol problems, as part of a public policy on health andsafety. In the twenty-six years since that publication, a largenumber of studies have been undertaken which test this conclusion.The weight of the empirical evidence has supported the argumentthat limitation on the availability of alcohol can be an effectivepart of a public health approach to reduce alcohol consumptionand thus to alleviate problems associated with alcohol.
Research findings on the relationship betweenalcohol availability and alcohol-involved problems (which areconfirmed for more than one country), certainly support the conclusionthat such findings are not culturally unique.
Accordingly, our decision has been takenwithin the context of the objectives set out in the National DrugCouncil law (2001 Revision), specifically those set out in Section4 thereof.
The National Drug Council