Alcohol is New Zealand’s most harmful drug. Alcohol can cause different short and long-term harm on our bodies, even if you are drinking moderately.
One in every 6 New Zealanders have a hazardous drinking patters (Hazardous drinking refers to a risk of the persons mental, physical and social state or to other people).
18-24 year olds have the highest prevalence of drinking in New Zealand at 23.8%.
Inequities among hazardous drinking patterns and locality of alcohol shops are still highly prevalent in New Zealand.
Hapūtanga – How alcohol affects your baby
Being alcohol free is best for you and pēpi.
If you’re trying to get pregnant or are pregnant, the best thing to do is stop drinking. There is no known safe level of drinking alcohol during your preganancy - even small amounts of alcohol can harm your pēpi.
Drinking any alcohol while pregnant brings the following risks:
- Miscarriage
- Still births
- Preterm birth
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) refers to permanent brain and body damage caused by exposure to alcohol in the womb. FASD is a lifelong disability and affects around 1800-3000 newborns in Aotearoa each year.
Every person with FASD has different symptoms and challenges related to:
- Motor skills
- Physical health
- Learning
- Memory
- Attention
- Communication and language
- Regulating emotions
- Social skills
There is no cure for FASD, but it is preventable by not drinking while pregnant.
Resources
A range of resources/information can be found by visiting:
/alcohol-licensing.jpg)
/lap.jpg)
