HealthInfo Canterbury
Overview of alcohol & reducing your risks from drinking
Waipiro me te inu i te haumarutanga
Alcohol is the most commonly used recreational drug in New Zealand. Drinking alcohol can lead to many health and social problems, both in the short term when you're drinking and over longer periods of time.
The video above shows some of the effects alcohol has while you're drinking it.
Negative effects of drinking alcohol include health issues such as:
- being overweight – alcohol is high in calories so reducing how much alcohol you drink can help you lose weight
- stomach ulcers
- headaches and hangovers
- alcohol poisoning
- alcohol addiction or abuse (alcoholism)
- liver problems
- fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
- several types of cancer.
The World Health Organization links over 200 diseases with alcohol use, including stroke and mental health conditions.
Injuries are also strongly linked to alcohol use. This includes injuries resulting from car accidents and assaults.
Some social and economic problems are closely linked to alcohol use. These include family harm, crime, absenteeism from work and financial hardship. Alcohol-related harm is estimated to cost $6.6 billion in New Zealand.
No level of drinking can completely remove the risks of alcohol-related harm. But changing the way you drink may reduce the risks to you, your whānau (family), and your community.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Amohia te Waiora – Wellbeing
Information, advice and resources aimed at breaking the cycle of alcohol harm in New Zealand.
On the next page: Reducing your risks from drinking alcohol
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed March 2023.
SourcesReview key: HIAAD-16539
