Past-year drinking prevalence
The prevalence (%) of past-year drinking among the total population, 2019/20 NZ Health Survey.
By age-group (years)
By ethnic group (total response)
By neighbourhoood deprivation
Trends in hazardous drinking
In 2019/20, one in every five (20.9%) NZ adults (aged 15+) were classified as hazardous drinkers. This equates to 838,000 adults aged 15 years and over.
1 in every 5 New Zealand adults has a hazardous drinking pattern that places them and/or others at risk of harm
Males were 2.1 times more likely to be classified as hazardous drinkers as females (28.7% vs 13.6%). Click here to see the full results from the New Zealand Health Survey.
Note: ‘Hazardous drinking’ refers to an established alcohol drinking pattern that carries a risk of harming the drinker’s physical or mental health or having harmful social effects on the drinker or others. It is determined by using the World Health Organisation's AUDIT checklist - a score of 8 or more indicates hazardous drinking.
Comparison between subgroup (adjusted by age/sex/ethnic group):
The 2019/20 New Zealand Health Survey found that:
- Males were 2.1 times more likely to drink hazardously than females
- Māori males were 1.6 times more likely to drink hazardously than non-Māori males
- Māori females were 2.2 times more likely to drink hazardously than non-Māori females
- New Zealanders living in the most deprived neighbourhoods were 1.1 times more likely to drink hazardously than those in the least deprived
- Asian males were 79% less likely and Asian females were 85% less likely than non-Asian males and females to drink hazardously
Trends in hazardous drinking
Please note that due to changes in the NZ Health Survey, comparisons between years in hazardous drinking prevalence can only be done in the following time periods:
- between 2006/07 and 2015/16, and
- between 2015/16 and 2019/20.
From 2006/07 to 2011/12, the proportion of adults classified as hazardous drinkers significantly decreased from 18.0% to 14.9%. Large reductions were noted in adolescents and young adults. By 2015/16, most of the positive reductions made between 2006/07 and 2011/12 had been lost (except among young people). Rather, many groups had a higher prevalence of hazardous drinking in 2015/16 than in 2006/07 (i.e. Māori women, European/other, middle-aged and older-aged adults).
Since 2015/16, the overall prevalence of hazardous drinking has stabilised in the overall population - from 20.8% in 2015/16 to 20.9% in 2019/20. There were significant increases in hazardous drinking were found among 15-17 years olds (from 6.3% in 208/19 to 11.6% in 2019/20) and among 45-54 year olds (22.1% in 2018/19 to 27.7% in 2019/20), but there need further surveys to determine if this is a real trend or random fluctuation.
An increasing proportion of hazardous drinkers are women
The proportion of all hazardous drinkers that are women increased from 28.5% in 2011/12 to 31.6% in 2015/16.
Significantly more Māori women were drinking hazardously in 2015/16 (29.4%) than in 2006/07 (24.2%). From 2015/16 and onwards, there have been no significant changes in hazardous drinking in Māori women in the past five years of comparable surveys (i.e. 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20).
Trends over time, by age-group
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By age, 15-34 years
From 2006/07 to 2011/12, large reductions in hazardous drinking were noted in adolescents (15-17 year olds) and young adults (18-24 year olds). Both groups maintained their lower levels of hazardous drinking. By 2015/16 the prevalence of hazardous drinking was significantly lower when compared to 2006/07.
In the he past four comparable surveys between 2015/16 and 2019/20, there were no significant changes in hazardous drinking in both age-groups, but the prevalence remain unacceptably high. In 2019/20, there was a significant increase in hazardous drinking among 15-17 year olds (from 6.3% in 208/19 to 11.6% in 2019/20). There need further surveys to determine if this is a real trend or random fluctuation.
Click this button for more information on TRENDS IN ADOLESCENT DRINKING.
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35 years and over
Older groups moved in a different direction. Following declines in hazardous drinking between 2006/07 and 2011/12, the prevalence of hazardous drinking increased from 2011/12 to 2015/16. These increases were substantial among 45-54 years, 55-64 years and 65-74 years.
Therefore, all of the positive reductions in drinking that had been achieved between 2006/07 and 2011/12 were lost by 2015/16. Of particular concern, the level of increase was so great that some age groups (35-44yrs, 45-54yrs, 65-74yrs) had significantly higher levels of hazardous drinking in 2015/2016 than in 2006/07.
Click this button for more information on DRINKING TRENDS IN OLDER ADULTS
Trends in hazardous drinking have stabilised in the past five years of comparable surveys (i.e. 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20), except for hazardous drinking among 45-54 year olds - there was a significant increase from 22.1% in 2018/19 to 27.7% in 2019/20. As mentioned previously, further surveys are required to determined if this is a real trend or random fluctuation.
Trends over time by ethnic groups and neighbourhood deprivation
Persistent inequities remain for Māori and deprived population. From 2006/07 to 2011/12, the proportion of hazardous drinkers decreased in most of the ethnic groups. By 2015/16, the positive reductions made between 2006/07 and 2011/12 had been lost. Hazardous drinking among Māori women significantly increased in 2015/16 when compared to 2006/07.
The ratio of inequity in hazardous drinking is the highest for Māori women and for women living in neighbourhoods with high deprivation (in comparison to the relevant reference group).
Note
- Due to COVID-19, three months are missing from the data collection for the 2019/20 NZHS as data collection ceased on March 19, 2020. No adjustments or imputations have been done to account for the impact this has had on the results. The sample size for the 2019/20 NZHS was 9,699, with a 75% response rate.
- The Ministry of Health looked at the indicators over the past surveys to determine how many showed seasonal variation, and therefore caution to be applied to the results. Alcohol use in the total population did not show variation; this may reflect the AUDIT questions asking participants to recall behaviours over the past 12 months.
- The above statistics, from the annual NZ Health Survey 2019/20, are collected from July 2019 until late March 2020 (pre-COVID). For research on drinking patterns during and post-lockdown, please click here.
Hazardous drinking prevalence
The prevalence (%) of hazardous drinking in the total population in 2019/20 is shown below:
By age-group (years)
By ethnic group (total response)
By neighbourhood deprivation
Get Prepared
Alcohol causes more harm to the fetus than other drugs
It does not matter what type of alcohol is consumed, it immediately crosses into the baby’s bloodstream via the placenta and adversely impacts normal development.
Alcohol is recognised as the ‘heavy hitter’ causing more damage to the fetus than other recreational substances such as tobacco, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine or marijuana.
There is no 'safe' level of alcohol use in pregnancy
Drinking to intoxication places a developing embryo and fetus at the greatest risk of harm. However, medical research has not been able to establish a safe amount that all pregnant women can drink and there are studies showing harm at very low level. Therefore, ther advice of many health authorities across the world is - Do not drink alcohol if you are pregnant, could be pregnant or when breastfeeding.
For more information, check out HPA's alcohol.org.nz website -
- Drinking advice for women who could be pregnant, are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant - https://www.alcohol.org.nz/alcohol-its-effects/alcohol-and-pregnancy/what-you-need-to-know
- Alcohol & pregnancy - https://www.alcohol.org.nz/alcohol-its-effects/alcohol-pregnancy
New Zealand has an FASD Action Plan
In 2016, the Government took steps to develop New Zealand’s first FASD Action Plan ‘Taking Action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder 2016-2019 – An Action Plan’. (FASD Working Group 2016).
The Plan is a multiagency approach across health, justice, and social sectors to guide policy and service delivery within communities to prevent FASD and improve outcomes for those affected by it.
The plan targets early intervention with those thought to be at high-risk of drinking during pregnancy.
Changes to the drinking environment to reduce alcohol availability were not included in the plan. It is well-known that the wider drinking culture is a strong determinant of the prevalence of drinking during pregnancy. Therefore, we need to take a multi-pronged approach to reduce the harm from FASD.
Although improvements have been occurring regarding FASD diagnosis, children with significant learning and behaviour problems linked to prenatal alcohol exposure remain undiagnosed within our health services and ineligible for extra support. Families living with FASD remain ineligible for respite care.
Ministry of Education FASD Guide for teachers
The Ministry of Education have produced an Inclusive Education FASD Guide for teachers http://inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/fasd/.
Case for Change
There are two important components in preventing the harm from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder:
- Preventing FASD by supporting alcohol-free pregnancies
- Enabling effective and appropriate care for persons affected by FASD
There is strong evidence that both components are essential in reducing harm from this preventable disability. Click below to learn more or click the button for the Health Promotion Agency infosheet.
Take Action
On the spot - take action immediately
Stopping someone from getting behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking could save their life and the lives of innocent others.
If it is an emergency - call 111 and provide the details to emergency services.
If it is safe to do so, take their keys off them and offer to find them a safe ride home.
If the risk of drink driving is associated with a licensed premise - advise the licensee or duty manager of the risk and remind them of their duties to support safe transport options.
If the person has been drinking on a licensed premise and appears intoxicated then report the incident to the local licensing team and/or Police. See the Licensing section for more information.
Be a positive role model
Always drive sober and encourage members of your family/whanau to do likewise.
If you are hosting a family/whanau gathering or event, be a responsible host – e.g. make it alcohol-free, or have a range of alcohol-free options available, arrange a place for people to stay or a safe ride home if they’ve been drinking. See Places and Events for more information on planning events.
Spread the word
Take opportunities as they arise to discuss drink-driving, its risks and consequences with your family/whanau.
Develop some safety protocols/kawa with your family/whānau. These can focus on how to avoid the risks of drinking and driving, and having a plan to get home safely should that be necessary.
Start a group or if you are already part of a group or network you can plan initiatives to reduce drinking and driving in your community. For more information on doing this see Mobilising Others.
Assist people to get the help they need
If you have any concerns about someone you know who is drinking and driving assist them or their family to get professional help.
Help can be reached at your GP/local medical centre, school counsellor or local Community Alcohol and Drug Service.
The Alcohol and Drug Helpline is a useful starting point for anyone who has concerns about their own or others drinking. They will be able to support you towards the best course of action and local services including youth services - 0800 787 797.
Advocate to increase the number of random breath tests
To ensure our drink driving limits are effective, we need to enforce them. However, random breath test numbers have been declining substantially and we need to increase them to the point of one test per year per licensed driver. That would mean around 3 million tests per year. A lot more than what we are currently doing.
Speak to your local MP about this issue.
Change the wider environment to change our drinking culture
By reducing the amount of alcohol consumed, we can help reduce drink driving.
The most effective measures to reduce the amount we drink are listed below. Read each section to find out how you can take action on these environmental factors that support low-risk drinking.
You can mobilise others to:
- Reduce the availability of alcohol
- Increase the price of alcohol
- Restrict alcohol advertising and sponsorship
- Promote the uptake of early and brief intervention
Case for Change
New Zealand has a Vision Zero approach to road deaths - where no-one is killed or seriously injured in road crashes. This cannot be achieved without strong action on alcohol.
Drink driving doesn't just harm the driver - passengers and other road users (including pedestrians) are also killed or injured in alcohol-related road crashes.
Between 2017 and 2019, for every 100 alcohol or drug-impaired drivers or riders who died in road crashes, 27 of their passengers and 32 other road users died with them.
The risk of crashing increases with the amount of alcohol in the blood at the time of driving. Road traffic crashes involving alcohol are more likely to result in death or severe injuries.
Alcohol greatly increases the risk of road deaths
Alcohol use causes impairment when driving.
Between 2017 and 2019, alcohol and drugs were a factor in 40% of fatal crashes (13% alcohol only, 9% alcohol and drugs, 18% drugs only). This proportion was higher among young adults aged 20 to 24 years (60% of all fatal crashes involved alcohol/drugs) and 25 to 29 year olds (65%).
Road traffic crashes involving alcohol are more likely to be fatal or result in severe injuries.
The risk of crashing increases with the amount of alcohol in the blood at the time of driving. For New Zealanders aged 20 years or over, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05mg alcohol per 100ml of blood. For drivers under 20 years, there is a zero tolerance to alcohol in the blood.
Drivers aged 20-29 with a BAC of 0.05mg/100ml are about 17 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than their sober counterpart. Adults aged over 30 years are about 6 times as likely.
New Zealand statistics
In 2019, 160 people died and 391 were seriously injured in crashes where alcohol/drugs were a contributing factor.
An Official Information Act request on alcohol-related crashes found the following:
Between 2017 and 2019, for every 100 alcohol or drug-impaired drivers or riders who died in road crashes,
27 of their passengers and 32 other road users died with them
What is the financial cost of drink driving?
For the three years to 2012, it was estimated that the social cost of alcohol-related crashes (for drivers over 20 years) in New Zealand was $446 million. This figure is in 2013 dollars.
Number of random breath tests
New Zealand's Road to Zero strategy adopts the Vision Zero approach to road deaths. Strong drink driving laws and adequate enforcement of them are central to achieving this goal.
Of huge concern, the number of random breath tests in New Zealand has reduced from around 3 million tests in 2013/14 (about 1 test per driver per year – which is best practice) to below 2 million tests in 2018/19.109 If best practice levels of enforcement were adhered to, there would be over 3 million tests carried out every year (in 2015 there were 3,384,395 New Zealanders who had a driver licence).
| Year | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/216 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 |
| Number of Random Breath Tests | 2,721,876 | 2,952,138 | 3,013,272 | 2,555,957 | 1,473,187 | 2,126,280 | 1,683,314 | 1,270,648 |
There are technological differences in reporting that may explain much of the lower number of tests carried out in the 2015/16 period. The data above are obtained from NZ Police Annual reports.
Changes in the way in which road policing is structured in a number of Police districts has resulted in the disestablishment of dedicated impairment testing teams. This may have also contributed to a reduction in test volumes. There has also been implementation of a more targeted, intelligence-based approach to testing.
Number of convicted offences for exceeding the drink driving or other substance limit
With regards to convictions for drink driving (or exceeding limit for other substances), the number of convictions has declined in recent years. The lower numbers of random breath tests being carried out is likely to play a role in this. Data below were obtained from NZ.Stat.
In 2012/2013, it was found that there were high levels of reoffending, with around half of those convicted having at least one previous drink-drive conviction over their lifetime of driving.
| Year | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| Convictions | 29,473 | 28,094 | 25,347 | 23,329 | 19,403 | 16,549 | 16,308 | 16,405 | 16,770 | 16,414 |
Take Action
On the spot - Address any immediate health and safety issues
If you are concerned about your safety, or that of others, call emergency services on 111.
When any urgent matters are under control and if you feel it is safe to do so, look to minimise any further consumption and risks. Get assistance with this if possible.
If you see an intoxicated person in a licensed premises (e.g pub, night club) alert the duty manager, and/or the Police on 111. If you know that an intoxicated person has been drinking at a particular licensed premises, then follow the above.
Spread the word - Promote informed choice
As opportunities arise guide people in your life to relevant information on alcohol and to the low-risk drinking guidelines.
Develop some safety protocols/kawa with your family/Whānau. These can focus on how to avoid drinking excessively, and what to do if they are in trouble.
If you have a group or network that you belong to, work together to raise awareness in your community about alcohol and share relevant information and links to low-risk drinking guidelines or other tools.
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See the section on Mobilising Others for more information and support |
Assist people to get the help they need
If you have any concerns about the alcohol use of people in your life, assist them or their family to get professional help.
- Help can be reached at your GP/local medical centre, school counsellor or local Alcohol and Drug Service.
- The Alcohol and Drug Helpline is a useful starting point for anyone who has concerns about their own or others drinking. They will be able to support you towards the best course of action and local services including youth services - 0800 787 797.
Change the wider environment to change our drinking culture
Take action on environmental factors which support low-risk drinking. For example, foster and mobilise others to:
- Reduce the availability of alcohol
- Increase the price of alcohol
- Restrict alcohol advertising and sponsorship
- Promote the uptake of early and brief intervention