Alcohol came top on the list of most harmful drugs in Aotearoa in a report prepared by the University of Otago's Department of Population Health, a fact which hit the headlines on June 28, 2023.

We're grateful for the mention of FASD from Dr Rose Crossin of Otago University: “It’s rated the most harmful because of its association with a huge number of diseases, cancers, psychological disorders and other medical conditions,” she said.

“Alcohol also causes more harm to others than to those who use it, including families, friends, communities and wider society,” she said. “As an example, it’s associated with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which negatively affects a person’s life, education and employment prospects."

Read the Stuff article here.

Read the full study here.