Push-back on claims alcohol is being demonised

Research commissioned by the Alcohol Beverages Council claims 80-percent of New Zealanders drink moderately and responsibly - and alcohol gets too much bad press.

But Alcohol Healthwatch director, doctor Nikki Jackson, says at more than 780-thousand - we have one of the highest rates of hazardous drinkers there's ever been in New Zealand.

She says heavy drinking puts everyone at risk - and everyone knows the damage it causes.

Jackson says communities are sick to death of their neighbourhoods being saturated with alcohol.