Most New Zealanders would rather give up alcohol than forgo sex, but a
fifth of women and a 10th of men would rather have a drink than a romp
in the sack, according to a new poll.
The Research New Zealand survey found that while 73 percent of people
would consider giving up alcohol for more than a month, 92 percent of
men and 80 percent of women would rather have sex than a drink.
Some 4 percent said they would rather give up all their friends than
abstain from alcohol, while 5 percent would prefer to forgo a rested
night's sleep.
People were most likely to consider giving up cigarettes and online
social networking in order to keep drinking, the poll found.
But priorities varied by age, with young people aged 15 to 34 valuing
sex and their cellphones much more than people over 55.
The questions on alcohol were added to Research New Zealand's regular
monthly survey of 500 people to show support for the Drug Foundation's
FebFast campaign, which encourages people to abstain from alcohol for
the month of February.
Campaign coordinator Catherine Milburn said the poll findings were "an
eye opener". "Amazingly, some people would rather stop seeing their
friends or give up sex, sleep, their cellphones, the internet and even
their cars before knocking off the booze," she said.
"They're in the minority, though – most people put their mates ahead
of alcohol and still value a good night's sleep, a roll in the hay,
and time in front of the telly or on the internet."
Ms Milburn added that it was "really encouraging" that more than seven
in 10 New Zealanders would consider giving up alcohol for more than a
month.
She said the FebFast campaign was fortunately not asking people to
forgo their favourite past-times, but to just "press pause on their
drinking".
"For some people, having a break from alcohol might actually give them
more time – and inclination – for some of these other activities."
A number of well-known New Zealanders have endorsed the event,
including MPs Jackie Blue and Iain Lees-Galloway, Christchurch Mayor
Bob Parker and journalists Mike McRoberts and his wife Paula Penfold.
NZPA
