With over one hundred member organisations, the Foundation is ideally placed to carry out this role. Most of its members are organisations working in the health or education sectors. The social and economic costs of drug and substance misuse are immense. Approximately 4,500 New Zealanders die from tobacco-related disease each year in New Zealand. In 1997 alcohol played a part in at least a quarter of the deaths on our roads.
Some groups are more at risk than others.
A vital role True progress in reducing drug and substance related harm is only possible by educating and informing the whole community in a positive and responsible manner. There are many educational and treatment organisations involved in trying to bring this about, and much good work is being done. Sometimes, though, a co-ordinated approach has not always been easy to achieve. The Foundation was established to help bring this about. Its founding members were Professor Sir John Scott, the late Dr Erihapeti Murchie and Professor Eru Pomare.