Drinking problem just won’t go away in N.S.

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People in the province still drive drunk, still go on benders at bars, still drink underage and some still drink while pregnant.

To combat this, the provincial Health Promotion and Protection Department launched a strategy last August called Changing the Culture of Alcohol Use in Nova Scotia.

Almost a year later, that plan is leading to some tangible efforts, but there’s been a lot of legwork to do, a provincial official says. RELATED Click here for information on low-risk drinking guidelines "We know a fair amount around what the issues are," Carolyn Davison, director of addiction services for Health Promotion and Protection, said Wednesday. "We also know the broad things that we’d like to do to target them. It’s just helping the public and government get prepared and ready and willing to do it." The strategy indicates the health, social and economic costs of alcohol use in Nova Scotia are enormous: $419 million a year.

Last year was the deadliest on Nova Scotia roads in more than a decade and almost a third of 79 fatal collisions involved alcohol. The year wound up with an early morning brawl on Dec. 24 outside the Halifax bar complex known as the Dome that resulted in 38 people being arrested after a cheap-drink night.

"We know there are some (policies) we should be doing around the pricing of alcohol, it’s just whether or not we can help government understand what is the best approach there," Ms. Davison said.

A group including chief public health officer Dr. Robert Strang formed after that melee to consider things like drink prices and bar advertising, hours of operation and the training of bar and security staff.