UK: Up drinking age, says think-tank
By just-drinks.com editorial team | 16 April 2007
A UK think-tank has called for a raising of the legal drinking age in the UK.
Over the weekend, Public Policy Research (PPR), the journal of the IPPR think-tank, said the country should consider increasing the age consumers can legally drink at to 21, in light of a nation that has "lost the plot" regarding alcohol regulation.
"When it comes to booze, society seems to have lost its senses," PPR said. Were the age limit to be increased, "it is at least possible that those in their early- and mid-teens will not see drink as something they will soon be allowed to do so therefore they might as well start doing it surreptitiously now".
One other alternative proposed by the body is for 18-year-olds to carry smart cards recording their level of alcohol consumption each night, as well as making it an offence to serve alcohol to anyone under 21 who had already consumed more than three units beforehand.
Sectors: Beer & cider, Spirits, Wine
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There are currently 9 comments on this article
Dear Parikshitd
Sorry, my comments seem to have been taken in the wrong way. It is precisely because I think we can't demonise one drink that I think you can't say 'beer good, spirits bad'. Most of the trouble we get in the UK towns are caused by people of a certain age - young men (though frighteningly the disorder caused by young women is on the rise). Unfortunately for the image of the beer industry the choice of drink of a majority of 20-something males is beer. So, banning younger drinkers from drinking spirits would do little in my opinion to curb drinking problems in our youth.
Kind regards
Grape Debate said at 12:05 pm, June 13, 2007
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