By Joe Farrugia  

In Malta, as in other Mediterranean countries, the drinking age is currently 16, and we do not have a law that sets a minimum purchasing age. Raising the drinking age should not be seen as an end in itself but has to be discussed within a wider context.
This is the reason why The Sense Group has consistently adopted the stand that, although it is not against raising the drinking age as such, this has to be analysed in terms of the projected outcomes.
It is a known fact that in Malta underage drinking is an issue, and the reality is that the existing law which prohibits the serving of alcoholic beverages to those under 16 is already hard to enforce. We are fully in favour of enforcing this law and have also conducted campaigns targeted at both parents and outlets to educate them in this regard.
This situation is not endemic to Malta. The recent Espad survey results indicate that there is a higher incidence of bingeing and drunkenness in those countries with a high drinking age.
In the USA, in spite of strict legislation (or partly because of it!), they have a severe teenage alcohol abuse problem. The difficulty encountered in enforcing this law, together with the fact that stigmatising alcohol turns it into a forbidden fruit, is conducive to abusive consumption.
In the Mediterranean, although people generally start drinking at an earlier age they are less likely to abuse alcoholic beverages and to develop related problems than their northern European counterparts.
The onset of drinking depends on other factors that a change in legislation does not address. For example, most underage drinking occurs at home and not in outlets, as is generally assumed. Parental control, access to money, time and frequency when youngsters are allowed to go out, are amongst the many factors which influence teenage drinking behaviour.
Therefore, before jumping to conclusions, the authorities have to assess whether raising the drinking age is a manageable measure which results in an overall reduction in alcohol abuse, or whether it is more feasible and practical to promote in a sensible manner the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages in an effort to minimise harm.
Mr Farrugia is Chief Executive of The Sense Group

  By Joseph Chetcuti

At the age of 16, the majority of youngsters are too young to make mature and informed choices on the consumption of legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco.
For too many youngsters, drinking alcoholic beverages becomes a way of life synonymous with entertainment. Incidentally this is exactly the advertising message that is continuously conveyed by the alcohol industry.
How many more surveys need we conduct to confirm that our young are front runners when it comes to alcohol abuse from an early age and have very easy access to alcoholic beverages?
A less quoted survey which was conducted among San Blas residents reveals that almost all drug addicts had started by abusing alcohol before moving on to other drugs, making alcohol intoxication the gateway to harder drugs.
The World Health Organisation, in its European Alcohol Action Plan, stresses that to control under age drinking, a minimum age requirement, usually over 18 years should be set for the sale and public consumption of alcohol. Sedqa and the Health Promotion Department have repeatedly advised the government to raise the legal drinking age to 18.
For the last four years our Association has collected a petition signed by several hundred people calling for the raising of the legal drinking age and also to ban alcohol and tobacco advertisements and sponsorships in sports. Furthermore, 85% of those who took part in the televoting process during the popular TV programme ‘Xarabank’, were in favour of raising the drinking age to 18. Considering all the above, I wonder what is keeping the authorities from taking a decision on such an important issue.
It is a proven fact that when legal drinking ages were raised in other countries, there was a decrease in alcohol related accidents. This was the case recently in Canada when the age was raised from 18 to 19.
However, on the local scene, besides raising the legal age other relevant regulations should be introduced. Law enforcement should be seriously stepped up and penalties for breaking these laws should not remain ridiculously low.
The law should be seen as a deterrent and a tool to control alcohol vendors rather than to control the youngsters.
Our laws and regulations regulating the leisure and entertainment industry need a radical shake-up to bring them in line with those of other countries.
Mr Chetcuti is president of the ‘Assocjazzjoni Genituri, Inharsu ‘L uliedna’