In April, the Law Commission gave the government a report on alcohol problems in New Zealand. The report recommended 152 changes. The government now has decided to accept 126 of these recommendations. The main changes affect young people under the age of 20. However, the law will not change until after it goes to a committee for more discussion. After that it goes back to Parliament and there could be more changes. All this will take more than a year.
Here are some of the main changes. Drivers under the age of 20 may not drink any alcohol at all. Young people under the age of 18 can drink alcohol only if parents give their permission. This should stop many teenage parties where parents do not know there is alcohol. Shops which sell alcohol may not sell to anyone under 20. However, 18 year olds can drink in a bar. Mixed drinks called RTDs (Ready To Drink) will have less alcohol in them. RTDs are sold in cans and contain alcohol mixed with soft drinks. They are popular with young women. Shops selling alcohol will have to close at 11pm.
Many people think these changes are not enough. Some people want the drinking age to be raised to 20. The Law Commission recommended an increase in the price of alcohol but the government does not plan to do this. The government will also not change the law about the amount of alcohol a driver can drink. At the moment it is 80mg per 100mls of blood. Many countries allow only 50mg or even less.
Like many western countries, New Zealand has a problem with alcohol. It is not just young people under the age of 20 and the government’s law changes do nothing about older people who drink too much.
Listen to Aug 1st 2010 for more about shops selling alcohol.
Questions
1. What is the drinking age in your country? Do you think it should be 20?
2. Why doesn’t the government increase the tax on alcohol?
3. People who drink and rive can cause road accidents. What other problems can alcohol cause?