Role models play a huge part
“ W e need to accept that we have a binge drinking cul-
Raising the drinking
age
By Sarah Smith
Major alcohol law changes
are targeting New Zealand
teens in order to cut down
binge drinking. Recommen-
dations include splitting the
legal drinking age - 18 years
old for drinking in pubs and
clubs and 20 years old for
buying alcohol from super-
markets and bottle stores.
This may be a hard law to
enforce as a lot of people
will not comply with the
new changes and police re-
sources may be pushed to
their limit. John Key has an-
nounced law changes which
will mean no one under the
age of 20 may purchase al-
cohol from an off licence
store, but the legal drinking
age at bars/clubs and res-
taurants will stay at 18. Any-
one under the age of 20 can
only be supplied alcohol by
their parents or guardians.
Otherwise, they must carry
a note from their parent or
guardian stating they are
allowed to drink alcohol
elsewhere.
in the actions and decisions of
ture in New Zealand, and it will take more than legisla-
“Those teenagers aren ’ t
A part of this new law is to
their responsibility. Why make all 18 and 19 year olds
carry a signed permission slip
should they be prosecuted if from their parents or guardi-
ans stating they are allowed to
they are trying to keep
drink at the location they are
things under at. No permission slip means
the adult supervising will be
prosecuted for supplying mi-
nors with alcohol.
Leiana Lavakula, 18 year old
student says, “Those teenag-
ers aren’t their responsibility.
Why should they be prose-
cuted if they are trying to keep
things under control?” A lot of
people will argue this because
teenagers usually come to the
party with their own alcohol
and they don’t always live with
their parents or guardians.
Pubs and clubs are very well
supervised and house parties
should be too.
won’t mean a thing
“ I t will lead to more peo-
ple buying ‘ minors ’
Some of the new ‘ Law Changes ’ include:
 Splitting the alcohol purchasing age - 18 for bars
and clubs and 20 for purchasing alcohol from a bot-
tle store or supermarket.
 Limiting the alcohol content of RTDs
 Reducing opening hours for licenced premises
 Particularly harmful products will be banned
our teenagers. Binge drinking
is a part of kiwi culture and
these law changes may not
resolve the reoccurring prob-
lems that keep arising due to
abuse of alcohol. John Key has
stated that, “We need to ac-
cept that we have a binge
drinking culture in New Zea-
land, and it will take more
than legislation to change
that.”
Parents and friends over the
age of 20 will still keep pur-
chasing alcohol for teenagers.
Binge drinking will not stop
happening or slow down
unless some positive role
modelling and education
starts happening. Raising the
age will make hardly any dif-
ference to teens gaining ac-
cess to alcohol. Most teens
have friends or siblings that
are 20 years or older. Libby
Armstrong, 19 year old stu-
dent says, “It will lead to more
people buying ‘minors’
alcohol.”
The legal purchasing age of
alcohol should remain the
same. Changing the age will
not solve our binge drinking
problems or prohibit access to
alcohol in New Zealand. Young
people should be taught
about the effects of alcohol
not only on the body, but the
legal problems that may occur
when you are under the influ-
ence of alcohol.