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Not the best remedy for bevvy culture problems
WEST Lothian Council is kidding itself if it thinks that imposing a no access to booze under the age of 21 is going to solve the problem of under-age drinking and the binge-drinking culture of Scotland.
As always, politicians are convinced by the police that a quick fix ‘hammer the kids’ approach will sort out some form of anti-social behaviour.
Well they are badly wrong because the anti-social behaviour they are concerned about is caused by anti-social behaviour of greedy adults in the drinks industry.
The posturing of the local licensees who happily put up the glossy posters and appear to be co-operating with the police and the authorities to stop anyone under the age of 21 getting a drink, is a complete sham.
Why is this approach a waste of time?
Well for a start it only operates for the 10 hours, between 5pm-10pm on Friday and Saturday. Young people are not daft. One has already been reported in the press as saying: “I'll just have to buy my drink earlier in the day.”
Secondly, all these short-term, police-led, public relations exercises do nothing more than con the public into thinking that something is being done, when reality is that such campaigns just move the problem on to some other community.
Booze is far too cheap, it has to rise in cost by about 100% over the next decade to price it out of the range of young people. To do so too fast will just drive drinkers to illegal drugs instead.
High quality alcohol education for kids and parents is the second thing we need to do.
Most important of all we need to invests massively in providing far better leisure services for young people that are fun, adventurous, cheap and more attractive than throwing gallons of cheap booze down their throats.
Max Cruickshank, Iona Ridge, Hamilton.
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