National drug agency Sedqa welcomes alcohol ban
Aġenzija Sedqa welcomes legal notice prohibiting confectioneries selling alcoholic beverages after 9pm.
Sedqa said a new legal notice banning the sale of alcohol from confectioneries after 9pm will significantly help to reduce binge drinking among the younger generation because it will make alcohol will be less available.
“Various studies have established a strong correlation between alcohol abuse, availability and pricing policies of alcohol. Controlling the availability of alcohol is part of the solution,” Sedqa said.
Sedqa said 20% of Maltese respondents to the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD 2007), claimed they drank frequently, or used alcohol on 10 occasions or more during the past 30 days. The ESPAD average in Europe is 11%. The study is conducted amongst 15-16-year-old students.
The agency said the abuse of laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors was “visible for all to see.”
“Banning of alcohol sale after 9pm from these establishments will help to minimise the risk of young people buying alcohol at this hour.”
The agency also said that alcohol consumption on certain streets was still common in entertainment areas during the weekends, despite various efforts to control it.
“Aġenzija Sedqa hopes that this measure will be one of a series aimed at restricting the availability of alcohol as recommended by international health organisations. Both the World Health Organisation and the Health and Consumer Affairs Directorate of the EU advise that the reduction of availability should be considered as a pillar of alcohol policies aimed at enhancing the well-being of communities,” the agency said.
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OH kemm inthom nies twajjba tas-SEDQA.
Ara ghax il-gvern invazza lill-MALTA kollha bil-loghob tal-gamming, dak ma daqilkhomx ghal widnejkom.
Nisugerilkhom, harsu lejn il-mera u aqbdu idhqu d'dak li-taraw.
Bit-taljan jghidulu (Dupja Facja)
George Zammit •
Oooooh yeah, Sedqa! Problem solved.
Please, can you update me as to a) which planet and b) which century you're living on/in?
Just curiosity, cos I ain't got a clue.
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they want this country to be like iran, or just like pakistan, or i wonder maybe like afghanistan? or just like libya?
under age persons are everywhere. so they could also ban alcohol from gabbanas in feasts, and from the kazini in feasts? if i was in charge i would have left the laws how they was before. responsabilty should come from shop owners or barmans, they must not give alcohol to under age kids, and who get caught will be punished with heavy fines. but not banning alcohol!
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Won't they just buy it at an earlier hour if they choose to do it from a confectionary? The first thing which should be done is the actual enforcement of the law which says that no one can sell alcohol to children under the age of 17. This is the law which is being blatantly abused, and which is NOT being enforced adequately. SEDQA should be insisting on, and concentrating on, this enforcement first and foremost because children ARE drinking, children ARE getting into places where they should not be and most children are NOT getting their alcohol from confectionaries.
