Bill Posters Posted July 27, 2004 Share Posted July 27, 2004 One idea would be to reduce the age limit for drinking in licenced premises (perhaps with a time restriction so the drinking is in pubs rather than clubs) to 16 and enforce the rules about serving to obviously incapacitated people. That way the drinking is more managed and in an adult environment. Rather unregulated and on the streets. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is more or less what I said before. Agree that reducing the age might help as long as ANY younger drinking are PROPERLY supervised I think that licensees and bar staff MUST be made more accountable. If they were likely to loose their jobs if they served drunks or kids, they would think twice. How about a training and licensing system for bar staff as there is with (whatever the politically correct term is these days for ) bouncers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted July 27, 2004 Share Posted July 27, 2004 The whole underage drinking scene isn't by any means a new phenomenon, it was happening at least 30 years ago and probably long before that. I think one of the major differences is the attitude of the parents of the whippersnappers who cause the mayhem. Sure, I drank before I was 18, I think most of us have done, but if I had come home steaming drunk after being arrested for causing trouble my father would not have been best pleased....to put it mildly! I would probably have been battered from pillar to post and grounded for months, unfortunately a lot of parents these days quite frankly don't give a s**t what their little darlings are getting up to. Better education regarding the effects of alcohol isn't a bad idea, a more aggresive policy towards I.D. measures is a good move too, but i reckon a lot of the blame should be shouldered by the parents who just allow it to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirdick Posted July 27, 2004 Share Posted July 27, 2004 Perhaps they should give them an 18-21 card they must produce. As oogie just said to me: "can i see some id?" "ok your 18 what would you like" "vodka and coke" "can i see some id?" Bunch-o-crap. The parents should be locked up for the kid getting into trouble. That would make them look out for their 'darlings' a bit more methinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn Posted July 27, 2004 Share Posted July 27, 2004 speaking form the point of view of someone that works in a pub, this is going to be a pain in the arse as we'll spend most of the time checking id's then getting orders then refusing half the orders, then spending 20 mins arguing with the drunks about why we can't serve them spirits anymore. i can kind of see it being a good idea. but 5% is far too low. maybe put a limit on hard spirits Vodka, Whiskey, Tequilla, Absinthe, Ouzo, Sambuca etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirdick Posted July 27, 2004 Share Posted July 27, 2004 Does that mean they wouldn't be able to buy 2 pints at a time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted July 27, 2004 Share Posted July 27, 2004 I would suggest that the best way to argue this proposal would be for every 18 - 21 year old to write or e-mail their MHK with a simple message.... "Dear ...... I am 18/19/20 and I live in your constituency. I drink WKD/Bushmills/Stoli/Absinthe and would like to continue to do so. I normally don't bother about voting but I will next time. Your vote on the under 21's drinking laws will determine who I vote for. Yours, A. Kid" They'd xxxx 'emselves. They pretty much know most of the people who are gonna vote and whether they'll vote for them, but to suddenly discover a whole new group of voters determined to get them out, might focus their minds a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirdick Posted July 27, 2004 Share Posted July 27, 2004 *Scratches chin in a promising fashion.* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted July 27, 2004 Share Posted July 27, 2004 They'd xxxx 'emselves. They pretty much know most of the people who are gonna vote and whether they'll vote for them, but to suddenly discover a whole new group of voters determined to get them out, might focus their minds a bit.Incredibly vulnerable but just not worth it... No challenge there worthy of a reply... Must try harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 No challenge there worthy of a reply... Must try harder. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> er... you replied to say you weren't gonna reply? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 Thank you for the endorsement... Folks are probably getting pissed by this..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyn Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 "Folks are probably getting pissed by this...." mmmm intoxicating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ean Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 The truth is those who are drinking underage now wil continue to do so if this law comes in, they'll continue to do what they do now which is to get someone older to buy their drinks. All it would take is for a few people to be taken to court for supplying alcohol to minors and make it a very public why they are in court and what the sentence is and it would make a lot of parents/siblings/older friends think again before buying alcohol to let the child get slaughtered. Speaking from my experience when i drank underage it was never alcopops, i think my first experience of tasting hooch put me off for life (i washed the taste away with gin, thats how bad it was) and i drank gin, vodka, whisky, rum etc after that. So an age limit on hard spirits would be an idea...but then you have the hassle in clubs of having to refuse to serve someone for a bacardi and coke or whatever, after already having asked for ID at the door they would need to produce it again at the bar meaning a lot more hassle for those working behind the bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speckled Frost Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 I really think we need a cultural shift rather than a change of law and this will have to be done by evolution and not by overnight changes. I think the 24-hour licensing was an attempt to do this and become more continental but pubs and clubs have pretty much stuck to the existing hours. Let's face it, most of us go out with the express intention of getting drunk and seeing where that takes us rather than going out with drinking being incidental. Before we see convoluted laws to reduce drinking among younger people - outlaw happy hours and drink promotions. Parents should also be more open about alcohol and not make it such a taboo (remember that drink and Mirage, mmmm...nice) which just encourages youngsters to try it to find out what the fuss is about. A small glass of wine with a meal wouldn't really hurt a 14-year-old for instance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posters Posted July 28, 2004 Share Posted July 28, 2004 Parents should also be more open about alcohol and not make it such a taboo (remember that drink and Mirage, mmmm...nice) which just encourages youngsters to try it to find out what the fuss is about.A small glass of wine with a meal wouldn't really hurt a 14-year-old for instance. I completely agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tranq Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 Imagine bringing in the prohibition era. ***Tumbleweed rolls down the prom*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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