Bill restricts minors' access to alcohol

Manila Bulletin 11 hours ago

AFP News - Pedestrians walk past a store selling alcoholic beverages at a mall in Manila on January 1, 2013. A "sin tax" on cigarettes and alcohol dampened the New Year party spirit when it was introduced in more

Manila, Philippines -- As experts verified the link between alcohol and violence among young drinkers, a neophyte lawmaker pushed for the approval of a measure that would outlaw drinking of liquor and other intoxicating drinks among minors. Quezon Rep. Angelina D.L. Tan filed House Bill 258 seeking to prohibit access of minors to alcoholic drink or intoxicating liquor or beverage. Tan said that among the prohibited acts to be penalized under the bill are the selling or entertaining the purchase of alcoholic drinks to minors who are defined under the bill as youths below 18 years old.

Minors will be barred from consuming liquors and alcoholic beverages. Elders are also prohibited from asking minors to buy alcoholic drinks for them. Tan also seeks barring minor from beer houses, videoke bars, nightclubs and other establishment whose line of business is selling and serving alcoholic drinks. Citing a report of the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs of the United Kingdom, Tan said alcohol can be more harmful than heroin or crack when comparing the overall dangers of these substances. ''The US Department of Health and Human Services also found out that early drinking can cause later alcohol problems that can be a major cause of death and injury among young people,'' she said. The administration lawmaker said that research and studies conducted by a number of international agencies showed that underage alcohol consumption ''increases the risk of carrying out or becoming a victim of physical or sexual assault.'' A doctor, Tan said that a study on Philippine situation by the World Health Organization has discovered that two out of 10 Filipinos ages 15 to 18 and six out of ten young Filipinos drink. ''According to the WHO Youth Violence and Alcohol Fact Sheet, 14 percent of 15-24 years old reported physically hurting someone due to drinking,'' she said. ''It was also discovered that many Filipinos are binge drinkers which result in domestic violence, rape and physical abuse.'' The bill imposes imprisonment of not more than three months and a fine of not less than P10,000 for persons found guilty of violating provisions of the measure.

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