Juvenile alcoholism

Thank you and well done to Philip Farrugia Randon for hitting the nail on the head (May 13) in relation to the problem of juvenile alcoholism in Malta, and also on the issue of the facile sale and availability of alcoholic beverages to under-age youngsters.

Binge drinking and alcohol abuse with our teenagers is, unfortunately, an "in" thing.

The damaging are not only the possible tragic loss of life due to accidents caused by drink-driving but also the more probable loss in terms of an unfulfilled potential of future adulthood and the risk of producing a forthcoming alcohol-dependent generation.

I am not sure how fully aware we are of the alarming fact that drinking among 15- and 16-year-olds in Malta is, according to statistics, the worst in Europe. Surely now, as figures continue to increase, it is time for parents, grandparents and, indeed, the authorities to lobby for measures to not only curtail and reverse but possibly eliminate this trend. While the warning lights within many concerned family units may be flickering, it is on a much vaster plane and arena that we must tackle this problem. The following measures should be implemented im-mediately.

1. Revise the minimum drinking age from 16 to 18 years (it is worth noting that in the US it is 21) with compulsory ID card verification when in doubt.

2. Strict and non-flexible enforcement of the law, i.e. making certain that the ban on the sale of alcohol to those under the minimum drinking age is rigidly implemented and moreover, ensuring that heavy fines and long-term suspension or indeed withdrawal of licences are imposed on bars and retail outlets which are found guilty of infringing the law.

The first of these measures requires legislation. Surely being a non-political and non-partisan issue, it should present the occasion for political parties to unite and jointly push towards a fast implementation.

Ensuring that the existing laws are, in fact, rigorously enforced is in the hands of the authorities and ultimately the law courts. Here a tough hand is needed to ensure strict implementation.

The above proposals would at least initiate a much needed antidote to an all too evident malady which is rapidly plaguing our young generations. This is a national issue and as such re-quires urgent attention.

This article is an appeal to all parents and grandparents to put pressure on the relevant authorities.