Cross Post - SA government moves to raise the legal drinking age to 21

[PsychoFish]

http://businesstech.co.za/news/lifes...ing-age-to-21/

I have a huge problem with this. Not the raising of the age, but the reasons for it and the actual application of the law.

A person must take reasonable measures to determine accurately whether
or not a person is [a minor] under the age of twenty one (21) years, before
selling or supplying liquor or methylated spirits to [that] such person;

So are we going to go the US route where if you buy alcohol your ID/Passport/Drivers Licence gets scanned and entered into a sale database?

The manufacturing, distribution or retail sale of liquor in either rural or
urban community is prohibited on any location that is less than five
hundred (500) metres away from schools, place of worship, recreational
facilities, rehabilitation or treatment centres, residential areas, public
institutions and other like amenities.

What about the liquor store that is across the road from the church by my house? Will they have their licence revoked? Where is the separation of Church and state? If your religion is offended by the sale/consumption of alcohol then don't buy it or drink it. Or are you struggling to adult?

Here is a novel bloody idea, why don't you get the police to get off their arses and go to bars/clubs/etc and ask every single bloody person in there for proof of their age? Won't that effectively apply the law?

I understand that alcohol abuse is a major issue in South Africa, this may have some impact on the 18-21 year old range. How about educating the youth and addressing the social issues around alcohol abuse instead of making/amending laws in the hope that it changes something?

[czc]

What next? Prohibition?

[PsychoFish]

What next? Prohibition?

Sharia law, that's what is next.

[VirtualForce]

This country, focusing on surface issues instead of the deeper issues like proper employment creation, getting rid of corruption, crime everywhere, substance abuse, etc....but lets raise the drinking age....who the hell will enforce that properly?

[PsychoFish]

This country, focusing on surface issues instead of the deeper issues like proper employment creation, getting rid of corruption, crime everywhere, substance abuse, etc....but lets raise the drinking age....who the hell will enforce that properly?

Exactly that, the current law is not even enforced properly. Changing the law will have zero effect unless it is enforced to the letter of the law. Until then I don't see any benefit in these laws.