Otago Polytechnic Students’ Assoc.
Media Release
Attn: Political & Parliamentary Reporters
Drink with Training Wheels
“There is no excuse for 18 and 19 year olds not to learn some personal responsibility for their behaviour. Banning them
from supervised licensed premises will do nothing to help them learn personal responsibility about alcohol.
“It is ridiculous to think that people suddenly turn 20 and are able to pop down to an off-licence and buy 8 bottles of
vodka and drink responsibility. Yet this is exactly what the current bill to raise the purchase age of alcohol to 20
presumes.
“A more sensible approach would be to allow people supervised access to alcohol (i.e. at a pub) before being able to
have unlimited access at a bottle-store. OPSA urges politicians to amend bill to increase the age of purchase to only
apply to off-licence alcohol sales only.
ENDS