Teens On Milky Alcopops a Cashcow For Govt

new-zealand-first-party

Thu Dec 19 2002 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Teens On Milky Alcopops a Cashcow For Govt

Thursday, 19 December 2002, 3:21 pm
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

Teens On Milky Alcopops Are Merely A Cash Cow For The Government

The Government is shedding crocodile tears over the problems created by teenagers bingeing on huge amounts of cheap and alcoholic-laden drinks.

New Zealand First law and order spokesperson Ron Mark said that if the Government was serious about the problem of youth drinking excessive quantities of alcohol, it would immediately push the drinking age back up to 20 and stop the liquor industry’s insidious targeting of young people.

“Instead, it has turned a blind eye to the liquor industry’s failure in meeting its responsibilites and attempted to disprove anecdotal reports of risky drinking trends by quoting academic reports and statistics,” said Mr Mark.

“Damien O’Connor’s latest suggestion that certain drinks be banned or taxed more heavily is merely a realisation that teenagers loading up every week on high-alcohol and low-taxed drinks could bring in thousands of extra dollars in revenue.

“While my Bill to increase the drinking age has a remote possibility of being plucked from the private members’ ballot, the health and safety of young people continues to be at risk and they continue to be plucked drunk from the streets by police and emergency services,” said Mr Mark.

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