New Zealands contoversial "split purchase age" Alcohol Reform Bill sends 18 yr olds to a Bar, but not the grocery store

In a very unique experiment to curb teenage drinking, the country of New Zealand is voting on its 2010 Alcohol Reform Bill to modify it to allow people 18 years old to drink in bars, but change the purchase age for home consumption to 20. For some reason many believe that young people that drink in bars instead of at home won't drink more responsibly, but it will curb binge drinking?

Yahoo! poll results: Alcohol reform

Yahoo! New Zealand August 29, 2012, 6:23 am

As the controversial Alcohol Reform Bill goes to air tomorrow for a vote, John Key announced that he would be in favour of a split purchase age for alcohol products.

The rule would stipulate that 18 year-olds could buy liquor in bars, but to buy from an off-license or supermarket, one would need to be 20 years of age.

We polled our readers: Should the alcohol purchase age be split in two?

From a total of 10604 votes, 51% said the age shouldn't be split because it doesn't teach young people to drink responsibly.

44% said the split age would work, and would curb binge drinking.

5% didn't care.

Source: http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/14693350/yahoo-poll-results-alc...

Govt accepts 130 changes to alcohol reform bill

JOHN HARTEVELT Last updated 17:28 25/08/2011

Alcohol sales in dairies will be banned and grocery stores forced to make their liquor sales more discrete after the Government accepted 130 changes to its controversial alcohol reform bill.

The Government has immediately accepted all of their suggested changes and has also announced an expert forum to look in to tighter restrictions on advertising and sponsorship to reduce alcohol-related harm.

The select committee report does not suggest any changes to the proposed split alcohol purchase age, which would allow 18 year olds to drink at a bar but not allow them to buy from an off-license until they turn 20.

Read the rest: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5508011/Govt-accepts-130-change...