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JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

France puts a cork in alcohol sales to youth

World Mar. 12, 2009 - 05:57AM JST ( 25 )

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25 Comments

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likeitisMar. 12, 2009 - 08:41AM JST

It is amazing that the article to be so long, yet the only "problem" they mention is that regular drinking among 16 year olds rose from 8 percent to 13 percent.

So, uh, teen pregnancy up? Drunk driving accidents? Drunken brawls? Rapes? What?

What is it these lawmakers have got their panties in a bunch about, and suddenly have to make this change in the law?

I am thinking they just don't have anything better to do with their time and are shooting at an issue for some sort of political gain, perhaps thinking parents will see them as caring about teens or something.

Seems to me that if you want to find a "problem" here, its not the drinking age, but rather some other flaw to explain the rise in regular alcohol use. They should be addressing that if they see a problem, because that is what changed in the equation. Counseling and campaigns at school would be a much smarter option than trying to fight the wind and stop 16 year olds from drinking.
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skipthesongMar. 12, 2009 - 11:36AM JST

In a double-whammy, legislators voted to ban the sale of tobacco for those under 18, the latest step in a progressive crackdown on smoking."

Yes, yes! Now ban it all across the country and then the continent.
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telecasterplayerMar. 12, 2009 - 12:30PM JST

Banning tobacco: Great. That's one plant that doesn't do a bit of good. Just gives people heart disease and cancer.

This article is scant on info, but I read some stuff from 4 and 5 years ago that said youth binge-drinking was up in France. So, it's not like it's a puritanical cluster-plook out of nowhere, this has been coming.
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kinnikuMar. 12, 2009 - 12:31PM JST

likeitis,

Actually, I too, would like to see such data. I had always though the French had a pretty decent way of handling the alcohol question. Why the sudden change I wonder?
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hoserfellaMar. 12, 2009 - 01:34PM JST

likeitis-instead of spouting off with a knee-jerk reaction against the issue. Why didn't u take 30 seconds and google "France, alcoholism"?? You'd find the answer to your little questions are; yes, yes, yes and yes. pretty simple.
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likeitisMar. 12, 2009 - 01:38PM JST

telecasterplayer: Banning tobacco: Great. That's one plant that doesn't do a bit of good. Just gives people heart disease and cancer.

The problem is not the plant. The problem is the junk the companies lace it with.
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kinnikuMar. 12, 2009 - 01:47PM JST

hoserfella,

Although I think your tone was a tad harsh, I took your advice and googled the words you suggested. Sure enough, it does seem that it has been a problem for quite some time. Thanks for the heads up. I actually did not think of googling either... Anyway, in today's world, a bit more protection for the under 18 set is probably a good thing for the most part.
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likeitisMar. 12, 2009 - 01:57PM JST

hoserfella, you sort of missed the point. I did not ask the questions because I am so greatly concerned about it. I asked the questions because they are core to the issue in my opinion yet absent from the article. I would have expected better points to be present. Just having this thin lame one seems odd. I would think these people would be clearly hammering those points if they were present.

I did a web search, and no, your short easy answers did not jump out at me. But since you already did a search, and got all those answers, perhaps you could post some links? Or did you spout off with a knee-jerk reaction and just answer "yes" to all?

And why did you dodge the question "what?". Oh, I see. Despite your little searches answering more than a yes/no question is just too much trouble.
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MadvertsMar. 12, 2009 - 04:35PM JST

"I had always though the French had a pretty decent way of handling the alcohol question. Why the sudden change I wonder?"

Sarko.
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NessieMar. 12, 2009 - 04:50PM JST

“In France, we’ve always had a hard time saying we are sick because of alcohol,” said Philippe Batel, a psychiatrist specializing in treating alcoholism.

With eight weeks of vacation, who needs to say they're sick because of alcohol? Just stay home.
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timeonMar. 12, 2009 - 04:58PM JST

let me see: 35 hours work/week, eight weeks vacation/year, starting salaries at about 5000 euros (in my field), booze flowing freely. what the hell am I doing in Japan??
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MadvertsMar. 12, 2009 - 05:24PM JST

Timeon,

For a decent salary here you can forget about the 35 hour week.
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timeonMar. 12, 2009 - 05:47PM JST

Madverts, I know very well :( I get depressed if I try to count the numbers of hours I work, especially if I check my salary too...
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rollonarteMar. 12, 2009 - 05:53PM JST

Bowing to increasing pressure from the fundies.

But then, this is the French, they live to bend over.

Moderator: Please lift the level of your contributions or you will be leaving us.
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MadvertsMar. 12, 2009 - 10:19PM JST

rollo,

As someone who once stated that the Catholic religion was "alien to France" I do make alowances for your total lack of knowledge in regards to la hexagone.

Sarko is the king of repression - and in a country where up until now it has been sociably acceptable to be an alcoholic, I'm not surprised something is being done about the problem. Sadly, the crack-down on drink-driving only means people ae now gettinf sozzled un-sociably at home.....

...talk about making the problem worse.
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SargeMar. 12, 2009 - 10:55PM JST

"all-you-can-drink events"

That's dumb. Very bad for your liver.
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kinnikuMar. 12, 2009 - 11:01PM JST

Madverts,

Sarko.

You think he is what's driving them to drink?
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MadvertsMar. 13, 2009 - 12:41AM JST

Kinnuku,

I think most westerners drink too much on average. It's more socially acceptable to drink in France, i.e. the bottle of wine I shared with a trade supplier today over lunch (heh, 2hrs and 5 courses).

But to answer your question, whilst Sarkozy is the chief engineer of the restrictions on freedom and hyped-up police presence nationaly both as interior minister and then president - drinking l'apréo is a national pastime.

And let's face it - the UK is the leader in binge-drinking youth and adult alike...
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MadvertsMar. 13, 2009 - 12:43AM JST

"all-you-can-drink events"

Hmm, these events seem to happen in towns everywhere most weekends....all over Europe, the US and elsewhere.
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ThenewfrontMar. 13, 2009 - 04:54AM JST

Madverts: The leaders in binge drinking are the Fins, German, and Russians, not the French or British.
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MadvertsMar. 13, 2009 - 05:52PM JST

I'd be interested to see what statistics you've read. A brief Google brings back very little - apparently Britain is No.4 when it comes to youth binge drinking...

I've lived in France for over ten years, though on trips back to the UK it's a constant source of amazement on a night out how things are quickly getting worse....16 yr old girls sat giggling in their on vomit on the pavement in a drunken stupor with their boobies half hanging out isn't a regular sight in France yet...