However, the Saeima does not support raising the alcohol purchase age; takes a step closer to other restrictions / Article

Similar to what the Saeima commission decided earlier, the majority of MPs also supported the fact that:

• on weekdays and Saturdays, alcohol may be sold from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on Sundays – from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.;
• the nutritional value and chemical composition of alcoholic beverages will be indicated on the labels of alcoholic beverages;
• advertising of alcohol prices and discounts will be prohibited in retail outlets where alcoholic beverages are sold (including by distance contract on the website and mobile app), in press publications, printed advertising publications and publications for consumers, in cinemas, on websites and online, as well as using postal services;
• alcohol will not be banned from being sold on the Internet, but distance sales will be limited by determining that at least six hours must pass from the moment of ordering to receiving the drink.

In addition, the Saeima supported the initiative of the Ministry of Health to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages with a strength of more than 22 degrees in small-volume packages of less than 0.2 liters.

Rejects raising the age limit

At the same time, the majority of the Saeima rejected the proposal previously supported by the commission to raise from 18 to 20 the age threshold at which young people can purchase alcoholic beverages. Skepticism about such a step was expressed by Mairita Luse, MP from the “Progressive” party in the coalition, and Jānis Reirs, the MP representing the prime minister’s party (“Jaunā Vienotība”).

“In this way, young people will be pushed to the previously mentioned “Telegram”, Internet sites where young people will not only buy alcohol, but also take many other illegal and uncontrolled substances with them. In this way, I would say, we reduce respect for the law by passing the law , which we clearly see that young people will not be able to comply with, and we will contribute to the fact that respect for the law is falling. I will repeat: we are ready to discuss stricter regulation in other matters, we cannot support such age limit,” said Luse.

“As a result of this discussion, I am not convinced that the proposed solution is the right solution. If we look at the data that Mrs. Circenes kindly offered us, then practically we could conclude that all this applies to young people between the ages of 18 and 20, all medical calls, all bad. This also applies to young people, under 18. So, raising this age threshold to the current situation in our country will not give any result. And I think that the government will also sees the issue of red tape reduction, over-regulation, regulation. Those who are not law-abiding will always find a way and a method to circumvent the law,” said Reirs.

A stricter age limit was supported by 38 parliamentarians, 25 were against and another 23 abstained; therefore, the proposal is rejected.

Several MPs urged for the third reading to establish a different age limit for the purchase of strong and lighter alcoholic beverages.

“With this decision, we are saying that you, a twenty-year-old adult, you can shoot, you can get married, you can drive a car, you can vote and you can also end up behind bars, but we will not trust you to open a bottle. I think it is not reasonable to raise this age, because, in my opinion, the culture of alcohol consumption must be changed. (..) We will practically only achieve the fact that our culture, the beer culture, will simply disappear (..) Heavy alcohol should be subject to age restrictions , and for light alcohol, which is definitely not considered in many countries, including ours, as hard alcohol, it is like a food product – beer. It is from 18 years old,” said MP Andris Kulbergs (“Joint List”).

MP, former Minister of Health Ingrīda Circene (“Jauna Vionetība”) opposed it, emphasizing the scourge caused by alcoholism: “It is difficult to describe in words what happens in drunkards’ dens, I have seen it, my work has been connected with it. I I cordially invite all of you who question the usefulness of restricting alcohol consumption to join the work of hospital reception departments as volunteers.

Over the course of three years, 850 children under the age of 18 with severe alcohol intoxication have been admitted to the Children’s Hospital.”

The head of the Social and Labor Affairs Commission of the Saeima, Andri Bērziņa from the Union of Greens and Farmers, was not surprised by the negative vote on the idea of ​​setting the age of 20 for the purchase of all types of alcohol. He previously defended it, because similarly from next year, the law will also allow the purchase of tobacco products from the age of 20. Bērziņu is interested in exactly what proposals the commission will receive for the final reading of the Law on the Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages: “Either the split option for one age threshold for the purchase of beer, cider, wine and to raise the age for the purchase of strong alcohol to 20 years. Then another option: light ones – cider and beer , medium – alcohol – another formula – not to change the age, but it can be anything. I knew that the discussions would be like this .”

Still to be decided in the 3rd reading

In the second reading, the Saeima supported other measures previously planned in the commission without further debate.

Restrictions to curb the alcoholism epidemic should be stricter, deputy Circene argued in the debate: “Loss due to alcohol-related damage in local governments is 45 million. Imagine how many rare patients or oncology patients could receive civilized European-level treatment with this money! Amendments to the Law on the Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages do not affect them , who associate alcohol consumption with a fun night out or a glass of wine with friends on the weekend, but those who sit on “Zoom” every night in Alcoholics Anonymous clubs and motivate each other to wait for the moment when the alcohol outlets close.”

The Social and Labor Affairs Commission of the Saeima will accept the proposals for the final reading in two weeks. The head of the commission Andris Bērziņš promises to hold discussions and vote on them in the final reading until the summer break, and

it is planned that the changes in the law will enter into force from 2025.