Rejects the proposal on increasing the age of purchasing alcohol to 20 years – BauskasDzive.lv

Today, the Saeima, in the second reading of the amendments to the Law on the Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages, rejected the proposal that would have prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages to persons under 20 years of age.

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Some of the factions essentially had a “free vote” on the issue, with MPs voting differently.

38 MPs from the Union of Greens and Peasants (ZZS) and “Stability”, as well as some parliamentarians from “Jaunas vietitsas” (JV), National Union (NA) and “United List” (AS) voted for increasing the age threshold.

25 MPs voted against – part of “Progressives”, “Latvija first” (LPV), JV, NA and AS, and 23 MPs from the majority of these same parties abstained.

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Therefore, the parliament has decided contrary to what was previously decided in the Social and Labor Affairs Commission of the Saeima, where this proposal was supported.

Coalition MP Mairit Luse (P) stated that the “Progressives” are “very skeptical” about raising the age, so they cannot support it. The coalition party is said to be ready to support stricter restrictions in other areas, for example, looking for a legally correct solution, how to stop selling alcohol at gas stations, about the placement of alcohol, about special stores for alcohol.

According to Luse, “Progressivie” is a party that not only appeals to young people, but also talks to them, and they have heard from young people that they are not related to the desire to drink, but they are worried about this regulation. “Young people, just like social workers, who are also worried, see that in this way young people will be pushed into the previously mentioned “Telegram”, Internet sites where young people will not only buy alcohol, but also take many other illegal and uncontrolled substances, ” claimed the politician.

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The former Minister of Health Ingrīda Circene (JV) invited the “doubtful” together with the social service to visit and inspect the drunkards’ lodgings, where all the money, including the benefits granted by the state and municipalities, is consumed, and the family is left without food and without income. “Loss due to alcohol producers’ damage to municipalities is 45 million euros. Imagine how many rare patients or oncology patients could receive civilized European-level treatment with this money,” said the deputy.

Member of the Circenes party, MP Jānis Reirs (JV) expressed that during the discussions he was not convinced of the correctness of the proposal. Looking at the data, one could conclude that medical calls refer to young people between 18 and 20 years old, but they also refer to young people under 18 years old, according to the politician, arguing that raising the age threshold will not bring any result.

Opposition MPs Andris Kulbergs (AS) and Artūrs Butāns (NA) allowed a compromise option, that on the third reading the age threshold could be divided according to the strength of alcohol. “We would allow light alcohol from the age of 18, and we would think about a higher age threshold for strong alcohol – or one like here, or even higher. Therefore, I would say that the direction is right, but we need to think carefully about how we implement, whether we are not hitting even bigger risks,” Butan said.

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At present, alcohol can be bought by persons over the age of 18.

Along with the amendments supported today, it is intended to limit the advertising, marketing and availability of alcoholic beverages. It is also planned to ensure that the consumer will receive additional information about the energy value, nutritional value and composition of alcoholic beverages.

In order to reduce the impulsive purchase of alcohol, the amendments provide for the prohibition of sales promotion measures that offer to buy several units of alcoholic beverages at a lower price, as well as discounts on alcoholic beverages in the consumer loyalty program.

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The amendments intend to establish that the advertising of prices and discounts of alcoholic beverages will be prohibited in press publications, printed advertising publications and publications for consumers, cinemas, websites and online, using postal (including electronic mail) services, as well as in retail outlets where alcoholic beverages are sold.

It is also planned to impose a ban on selling (including using a distance contract) and providing services in places that have or have not been issued a special permit (including beauty salons, hair salons, wedding salons, electrical goods stores, car accessories stores, etc.), to offer alcoholic beverages for free, as a gift or compensation.

The bill also envisages establishing that the retail sale of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption at gaming machines, card, dice and roulette tables or other gambling equipment will be prohibited in places where gambling is organized. The purpose of this norm is to separate two addictive processes, says the annotation of the draft law.

The Saeima will still have to vote on these amendments in the final reading.