Feb 14: In India where the voting age is 18 but the Legal age varies from 25-21 years with people desirous of reduction to at least 21, German Government’s Drugs Czar, Burkhard Blienert has proposed raising it- to 18, when people can buy beer and wine from the current 16, as he supports cracking down on alcohol and tobacco advertising already banned in India where only surrogate advertising is common and one can buy tobacco, gutka and similar products at 18, writes Subhash Arora
Burkhard Blienert is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who has been serving as Commissioner on Narcotic Drugs at the Federal Ministry of Health in the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz since 2022. He had previously suggested allowing the controlled sale of cannabis. The recent appointee to the Post by the new center-left government was a member of the German Bundestag (Parliament) from 2013 to 2017.
Proposing to raise the legal age when people can buy beer and wine from 16 to 18, the German government’s drugs czar told Die Welt daily in an interview published on Friday that he believes there are “many medical reasons” to increase the purchase age even for lower-strength alcoholic beverages. Currently, minors are allowed to order and drink wine and beer in public places, bars and restaurants, as long as they are in the company and with the permission of a Custodial Person.
Teens as young as 14 are allowed to drink beer, wine or champagne in the presence of their parents or guardians. He is in favour of abolishing this practice.
Blienert said he favours significant restrictions on alcohol, tobacco and gambling advertising. But the Conservatives have expressed concern about the proposed change to the drinking age.
When a teenager drinks his first glass of wine or beer with his father, it’s much better than getting blind drunk at a party,” Tino Sorge of the opposition Union bloc reportedly told the Rheinische Post daily.
Subhash Arora
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