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Legal Age for Alcohol & Tobacco consultation process sees resounding response for increase to 18 |
gibfocus - 23rd January 2008
(2008-01-23 16:03:00 )
Following a consultation process on the legal age for alcohol and tobacco consumption, it appears there has been an overwhelmingly response for raising the age from 16 to 18.
The Government today announced that the Ministry for Families, Children and Youth Affairs and the Ministry for Justice have concluded the consultation process, and found a significant response both from individuals and non-governmental organizations to increase the legal age for alcohol and tobacco consumption.
Those participating have included the NASUWT/Gibraltar Teachers? Association, the teachers of Westside and Bayside Comprehensive schools, the teachers of the Gibraltar College of Further Education as well as the Gibraltar Women?s Association, Women In Need, Parental Support Group, Childline, J. M. Memorial Foundation and Families Anonymous.
All the non-governmental organizations that have participated in the process have overwhelmingly welcomed the proposed increase. Of those who have put in an individual response, only three disagreed with the proposal and one of those agreed with the increase in respect of alcohol but not tobacco.
Bayside Comprehensive, Westside Comprehensive and the Gibraltar College conducted detailed surveys amongst their teachers. Of the 67 teachers in Bayside, 65 agreed with the proposal, 1 disagreed and 1 abstained. At Westside 63 of the 67 teachers agreed and 4 disagreed. The figures at the Gibraltar College were 25 teachers in favour, 1 against and 1 who agreed in respect of alcohol but not tobacco.
Daniel Feetham, the Minister for Justice said ?We are delighted at the level of response which indicates not only the strength of feeling on this important issue but also people?s willingness to actively contribute to these consultative processes.
"Both the Ministry for Justice and the Ministry for Families and Children have also indicated to the Gibraltar Police Authority as part of the consultation process for the 2008-2009 Policing Plan that the police should actively enforce the laws on underage drinking so that no one that sells alcohol can be in any doubt that the Government is committed to tackling the issue of underage drinking.?
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