-
An alcoholic beverage poured into a glass.
A lobby group has proposed an increase in South Africa’s legal drinking age from 18 to either 21 or even 23.
Gatekeepers South Africa has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa, citing the country’s struggles with alcohol abuse and its link to domestic violence, drunk driving, and other risks.
Despite previous proposals, little progress has been made to take the suggestion forward.
Working for an Alcohol Safer South Africa (WASSA) previously suggested an increase in drinking age.
“We would always support a raise of the age from 18 to 21, which is in the stalled liquor amendment bill from 2016- but 22 will be even better, and that will be for two reasons. One is that there is research that has shown the earlier people start to drink, the more likely they are to have problems with alcohol later on. There’s also evidence that brain development continues into, well in the 20s. We all know alcohol can have an impact on brain development, so therefore if you start drinking later on, it obviously has less potential for having an effect on the brain,” says Coordinator Maurice Smithers.
VIDEO | A discussion on the effects of alcohol consumption:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR9OttCpN40
