The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Parties urged to take a stand on alcohol-related issues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 07, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Parties urged to take a stand on alcohol-related issues

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: Political parties should take a stand on alcohol-related issues in the 2009 elections, said Indian Alcohol Policy Alliance, TTK Hospital and PAADAM, in a statement.

Instead of being compelled to make a choice between enforcing prohibition or permitting sale, both of which were not viable in the current political scenario, parties could reduce the harm related to alcohol consumption by committing themselves to three policy-level decisions, the statement said.

The first was to restrict availability in terms of price and ease of access, by which alcohol consumption as well as harm could be reduced in a cost-effective manner. In the Indian scenario, this meant reducing the number of sales outlets, restricting the time of sale, eradicating illicit liquor and ensuring that the price of alcohol was maintained at a high level. The other policy prescription was to strictly enforce driving laws and legal age limit for purchase of alcohol.

A percentage of revenue earned from sale of alcohol must be earmarked for awareness and intervention programmes.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu