New Zealand has a notorious drinking culture compared to other countries, a culture in which needs adjusting. Not only how much New Zealander’s are drinking, but also the age in which New Zealanders start drinking. There needs to be a change. New Zealander’s need to veer away from the drinking to excess and take a step towards responsible drinking in moderation. . At 18 years old New Zealanders are allowed to purchase and consume alcohol. Adjusting the law, allowing those that are 18 years and over to consume alcohol under supervision, such as in bars and in restaurants, but allowing only those 20 years and over to purchase alcohol from supermarkets and bottle shops, will minimize the ever growing amount of binge drinking done by teens.

Alcohol is too available for teens. Studies have shown that over 58% of secondary school students have drunk alcohol before, a figure that is too high. Large sums of alcohol at a low cost are too easily available for teens. Teens are stocking up on cheap alcohol and binge drinking before venturing out to bars and clubs, even just the city streets, to continue more drinking. A bottle of wine at the supermarket can come as cheap as $9, which to most teens is no hole in their pocket at the expense of a drunken night out. Whereas a bottle of wine purchased from a restaurant or bar is generally no cheaper than $32, a price in which no teen, nor student will be willing or able to pay. To prevent future generations of New Zealanders following the same path to binge drinking, change needs to happen now.

Is it right that overnight teenagers go from having no drinking privileges at all to then being able to purchase and then consume as much alcohol as they desire with no necessary supervision? Having a 2 year gap between turning 18 and 20 allows people to learn their alcohol limits and earn the maturity needed to drink. Not only are 18 year olds able to go out and purchase their own alcohol, it is highly likely that they are also purchasing alcohol on behalf of their underage friends, a crime in which is not yet recognised as being so dangerous at such a young age. Allowing New Zealanders that are not mature enough yet to respect the privilege of unsupervised drinking is enabling those under the age of 18 easier access to alcohol. The different maturity levels of an 18 year old compared to a 20 year old is unarguably huge and it is highly likely a 20 year old would so willing provides alcohol to somebody not of age. It is near impossible to prevent people of age purchasing alcohol for those under the legal age limit, but it is doubtful a 20 year old adult would willing purchase alcohol on behalf of someone aged 16 or 17, whereas the odds of an 18 year old doing so is almost definite. Introducing the legal age of purchasing alcohol at 20 will minimize the accessibility of alcohol for teens by diminishing their connections to those of age. The same applies with people under the age of 18 passing on a fake ID and being able to purchase alcohol by faking the identity of an 18 year old. If the age was 20 it would make it a lot harder for young teens to find fake IDS as The difference from a 15 year old and a 20 year old are quite prominent. 

It has been debated that at 18 years of age you are considered an adult, and therefore should be allowed the right to purchase and consume alcohol without supervision. What is more adult, getting unconsciously drunk of a $11 pack of RTDS and stumbling up and down queen street rejected entry from majority of licensed bars and clubs, or respectfully enjoying a drink alongside a group of friends in the controlled social environment of a bar, restaurant or club? Until 18 year olds prove they can handle such responsibilities as adults, they shouldn’t be provided such easy access to such a dangerous and deadly substance.

A young man collapsed drunk on Aucklands queen street.
Reference: (Thompson, 2012)http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10831111

The above photo shows a young New Zealander drunk to the point where he has collapsed in the middle of Queen Street, his surrounding pairs look less than concerned as this is partly normal.

It is undeniable that introducing any new law that has the ability to affect such a large part of the country will result in debate. Introducing the law to those who are not yet 18 only will reduce the impact on New Zealanders. Leaving those who are already 18 and 19 the rights to still purchase alcohol as the law was on their 18^th birthday, slowly introducing the law to the next generations of drinking’s. This way the law will not disrupt or confiscate rights from those who feel the law is taking a way part of their adulthood.

The drinking culture of New Zealanders needs to be changed. It is an on going issue that continues to negatively impact generation after generation of kiwis. It is not an issue that can be resolved overnight. It will take years for the age we start drinking to increase, but it is a resolution that is more than worth the effort. 

References:

(Romanos, 2012) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10802765

(Thompson, 2012)http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10831111

(The Drinking Age Laws)http://www.alcohol.org.nz/legislation-policy/sale-liquor-act/drinking-age-laws

(Impact Of Reducing Drinking Age, 2013)http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/tag/drinking_age

(Romanos, 2012)http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10802765

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