Are school students celebrating the end of their Board exams with booze? This could well be true if you read a study released early this year.
A survey by Campaign Against Drunken Driving (CADD) on the drinking habits of youngsters in the city has revealed startling results. The minimum drinking age in Delhi has gone down from 28 to 19 years since 1990. In another five to seven years, this figure may come down to 15.
Of the 1000 respondents, 849 fell under the age group of 14-21 years. Delhi’s excise law bans the sale of liquor to or by anyone below 25 years.
The survey says that nearly 80 percent occupancy in pubs and bars is thanks to the presence of drinkers below the age of 25 years. 67 per cent of these are below 21 years. The average age at which young people start drinking is 15 years.
Incidentally, 44.4 percent of Class 12 students had consumed alcohol during the period the survey was conducted. It also cites easy availability of alcohol and lack of checks at the point of sale as reasons for teenagers guzzling booze.
Prince Singhal, CADD founder, said, “The minimum age to drink must be reduced to 21 years which may help in better enforcement of the law.”
21-year-old Sneha Mehta started drinking at 14. “Peer pressure makes you do it,” she said. Are other teens clued in?
{{/usCountry}}21-year-old Sneha Mehta started drinking at 14. “Peer pressure makes you do it,” she said. Are other teens clued in?
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