Should Denmark raise the minimum age for buying alcohol?
Up to 30,000 people between the ages of 15 and 24 have received treatment at hospital emergency wards over the last year after drinking alcohol. A charity has called for politicians to consider changing the minimum age for buying alcoholic drinks.
The figure comes from a special analysis carried out by the National Institute for Public Health on behalf of cancer charity the Danish Cancer Society (Kræftens Bekæmpelse).
The size of the number was described as “shocking” by the charity’s head of prevention Mette Lolk Hanak.
“We were well aware that many young people get into a situation they don’t like because they’ve had to much to drink. But I have to say I’m shocked at the number,” she said.
The charity spokesperson suggested that it was a sign that many young people in Denmark begin drinking at too young an age.
The number does not include a breakdown of the specific injuries treated in the alcohol-related hospital visits.
“But you can assume that when they go to an accident and emergency department, it’s not for fun,” Hanak said.
The National Institute for Public Health has previously found that one young person dies every month in Denmark after drinking alcohol.
The result of the analysis comes amid an ongoing political discussion around potentially raising legal limits for purchasing alcohol.
READ ALSO: Danish stores and doctors call for digital ID to prevent underage alcohol sales
Under current laws, the minimum age for purchasing strong alcohol like liquor is 18, while 16 year-olds can purchase alcoholic drinks with percentages lower than 16-5 percent alcohol content, such as beer.
The previous, single-party Social Democratic government last year suggested the age limit for buying alcohol should be set at 18 years uniformly.
Negotiations over a law change are yet to take place and the coalition government has not stated a clear position on the matter.
The Danish Cancer Society says that such a move would reduce the number of binge-drinking related accidents markedly.
“Political initiatives play an important role. We know from what has happened aborad that an 18-year age limit is the most important thing when it comes to changing this,” Hanak said.
“It is at the top of the tool box and we think politicians should make use of it,” she said, adding that as well as restricting younger people from binge drinking, the law change could help change the culture around drinking alcohol.
Although some people would find other ways to buy the products “for the vast majority an age limit of 18 would mean they don’t buy alcohol,” she said.
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The figure comes from a special analysis carried out by the National Institute for Public Health on behalf of cancer charity the Danish Cancer Society (Kræftens Bekæmpelse).
The size of the number was described as “shocking” by the charity’s head of prevention Mette Lolk Hanak.
“We were well aware that many young people get into a situation they don’t like because they’ve had to much to drink. But I have to say I’m shocked at the number,” she said.
The charity spokesperson suggested that it was a sign that many young people in Denmark begin drinking at too young an age.
The number does not include a breakdown of the specific injuries treated in the alcohol-related hospital visits.
“But you can assume that when they go to an accident and emergency department, it’s not for fun,” Hanak said.
The National Institute for Public Health has previously found that one young person dies every month in Denmark after drinking alcohol.
The result of the analysis comes amid an ongoing political discussion around potentially raising legal limits for purchasing alcohol.
READ ALSO: Danish stores and doctors call for digital ID to prevent underage alcohol sales
Under current laws, the minimum age for purchasing strong alcohol like liquor is 18, while 16 year-olds can purchase alcoholic drinks with percentages lower than 16-5 percent alcohol content, such as beer.
The previous, single-party Social Democratic government last year suggested the age limit for buying alcohol should be set at 18 years uniformly.
Negotiations over a law change are yet to take place and the coalition government has not stated a clear position on the matter.
The Danish Cancer Society says that such a move would reduce the number of binge-drinking related accidents markedly.
“Political initiatives play an important role. We know from what has happened aborad that an 18-year age limit is the most important thing when it comes to changing this,” Hanak said.
“It is at the top of the tool box and we think politicians should make use of it,” she said, adding that as well as restricting younger people from binge drinking, the law change could help change the culture around drinking alcohol.
Although some people would find other ways to buy the products “for the vast majority an age limit of 18 would mean they don’t buy alcohol,” she said.
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