On Thursday, Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina launched the inter-ministerial permanent focus group on underage drinking.

The first task of the permanent focus group is to implement and monitor a national information campaign to educate people on the harmful effects of underage binge drinking and the legal implications of the proposed law, said Minister Cristina.

At present, it is illegal for minors to buy alcohol but not to consume alcohol or to ask someone to buy it on their behalf.

Under the new law, it will be illegal for anyone to sell or purchase alcohol on behalf of minors or supply or serve alcohol to minors in a public place, street or shop, explained Minister Cristina.

Minors cannot consume alcohol in any shop, street or public place and attempt to obtain alcohol in anyway.

It will also be illegal for minors to falsely represent their age to obtain alcohol or for its consumption.

The bill on underage drinking will be discussed in parliament after the summer recess.

Mrs Cristina said that education is the key to this law’s success and that the awareness campaign will be launched in the near future.

“It is not enough to enact a law if people are not informed about it,” she said. “Education lies at the very heart of positive social change and this is why the focus group was set up.”

Young people need to understand that they do not need to drink to be cool or accepted by their friends, she added.

“This law addresses a pressing problem in Malta. Recent statistics have shown that a high percentage of young people are binge drinking,” said Mrs Cristina.

A multi-pronged approach will be used in the education campaign: schools, the alcohol industry, and youths themselves will need to spread the message.

English language schools also need to push forward the message about underage drinking with foreign students.

The proposed law and the Information Act calls for a change in mentality in Maltese culture, she added.

“Parents are expected to ensure that their teenage children respect the law and do not indulge in behaviour that can seriously harm them and others,” she said.

Parents cannot rely solely on enforcement action taken by the authorities but can be held responsible by the court if an offence could have been avoided.

Mrs Cristina explained that the focus group was the result of a Cabinet decision and representatives of the Family and Social Solidarity Ministry, Youth, Education and Employment Ministry, Justice and Home Affairs Ministry, Health Ministry and Office of Parliamentary Secretary for Small Businesses and Self-Employed form part of the focus group.

The National Commission on the Abuse of Drugs, Alcohol and other Dependencies and a representative from Agenzija Sedqa are also on the group.

The campaign will complement other campaigns run by the Health Promotion Department and Sedqa.