Earlier this week, the Sense Group issued a statement pronouncing itself against the sponsorship of open bar events that target young people and offer an unlimited supply of alcohol at a prepaid price.

The group is supported by the major producers and importers of alcoholic beverages in Malta. Coming from them, the statement therefore carries more weight and could perhaps be the first step towards an outright abolition of such parties. But that is a decision that does not fall under their responsibility.

There has been a lot of debate over the past years on alcohol abuse in Malta. Unfortunately, the country does not have a record that it can be proud of, considering that many Maltese youths have admitted to binge drinking from their early teenage years.

This was confirmed recently in a survey carried out by the Health Promotion Department, which ascertained that the percentage of 15-year-old boys who regularly consume wine has doubled to nearly 80 per cent, while the corresponding statistics for girls has reached 66 per cent. The survey was also worrying because it showed that 64.5 per cent of boys and 45 per cent of girls aged 13 drink beer.

A new law on underage drinking has been presented in Parliament and is currently being debated. It will make illegal the consumption of alcohol by minors – those under the age of 16 – and it will also be illegal to procure or serve alcohol to minors. As things stand now, technically minors can purchase alcohol, and it is only the seller who is breaking the law when he sells it to minors.

Once enacted, this law should be strictly enforced, as it could help curb instances of binge drinking, which has unfortunately become a common trend among Maltese young people.

Open bar parties encourage binge drinking, which is popularly defined as drinking heavily with the specific intention of getting drunk. Such parties have become quite popular in recent years, and their format does encourage the young people who attend to drink much more than they should.

This is because party-goers do not pay for the drinks they consume at the party, but simply buy an entrance ticket that covers all expenses. Naturally, the organisers of such parties do not charge peanuts for these tickets, and therefore party-goers are indirectly pushed to consume as much alcohol as possible to get their money’s worth.

Binge drinking has both short-term and long-term effects. People who get drunk need to get back home and many of them choose to drive in spite of being under the influence of alcohol, putting their life, that of the passengers they have with them in the car and that of pedestrians, at risk. In the long run, heavy drinking can also have other effects on one’s health.

In its statement, the Sense Group said that it had organised various educational campaigns aimed at educating the public to consume alcohol in moderation. The decision taken to stop sponsorship of open bar events “is consistent with the stand that TSG has taken over the years to minimise abuse of alcoholic beverages. We believe that beer, wines and spirits are products that are pleasurable and contribute to societal well being if consumed responsibly by persons above the minimum drinking age.”

The group said that although, admittedly, this decision may work against the immediate short-term gain of its members, it felt it wanted to take a strong stand against binge drinking as it went against its principles.

It is a sensible decision indeed.

Open bar parties could still be held “through parallel importers or else through foreign intermediaries”. But the Sense Group has taken a bold decision that should not go unnoticed. It has opened the way for other decisions that need to be taken to keep youngsters away from alcohol abuse.