The Health Ministry is considering a list of legislation proposals to help battle the growing trend of binge drinking and drunk driving among Israel’s youth. Perhaps most controversial among them is a recommendation to raise the minimum age for the legal consumption of alcohol.
According to a draft of a ministry document that was revealed on Channel 2 news, the Health Ministry is weighing emulating other countries, notably the US, and raising the drinking age from 18 to 21.
Another proposal that was mentioned in the document was the placing of legal responsibility on sellers of alcohol if their customers get involved in accidents or violent incidents. Such a law would supposedly encourage bar and pub owners to cut people off if they see that they are too drunk.
Another suggestion was to install special systems in vehicles of people with DUI charges, to prevent their cars from starting if they are drunk.
Other proposals included prohibiting the sale of alcohol after 11 p.m. and raising the price of alcohol as a disincentive for purchase. A tax hike on alcoholic beverages was implemented July 1, raising the cost of many cheaper local products while dropping it for more expensive imported spirits.
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