IMPACT ON CONSUMPTION OF A HIGHER LEGAL DRINKING AGE

Increasing the legal drinking age to 21 goes against global trends most countries have an 18-year age limit. Nevertheless, the study concludes that increasing the age to 21 will lead to a reduction in alcohol consumption, in binge drinking, in alcohol-related traffic injuries and in alcoholrelated traffic fatalities. The assessment states that it would lead to a reduction in consumption of 5% - 12%.

After the Enyobeni tavern tragedy, in which children as young as 13 were served alcohol, the president was quoted as saying he had received calls saying we should increase the age of drinking to 21 and that perhaps this needed a national debate.24 The Genesis Analytics study states that changing the age must be accompanied by other measures, including effective enforcement otherwise many young people will migrate to unlicensed outlets to continue getting access to alcohol. The study found that in 2017, the average ratio of licensed to unlicensed outlets was 1:2.3. In other words, for every one licensed outlet, right across the country there were 2.3 unlicensed outlets. In some areas it is as high as 5.

“If young kids of 13 are drinking, when the age of drinking is 18, what would persuade them to stop if the age went up to 21? Well, nothing. Unless many other measures are put into place, including: more effective enforcement, more effective control by authorities and communities over unlicensed outlets as well as non-compliant licensed outlets and measures which encourage young people to engage in other more beneficial social activities than drinking.”

Maurice Smithers, SAAPA executive director

The study also suggests that there may be constitutional obstacles to changing the age, as the Constitution has declared 18 as the age of majority. The DTIC has raised this issue as well.

Summary of Impact of Advertising Restrictions and Higher LDA

* The study concludes that increasing the drinking age to 21 and restricting advertising will result in a 3.2% to 7.45% reduction in alcohol consumption among drinkers aged 15+.

* Implementing these measures will also lead to 185 fewer alcohol-related traffic fatalities annually.

* Although the study couldn’t quantify the impact on other health and social outcomes, these measures are likely to see a reduction in incidences of HIV contraction and interpersonal violence.