The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance’s (SAAPA) Namibia liaison officer, Irene Kauzuu has called on the government to increase the legal alcohol consumption age from 18 to 21.
Kauzuu made the call during a panel discussion on psychosocial support for HIV and Aids patients and substance addicts held here Monday.
The panel also included HIV and AIDS activist Bernard Kamatoto, chairman of the Homeless People’s Parliament Romanzo Steenkamp, and a former teacher and victim of alcohol abuse Bernace Kenaihe.
Kauzuu said most 18-year-olds are young, vulnerable learners who are either in Grade 12 or they have just finished school. The low drinking age thus allows for any Grade 12 learner to legally walk into a liquor outlet and purchase and drink alcohol.
“Our laws allow learners to be in shebeens and if they (government) truly want to address the issue of substance and alcohol abuse they will look at coming up with a policy to regulate and control alcohol,” she said.
SAAPA is an international network in all Southern African Development Community countries advocating for policies that control and regulate alcohol. The organisation was recently launched in Namibia and according to Kauzuu, they will soon approach parliamentarians to come up with a policy that will among other control the density of illegal shebeens that are mushrooming in the country.
She said such a policy could potentially reduce crime in Namibia as according to her most crimes in Namibia comes down to alcohol and substance abuse.
Other panellists and some members of the public who made contributions to the discussion also called on the government to regulate and control the number of shebeens in Namibia.
Original article here.