HUME LAUNCHES ONLINE PETITION AGAINST DRINKING AGE PLANS

4.50.29pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Jun 2008

Jim Hume, Liberal Democrat MSP for the South of Scotland, has launched an online petition against the Scottish Government's proposal to raise the drinking age for off-sales to 21.

Although the Liberal Democrats agree that radical action must be taken to tackle Scotland's lethal relationship with alcohol, raising the drinking age for off-sales will demonise every under 21 year old as drinking irresponsibly.

Jim Hume is urging people in the South of Scotland who oppose these proposals to sign the online petition.

The petition has been posted on the Scottish Liberal Democrat website and will run alongside the official consultation period for the Government's alcohol strategy. The Liberal Democrats will present the results of the petition to the Health Secretary.

Jim Hume said:

"Raising the drinking age for off-sales to 21 is a totally misguided move by the SNP. It will introduce a presumption that an entire generation of 18 to 20 year-olds in the South of Scotland are irresponsible drinkers and will do nothing to improve relations between government and young people. Indeed, it could do quite the reverse.

"If Scotland is to tackle its drink problem we need the overwhelming majority of young people who drink responsibly on-side and campaigning and setting an example to their generation.

The MSP continued:

"Young people have already been in touch with me to support our opposition to the Government's proposal]. So, the Liberal Democrats have launched an online petition against this absurd move. It will run alongside the Government's own consultation and we will present the findings to the Health Secretary in the Scottish Parliament.

"Our young people are part of the solution, not just part of the problem."