Licensing laws

Press, 21 July 1988, Page 12

Licensing laws

Sir,—Morning after morning, when I open my “Press,” I read of yet another senseless murder, of one young person by another, after or during a drunken party. Instead of liberalising the liquor laws, would it not be common sense if the Government took out full-page advertisements in both our metropolitan and main provincial newspapers, spelling out, in simple terms, the effect of liquor on the human brain and on human behaviour? The advertisements could say how the association fibres of the brain are numbed, with resultant inaction of the reasoning faculties of the cerebral cortex (or “new” brain) and consequent behavioural control at the thalamic level (control of behaviour by emotion rather than by reason),

and eventually the putting out of action of the cerebellum, so that the individual cannot control his gait. At Sunnyside Hospital, they have individuals with master’s degrees who will never be able to live outside an institution because of alcohol.—Yours, etc., S. L. DONALDSON. July 16, 1988.

Sir,—lt is surprising that the Attorney-General and Minister of .„ Justice should bring before ’. Parliament a bill to extend the < » availability of alcohol by legalis- ; ing the sale of wine by super- • markets. For discerning use, by those who appreciate the fine qualities of wine, there are many purchasing outlets already, with considerable competition. Increasing availability by supermarket sales will, no doubt, start a price war and the highproducing wines will eventually be priced equivalent to beer and J - be treated a§ such. With wine having three; times as much alcohol, considerable self-discip-line will be required by all with 4 this probable change of refresh- *. ment. The Minister of Justice ’ p must know it is a trait that in many cases is sadly lacking in our youth. Perhaps the supermarket sale of wine is a smokescreen for not lowering the drinking age to 18, but he would be helping our youth much more by' not encouraging this very dangerous change-over to wine by increasing its availability.— Yours, etc., JULIET MANSON. July 18, 1988.