Summary:
There are 13 states where the legal drinking age is 21 years.Of Punjab’s total population of 2.12 crore, 37.24 lakh fall in the 18-25 age group.Hotel, Restaurant and Resort Association (HRRA), Punjab, has written to Punjab chief minister for reducing the legal drinking age to 18 years, bringing it at par with Goa and other states. “Tourists below the age of 25 years coming from other states raise objections over not being served liquor. CHANDIGARH: The Punjab hospitality industry has sought an amendment in the Punjab Intoxicants Licence and Sales Orders, 1956, to bring down the legal drinking age from 25 years to 18 years.The industry is seeking this with an eye on the 18-25 age group -17% of the state's population - to spur liquor sales.Like Punjab, the legal drinking age in Meghalaya , Delhi, Maharashtra (hard liquor), Haryana and Chandigarh is 25 years while in Sikkim, Puducherry , Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Goa it is 18 years. The association has contended that higher drinking age in Punjab is creating a disparity as well as adversely affecting their business and tourism.The association’s Punjab president, Satish Arora, argued that when a person can vote and hold a driving licence on turning 18 years old, why the bar on consuming liquor. “If you give opportunity to consume alcohol at a little early age, there are chances of the person getting dependent on alcohol as compared to someone who starts at a later stage,” said Dr Sidana..