The Free Market Foundation (FMF) is set to oppose the Department of Trade and Industry\u2019s (dti) National Liquor Policy\u201a which it says \u201cwill effectively ban liquor sales in townships\u201d.<\/p>\n
This\u201a an FMF statement said on Monday\u201a would be a \u201cdouble blow for township business on back of recent smoking legislation\u201d and asked: \u201cwhat\u2019s next for the regulated consumer?\u201d<\/p>\n
New trading hours and zoned areas\u201a under the new policy\u201a \u201ctakes township taverns and related business back to the apartheid years\u201a ignores international evidence and continues mistakes of the past\u201d\u201a the FMF said.<\/p>\n
It \u201cdiscriminates against and harms the poorest in society\u201a predominantly black\u201d and \u201ctransfers law-making functions to the executive rendering the legislative branch of government increasingly redundant\u201d.<\/p>\n
The FMF also has an issue with the proposal to raise the the drinking age from 18 to 21.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current drinking age of 18 has logic. Eighteen-year-olds can drive\u201a vote\u201a marry\u201a pursue a career and enter into contracts\u201a\u201d the FMF statement said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be anomalous if they are allowed to make all of those big decisions in life but cannot have a drink with a meal or a mate or to celebrate their wedding until they reach 21 years of age.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the dti and \u201cdepartment of health bureaucrats advance toward the \u2018nanny state\u2019\u201a they are gradually and surreptitiously removing individual rights and freedoms\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe real question is: where will it end? No one knows what the next agenda will be and where state interference will end.\u201d<\/p>\n
The FMF will be outlining its opposition to the new policy at a briefing on July 23\u201a noting that public comments on it close on August 13.<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on Rand Daily Mail.<\/p>\n
Raising the legal drinking age \u2013 and other proposed liquor laws<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n