Hungary to tighten alcohol sales regulations

The law regulating alcohol consumption will soon become stricter in Hungary, the first step being that alcohol bottles with come with labels warning about the harmful effect of the substance, reports Népszabadság. Such efforts to prevent alcohol abuse are highly encouraged by the WHO, which has recently asked the member states to integrate their alcohol strategy. The WHO is especially concerned about the alcohol consumption of young people and pregnant women.

Of the EU member states, the annual amount of alcohol consumed per person is the highest in Hungary, and we have one million alcoholics. According to Mihály Kökény, vice president of the healthcare committee of the Parliament, strict measures are needed to combat and prevent alcoholism. One of these would be to ban liquor from food stores, cafeterias, train stations and clubs frequented by young people, and limit its trade to special stores.

Furthermore, alcohol could be bought only from the age of 21. The taxes on liquor would be higher, and the penalties against drunk driving would become stricter, perhaps even including taking possession of the car.

Already in some cities and districts of Budapest, selling alcohol during the night and street drinking is prohibited.

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