‘18 till I die’ and so goes the lyrics to the ballad singer Bryan Adam’s song. His wishful thinking to stay put at 18 even as the body ages beyond that.
India is the biggest democracy in the world. It boasts of one of the oldest civilizations and for centuries, foreigners have been landing up on the shores of India and making it their home. Compared to other developing countries, India ranks as among the fasting growing economy. This is the country where the youth penetration is the highest in terms of demography. India’s youth below the age of 25 stands at a whopping 50% and above.
No wonder brands target these age groups for most of their products because this is one consumer that easily shells out money without a blink. With BPOs and numerous other job opportunities for the youth and at an age where life is still a playground, youth don’t mind doling out cash for a lifestyle that suits their age and mentality. And so it’s a win-win situation for the parties except one – the alcohol industry.
Poor guys in the alcohol industry nearly drowned in their own drinks when the government lifted the age limit for alcohol consumption to 25 years (Kingfisher Airlines not withstanding). A major share of the market got distilled for no fault of the alcohol industry. Today, a youngster has to think twice before he can grab one of his favorite whisky brand at a wine shop. A wine shop did you say? Okay a shop selling hardcore liquor being called a wine shop is altogether another debate… After all, it’s illegal for a drinker to have a drink if he’s below 25!
This is the same youth who got his driving license at the age of 18… 18 when a girl could marry and give a reason for her husband to drink but sadly would have to abstain if he’s under 25! The very youth who excitedly took part in the first elections of his life at the age of 18 by voting for the very minister who has been instrumental in uplifting the age limit for drinkers. How the youth must be cursing himself!
Two days ago, the Bombay High Court asked the state government to reply to actor Imran Khan’s PIL challenging the government’s order lifting the age limit from 21 to 25. Imran Khan had filed a PIL against the government question it’s logic behind raising the bars for a drinker. If only there was an ‘Undo’ button for the youth to de-vote the minister and remove him from his ministerial berth.
It strangely seems quite funny to realize that the very government who feels the youth of today can easily go berserk if allowed access to easy alcohol allows that very youth to vote for them. Rightly, we as the youth deserve this far reaching punishment. If we can be so stupid with our choice of ministers, then we can go astray when allowed to consume alcohol below the age of 25! So needless to say, the government is right in raising the drinker’s age limit. Next we need a scroller on the movie screens saying ‘Drinking liquor is bad for health’.
