Crack down on underage drinking: ‘No ID, no entry’ rule for pubs and bars

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective. First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming. Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day. Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features. The directive comes amid the growing concern over alcohol and tobacco consumption among adolescents and young adults in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has directed police authorities to enforce strict age-verification measures at pubs, breweries, bars, clubs, lounges, restaurants and other liquor-serving establishments across the State, warning of severe action against venues that allow underage drinking. The directive comes amid the growing concern over alcohol and tobacco consumption among adolescents and young adults in Bengaluru. A recent study conducted by researchers from St. John’s Medical College, CHRIST University, and Kasturba Medical College surveyed 4,093 students from pre-university, undergraduate, and higher secondary institutions in Bengaluru and found that one in three adolescents is at risk of developing health problems linked to alcohol or tobacco use. According to the study, 33% of respondents reported consuming alcohol, while nearly 18% were addicted to tobacco. These figures are significantly higher than the national prevalence rates and Karnataka’s reported averages. The study also found that the median age for initiating alcohol consumption among Bengaluru adolescents was 17 years, with some respondents reporting that they began drinking as early as eight years of age. Citing the findings, the Home Minister instructed the police to treat underage drinking not merely as a licensing violation but as a serious youth-safety and public-health issue. Under the new directions, liquor-serving establishments have been asked to implement rigorous age-verification procedures, both at entry points and before serving alcohol. The key measures include a strict ‘No ID, No Entry’ policy, mandatory verification of government-issued identity documents, stringent action against establishments serving alcohol to minors, and accountability of owners, managers, licence-holders, and event organisers for violations occurring on