Govt’s move to introduce a low-cost alcoholic beverage will create more alcoholics

By Yohan Perera

The government’s decision to introduce an affordable alcoholic beverage in order to stop consumption of illicit liquor will create more alcoholics in the country and will give rise to more health issues, an opposition MP said yesterday.

“The government has come up with an idea to introduce an affordable alcoholic drink in order to stop the consumption of illicit liquor. However, this is not going to help the country in any way as it is going to create more alcoholics. Such a move will result in more health issues. It is not going to make Sri Lanka’s youth healthy if they are drawn towards consuming cheap alcoholic beverages,” Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Hector Appuhamy told a media briefing.

“This will create more social issues,” he said.

“It has been revealed that Sri Lanka’s birth rate has declined. This will reduce the country’s youth population as well while the elderly population will also increase further. The government will have to prepare for this phenomenon and come up with an effective social security system to take care of the elderly population. Many countries in the world are preparing for this kind of phenomenon and Sri Lanka should also do the same,” he said.