Hague Cafes Promoting Responsible Drinking

At the end of August a number of cafes on the Grote Markt and Plein joined in on the Municipality of The Hague’s campaign to promote moderate and responsible alcohol use.

Alcohol is inextricably linked with Dutch nightlife. Nine out of ten people living in The Hague drink alcohol when they go out (2009). This is not a problem in itself; however, excessive drinking is becoming more the norm. There is also an increasing link between excessive alcohol use and aggression.

Alchohol has an extensive and permanent impact on brain development in adolescents. The campaign ‘Een Frisse Blik op Alcohol’ (A Fresh Look at Alcohol) emphasises responsible alcohol use among teenagers. Deputy Mayor Bert van Alphen (Health) is also pushing to raise the minimum drinking age from 16 to 18 years. ‘It is better for young people’s development to postpone the use of alcohol for as long as possible. That’s why I think that alcohol should not be sold (and used) by young people until they are 18 years,’ Van Alphen explained.

The national Drank- en Horecawet prescribes two minimum ages at which a person may legally buy or drink alcoholic beverages: 16 years for beer and wine and 18 years for spirits.

Raising the legal age

The alderman is finding support among various cafe owners in The Hague for his aim to raise the legal drinking age. Maarten Hinloopen, owner of several cafes on the Grote Markt (September, Zeta and the Boterwaag): ‘The current law is absurd. If you don’t want kids under the age of 18 to drink alcohol, then it does not matter if it’s beer, whisky or alcopop (breezer). It’s difficult for the bars to check the age of our customers. One minimum age is much clearer.’

Peter Haverbus, owner of Cloos and Plein XIX on the Plein agrees with this argument. ‘It is in our common interest to keep things friendly in the cafes and other spots. It is important to offer a pleasant atmosphere where people can use alcohol responsibly,’ he explained.

The Municipality of The Hague is offering cafe owners the so-called bar code course. The course has been developed by the Trimbos Institute and teaches bartenders how they should deal with the problems associated with excessive alcohol use.

More information about the campaign can be found at www.frisseblikopalcohol.nl.