The Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long said yesterday that his bureau will cooperate with the Public Security Police (PSP), the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Macau Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) in implementing the newly-enacted Law on the Prevention and Control on Minors’ Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages that will come into force on November 5.
Dr Lo made the remarks during a launching ceremony of the Macau Alcohol Control Alliance held on the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) campus in Zape yesterday with the attendance of Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U and other government officials and representatives from different sectors.
The alliance, comprising 33 members from various sectors of civil society, was established to further strengthen the public’s understanding and awareness of the new law.
The government’s anti-smoking and anti-alcohol inspections will be carried out by the Tobacco and Alcohol Prevention and Control Office once the Law on the Prevention and Control on Minors’ Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages comes into force.
Dr Lo said the office now currently has 84 staff in total, adding that after the new law comes into effect, the Tobacco and Alcohol Prevention and Control Office will increase its number of staff by more than 10 through internal redeployment, while joint law enforcement will be implemented in the future both in tobacco and alcohol control, Dr Lo said.
According to Dr Lo, his bureau will conduct training for the office’s staff by formulating internal guidelines and regulations, exploring collaboration mechanisms with the three monitoring law enforcement entities – the PSP, MGTO and IAM – to ensure an effective implementation and enforcement of the new law.
When asked how to prevent minors from purchasing alcoholic beverages through delivery platforms, Dr Lo said that there were clear guidelines for such businesses, and anyone who purchased alcoholic beverages online was required to declare that he or she is an adult, and business owners are also required to remind their employees not to sell or provide alcoholic beverages to minors.
Dr Lo underlined that the results of a recent survey on the lifestyles of secondary school students in Macau showed that the proportion of underage students who have drunk alcohol has shown a significant increase, which raised the concern of the government.
Dr Lo also said that his bureau has liaised with a number of delivery platforms in Macau to ensure that adults are the only target audience for the delivery of alcoholic beverages, adding that parents have the responsibility to protect minors, so as to avoid early exposure to alcohol and affect their children’s health.
Details on the new Law on the Prevention and Control on Minors’ Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages can be accessed at the official page at https://www.ssm.gov.mo/apps1/alcoholcontrol/ch.aspx#clg28768.
The Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long speaks during yesterday’s launching ceremony of the Macau Alcohol Control Alliance, at the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU). – Photo: SSM
