Bill would ban alcohol sales to teens in France

PARIS (AP) — A spot of Calvados, the apple brandy, in the bottle to help baby sleep. Champagne for all at the family fete. And wine anytime, well, because we’re French.

All this tippling has given authorities pause as studies show that a surprising number of young teenagers are knocking it back in a serious way, often legally. France’s conservative government now wants to wean the country’s youth off the bottle with a ban on under-18 drinking.

Lawmakers in the National Assembly, the lower house, adopted an amendment Monday that would ban the sale of alcohol to teens under age 18 and fine the vendors up to $9,400. They also voted to forbid the overnight sale of alcohol at gas stations, thought to be a prime source of booze for the young. The amended bill still requires approval by the Assembly and the upper house of parliament, the Senate.

In a double-whammy, legislators voted to ban the sale of tobacco for those under 18, the latest step in a progressive crackdown on smoking.

The new measures come three days after Assembly lawmakers voted to ban all-you-can-drink events in open bars popular with young people — while exempting wine tastings so important to the wine industry.

The drinking age in France varies depending on the type of alcohol involved and the place of sale. But anyone 16 or older can order beer and wine in bars.

French teenagers who suddenly find themselves underage may grow jealous of neighboring countries such as Germany or Italy where the legal drinking age is still 16 for beer, wine or liquor.