Izabela Leszczyna announced changes in alcohol promotion. “We will have to talk about this too”
Izabela Leszczyna emphasized that the law prohibiting alcohol trade at petrol stations has already been developed. The Minister of Health also announced changes regarding the promotion of high-proof alcoholic beverages in discount stores.
As the deputy chairwoman of the Civic Platform emphasized, work in the Ministry of Health on the project to limit the sale of alcohol at petrol stations during the night (i.e. from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) is already in its final stage. – The act has already been developed, the amendment will be sent to the government this week – said Izabela Leszczyna on TOK FM.
She added that “within three months we could have a law.” She emphasized that from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., gas stations sell too much alcohol in her opinion and that the focus should be on counteracting alcoholism.
What about alcohol promotions?
As the head of the Ministry of Health pointed out, promotions on alcoholic beverages, which can often be found in discount stores, will also be taken under the microscope. “We come across promotions like: buy two bottles of wine or vodka, and they will be cheaper. We will have to talk about that too,” she revealed.
A few days earlier, on TVN24, she said that she would “like Polish society, all of us, to become civilized, also when it comes to alcohol consumption. Gas stations are not for selling alcohol, but gasoline,” Izabela Leszczyna said. Additionally, Minister Izabela Leszczyna emphasized in a conversation with Dominika Wielowieyska that the current prices of alcohol and cigarettes in Poland are definitely too low. “Cigarettes and strong alcohol sold in Poland are the cheapest in all of Europe,” she said, speaking about the excise tax increase.
The first information about the introduction of possible restrictions on the alcohol trade was provided by the minister in mid-April. The Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, himself requested that work on this matter begin.
Poles for and even against the ban
Poles are quite divided in their assessment of the planned ban. According to a study by SW Research for Wprost, 48.1 percent of people support the introduction of a ban on the sale of alcohol at petrol stations, while 35 percent are against it. Less than 17 percent of respondents have no opinion on the matter.
The survey shows that every second woman supports restrictions (49.9 percent of respondents). The percentage of men who support this idea is slightly lower (46 percent of respondents).
