Teenage drinkers are in for a shock this summer

This summer, the hugely popular car park parties in Palma, which attract scores of under age drinkers, will be prohibited, so too could be the sale of alcohol to under-18*s. The crack down on under-age and illegal drinking in Palma has been instigated by the Mayor, Joan Fageda. Over the past few summers the car park at the commercial docks has been transformed in to a huge party every weekend with many of the revellers drinking under age. The weekly events have also had repercussions on the once bustling and popular bar and restaurant area of La Lonja. When there was nothing left to drink in the boot of the cars, the revellers would head for La Lonja for a final drink, creating a large disturbance, contributing very little to the bars' takings and fuelling the battle between bars and residents over noise and drinking in the street. But the car park parties are not unique to Palma and central government is drawing up new state legislation to crack down on under age drinking across Spain and make it much tougher for youngsters to purchase alcohol. Drinking in public places is to be prohibited. The new legislation will form part of the National Drugs Plans and will also include restrictions on the advertising of alcohol. The Minister for Health is also working on new legislation to ban the sale of alcohol to people under 18. The latest figures state that 76 per cent of teenagers aged between 14 and 18 consume alcohol, 43 per cent on the weekends and 15 per cent on a daily basis. While it may all appear good fun for teenage drinkers, the social implications are numerous with regional and central government united in the decision to stamp it out. The news from Madrid has been welcomed by Palma City Council which sees under age drinking as one of the capital's biggest problems.