Alcopop Tax Deters Teenage Drinkers

The German government's imposition of a special tax on "alcopops" last year has halved the consumption of fizzy, sweet alcoholic drinks by teenagers, a German government commission said on Tuesday. The percentage of youths aged 12 to 17 who drink alcopops -- typically a mixture of soft drinks and spirits -- once a month dropped to 16 percent from 28 percent since last August. The survey also showed that one-third of the teenagers polled who consumed alcopops last year had since quit, citing the tax, which added 80 to 90 cents to the price of a bottle, as the main reason why they cut back or stopped consumption of alcopops.