Newsroom
More and more teenagers in Cyprus are getting their hands on alcohol, and they’re not hiding it. In the afternoons, groups of underage drinkers are gathering in public parks across the island, bottles in hand, as the sale of alcohol to minors spirals out of control.
According to Dr. Christos Minas, president of the Cyprus Addiction Treatment Authority, the situation has reached a worrying level. Speaking to SPORT FM 95.0, he said alcohol is “practically unchecked” in Cyprus, with kiosks, small supermarkets, restaurants and even hotels routinely selling to minors without bothering to verify their age.
And while the law is clear, selling alcohol to anyone under 18 is a criminal offense that can land offenders with up to six months in prison or a €3,000 fine, enforcement appears to be virtually nonexistent.
“Local authorities and the police are responsible for inspections,” Dr. Minas said, “but the law is not being enforced. The availability of alcohol is almost total.”
The lack of accountability raises serious concerns about both public health and public safety. Drinking from a young age isn’t just a “bad habit,” Dr. Minas stressed, it’s a risk factor for long-term damage to the liver and brain and is linked to at least seven types of cancer. He described the issue as a “public health threat,” not just a matter of youth misbehavior.
Parents, he added, must also take some responsibility by setting clear boundaries and communicating with their children about the dangers of alcohol. But without proper checks at the point of sale, even the most vigilant parenting can’t stop kids from accessing alcohol if it’s being sold freely.
Dr. Minas called on the public to report any businesses violating the law, saying that change will only come if both citizens and authorities take the issue seriously.
His organization, the Cyprus Addiction Treatment Authority, is also taking action on its end. They recently co-hosted a seminar with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism to educate hospitality professionals on responsible alcohol service. And in the coming months, the results of a wide-reaching survey on student alcohol use in Cyprus schools will be released, offering, for the first time, an up-close look at the scale of the problem.
