00:00The Attorney General led off debate in the Senate defending government's decision to raise the age limits for access to
00:08alcohol and tobacco from 18 to 21 and cannabis and gambling from 18 to 25.
00:14At what point should the law place certain choices within or without the reach of our young people?
00:28When the evidence tells us that age matters, that early exposure to alcohol, nicotine, cannabis and gambling can increase the
00:43likelihood of dependence, harmful patterns of use, injury or other lasting consequences.
00:51One of the major criticisms during the debate in the lower house was the absence of consultation. Jeremy rejected that
00:59criticism.
01:00I said then, and I repeat now, that the basis of the legislative reforms that we engage in formed part
01:15and parcel of the express mandate which the government sought in the lead up to the elections of 2025.
01:30He also sought to allay concerns among licensed businesses, insisting the new age limits are not intended to impose additional
01:39restrictions on licensed industries.
01:41An individual who has attained the age of 18 remains eligible to apply for a license.
01:47Under Section 32 of the Gambling, Gaming and Betting Control Act, a person 18 years of age or older remains
01:56eligible to apply for a license.
01:59Under Section 30 of the Cannabis Control Act, a person who has attained 18 years may apply for any license
02:06issued pursuant to that act.
02:08But Opposition Senator and former Attorney General Farah Salrawi challenged the government's approach, pointing to more than 8,000 marijuana
02:17-related matters before the courts over a 10-year period.
02:21Close to 8,000 persons a year, largely urban, black, Trinidadian males and Tobagoian males, between the age groups of
02:3516 to 25, constituted the largest number, proportion and percentage of persons coming into the system.
02:44Because of the new penalties, Al-Rawi predicts a drastic increase upon enforcement of the new laws.
02:51We are at a time, Mr. President, where we're probably, my estimation is this, we're going to balloon an underground
03:01trade, an underground participation, whether it is of the bootleg type that you see in the movies and in the
03:10Americas back in the day, Mr. President, under prohibition or not.
03:13Mr. President, the reality is that we're going to have serious numbers coming into the system.
03:20The bill requires a simple majority to pass in the Senate.
03:24Arvashita Wari, Ruknarain, TV6 News.
