A minister of agriculture defended the wine industry by suggesting that it is not like other alcoholic drinks, saying that he had never seen a young person leaving a night club who was drunk from having consumed a glass (a bottle?) of Cotes du Rhone. The problem with alcoholism with young people was that they drank strong spirits or beer. The Minister of Health suggested that it is the amounts consumed that is the problem, though President Macron had previously said that young people should be educated about wine (though that was at the Salon de l'Agriculture).
Some health professionals have pointed out that alcohol causes up to 50000 deaths each year and that many motoring accidents are caused by drunken drivers. Getting young people to switch from vodka to Burgundy may not be the solution to the problem.
