SAM KELTON
WITH rates of binge drinking among teenage girls dropping nationally, the alcohol industry is coming up with new gimmicks to entice young people to booze.
Tall order ... Elle Zylstra pours a drink from a cocktail tower at the Hilton Hotel, Hilton.
Two of the trends – vodka-based drinks packaged in colourful toothpaste-like tubes and a three-litre "cocktail tower" – have been attacked for blatantly promoting binge drinking.
The state's peak anti-drug body wants a ban on sales of tube drink GoVodka at pubs and bottleshops, while Substance Abuse Minister Jane Lomax-Smith attacked both products as undermining the State Government's efforts to curb binge drinking.
Advertised as "the world's first drink in a tube", GoVodka is being sold in four different flavours. The 190ml plastic tubes, containing 8.5 per cent alcohol, have re-sealable lids.
The General Havelock Hotel, The Dog and Duck Alehouse and the SA Jockey Club have all recently held "tube parties" to launch the product, according to the GoVodka website.
When the Sunday Mail bought a tube of GoVodka at an Adelaide bottleshop this week the attendant described it as "a drink that girls can take out in their handbags and save money on buying drinks".
Ms Lomax-Smith said GoVodka was "clearly designed to target young people and glamourise alcohol in a way that is likely to encourage intoxication".
Drug and Alcohol Services SA executive director Keith Evans said the tubes should be pulled from shelves.
"We would certainly not like to see this prod-uct anywhere in the marketplace," Mr Evans said. "It would appear clear that they are wanting to target young people and they are an attractive enough product to target young women.
"(With) 8.5 per cent alcohol in volume and in that style of product container and marketing, we would certainly regard them as inappropriate."
GoVodka's Adelaide distributor, Darcy Constantine, defended the product, saying it prevented glassings and drink spiking at pubs and encouraged slow drinking because it could be resealed.
"I think it would be wonderful to go to clubs and it was all plastic tubes, we wouldn't have some of the horrific incidents that occur," Mr Constantine said.
Both Dr Lomax-Smith and Mr Evans also blasted an Adelaide hotel for selling cocktail towers, the equivalent of 12 standard drinks.
The $45 towers come with a tap and sit on customers' tables at the Hilton Hotel, Hilton.
"It is clear that providing alcohol in multiple serves may increase the likelihood of individuals serving themselves to intoxication," Dr Lomax-Smith said.
Mr Evans added: "Our problem is that you're purchasing 12 standard drinks, taking them to your table and helping yourself.
"The bar staff should be promoting responsible drinking and monitoring the state that the person is in and whether it is reasonable to sell them another drink."
Hilton Hotel managing director James Franzon likened the cocktail towers to a bottle of wine.
"Different people have their doubts about the towers but you can get a bottle of wine with nine standard drinks and give it to one person," he said.
"The staff are actually trained not to serve to single people to ensure that there are several people drinking from the tower. They have been designed to have fun and get a group of friends together and split the difference and have a drink with each other."
New figures this month from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show teenage binge drinking is on the decline, and alcopops are more likely to be associated with low-risk rather than excessive drinking.
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