Newly proposed laws might prevent us from being offered an alcoholic drink on the side during a trip to the salon or the likes.

Minister for Health Simon Harris, hopes to have the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill passed by the end of the year. The bill would allow for regulations to come about in cases where alcohol is served for free – that being in places like the hair salon, retail stores and the barbers too. Often, we’ll head in to the hairdressers and enjoy a cool alcoholic beverage – perfect for relaxing and sharing on Instagram some might say. However, others most definitely do not agree that this is a good idea. At a meeting with the Irish Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (IACP) and Addiction Counsellors of Ireland, experts heard that it’s often suggested that customers share this picture of excellent service (plus the booze) on social media during the process of being beautified. According to the Independent, a spokesperson for Alcohol Ireland said,

“We would say that it’s not a healthy practice to offer alcohol free to customers of any service. It’s precisely this level of normalisation that the proposed legislation seeks to deconstruct.”

The bill could also get rid of promotions such as alcohol Leaving Cert deals and ‘Welfare Wednesday’ where offers are aimed at those receiving social welfare. The drinks industry claims the bill proposed could result in Ireland being one of the most restrictive alcohol markets in the world. However, Simon Harris has pointed out that the aim is to concentrate on alcohol that is served for free in the likes of salons and shopping outlets, and reduce or end the prominence of these instances.