Source: PR Center

A majority of Montenegrin students believe that alcohol is easily accessible at any time and in any place, as long as they have money, and an alarming 96% of visited retail outlets sold alcohol to minors, according to a study conducted by Forum MNE.

The organization reminded that in Montenegro, the sale and serving of alcohol to individuals under the age of 18 is prohibited and regulated by the Law on Tourism and Hospitality and the Law on Public Order and Peace.

“Despite these clear legal prohibitions, we are witnessing widespread non-compliance. The attitudes of young people confirm this—most Montenegrin students believe that alcohol is available to them without restrictions,” the statement reads.

Forum MNE conducted the research in four Montenegrin municipalities—Kotor, Berane, Mojkovac, and Danilovgrad—on a sample of 100 retail outlets, using the “mystery shopper” method to empirically validate these claims.

The mystery shoppers were high school students aged 14 to 17.

“In only 5% of the stores visited were students asked about their age when attempting to buy alcohol. In no case did the sellers ask for ID or any form of identification to confirm the age of the underage buyers,” Forum MNE reported.

Furthermore, 85% of stores lacked visible signage stating that alcohol sales to minors are prohibited.

“The normalization of alcohol sales to children and youth is particularly worrying considering that one in three students in Montenegro aged 13 to 18 consumes alcohol occasionally or regularly, and every second student personally knows someone who uses alcohol,” Forum MNE warned.

These findings come from the broader study titled “Health Culture and Alcohol Use Among Youth in Montenegro”, conducted by Forum MNE in cooperation with the Institute for Education, encompassing all primary and secondary schools in Montenegro.

“On the other hand, there are no available data from relevant institutions regarding inspections or enforcement of alcohol sales bans to minors. These findings clearly point to an alarming situation and the urgent need for action to protect children and young people,” the organization stated.

Forum MNE stressed the need to improve and align the legal framework to reduce the physical availability of alcohol.

“This is our responsibility if we truly intend to provide children and youth with a healthy and safe environment for growth and development, and protect them from the consequences of alcohol consumption,” they concluded.