The Cambodian Health Ministry has recently drafted new legislation to curb alcohol use in Cambodia. The proposed laws are among the most strict in the world and include:

• Enforced drinking age of 21 years
• No sale of alcohol between 12am - 6am except with special permits
• No drinking in public places
• Heavy fines on alcohol vendors, wholesalers, and producers

The proposed law comes in response to a push poll of Cambodians which saw 96% in favour of tackling alcohol abuse, however there has been no survey on whether Cambodians want to give up their freedom to drink. The strict laws and heavy penalties however, are an attack on civil liberties, and will have wide ranging economic effects:

• As regulations on alcohol are imposed, prices will increase due to the costs of compliance with those rules, which means that more poor Cambodians will turn to home brewed, dangerous alcohol products. Home made liquor is not produced under the safe conditions that larger brands are, and can have even more harmful impacts on health, or cause blindness and death. For other poor Cambodians, the increased price of alcohol will cause them to forego other items to accommodate the increased alcohol prices.

• Many Cambodians and foreigners enjoy drinking in parks and outside their houses in the streets. By banning alcohol in those areas, responsible drinkers are punished, which will affect the vibrancy of Cambodia's open spaces.
• Many poor Cambodian vendors who make a living selling alcoholic drinks in open spaces such as Phnom Penh's riverside will be faced with heavy penalties (or bribes), and their ability to earn money to feed their families will be curtailed.
• Cambodians under the age of 21 years who wish to drink alcohol will not be allowed to do so, and are more likely to engage in more risky drinking behaviour such as drinking stronger drinks, drinking faster, or purchasing dangerous home made liquor from the black market. They may even turn to more easily accessible and more harmful intoxicants such as hard drugs.
• Restrictions on selling alcohol in the early morning will affect many bars and clubs which serve patrons until late. The cost of obtaining approval and permits (which will likely be subject to corruption) will act as a barrier for smaller venues due to the costs. This means that large clubs can stay open, but smaller bars will either be forced to increase their prices or not open at that time.
• Strict regulations will decrease tourism revenue, which will hurt the economy. Many tourists enjoy the exciting nightlife of Cambodia, and the relaxed nature of being able to drink alcohol without heavy restrictions. Tourists - especially those under 21 years - are likely to spend less time, and less money in Cambodia if the strict laws prevent them from responsibly enjoying alcohol.
• All regulations of any kind increase opportunities for corruption by public officials. 

Alcohol regulations have unintended consequences that affect the Cambodian economy and people's health. Alcohol regulations do not solve alcohol abuse in other countries:

• Scandinavia have high taxes on alcohol, which has resulted in high rates of binge drinking among young people.
• Germany has no restriction on drinking alcohol in public and limited alcohol regulations, and has enjoys civil order and low rates of alcohol abuse
• The United States has a drinking age of 21 and still faces very high rates of underage drinking.

Most importantly, these proposed laws are an attack on civil liberties, and punish the majority of Cambodians and foreigners that enjoy drinking alcohol responsibly and safely. The government should not infringe on the rights of citizens to enjoy their lives responsibly.