Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson, MP for the Pírate party, has submitted a new bill to lift the ban on home brewing for private consumption.
The bill is also supported by other MPs from the Pirates and even receives support from the ranks of the reform party, the Social Democrats and the Left-Greens.
The bill has been submitted to parliament several times but has always been rejected. Currently, the law stipulates that home brewing for private consumption is prohibited.
However, home brewing has been common in Iceland in recent years, despite the fact that it is illegal.
“The ban on the production of alcohol for private consumption no longer applies in Icelandic society.”
Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson
A statement from Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson said: “If the act was outrageous or in conflict with the public interest, it could be assumed that such an attitude would be expressed in the general debate on alcohol issues, but this is not the case.
“Alcohol issues are rightly very controversial and the fact must be taken into account that neither the authorities nor the public seem to be interested in enforcing the ban.
“The ban on the production of alcohol for private consumption no longer applies in Icelandic society.”
The government refuses to withdraw the case.
A bill was presented to the parliament in 2018 requesting the removal of three words in the current alcohol law. These three words are “for personal consumption” with reference to home brewing.
In other words, home brewing for the purpose of selling would remain illegal while private use would be legalized.
The Directorate of Health opposed the lift on home brewing in 2018 in a statement to say that any changes in the alcohol law that could potentially increase access to alcohol will in turn lead to increased alcohol consumption and have a negative impact on health.
Fágun, an association of fermenters, submitted a comment about the case last year. This statement refers to other Western countries that allow home brewing and comments that the Icelandic authorities generally close their eyes to home brewing, provided that it is done for private use.
Source: The Nordic Page