Skip to main content

Story: Alcohol

Teen drinking cartoon

Image
Teen drinking cartoon

This 2010 cartoon shows a shop owner being questioned about selling beer to a teenager, while a huge truck carrying alcopops (including one in 'breast flavour') passes behind. The implication is that in dealing with the problem of youthful drinking the wrong cause has been targeted. Alcopops or RTDs (ready to drinks) began to be widely available from 1996. The sweet spirits-based mixes attracted young people accustomed to fizzy soft drinks. 

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: DCDL-0015474

by Chris Slane

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Alcohol – The drink revolution, 1960 onwards, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/cartoon/40690/teen-drinking-cartoon (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 11 January 2013, updated 1 April 2016.