Happy hours, open bars, and sales of bottles of strong liquor would be banned in France in order to prevent binge drinking under a new government plan, and beer taxes also would be raised, the Telegraph reported May 19.

Far from the classic image of sophisticated Parisians demurely sipping wine at cafes, heavy drinking is a growing problem in France, with half of 17-year-olds saying that they get excessively drunk on a monthly basis or more. A pair of university students recently drowned in Nantes after a night of drinking, prompting the town to ban happy hours last October.

The government plan follows an unsuccessful educational and preventative campaign aimed at curbing binge drinking. Many bar owners object to the bans, however, especially in the wake of a new law prohibiting smoking in bars and restaurants.

"I don't see how these measures will resolve the problem of alcoholism," said Patrick Malvaës, president of a French trade group representing nightclubs. "To get rid of happy hours is ridiculous."