College wine tastings can prevent alcoholism among pupils, believe French advisers!

London, March 5 (ANI): Wine-tasting sessions should be organised at university canteens to prevent youngsters from binge drinking, a government-commissioned report in France has advised.

"Why is there sexual education and not viticultural education? You can learn wine too," the Guardian quoted Jean-Pierre Coffe, a television presenter and celebrated gastronome who co-wrote the study, as saying.

He added: "Drinking is not drinking a bottle. Wine is pleasure. t's like love. It's the same."

The report, commissioned by Valirie Picresse, the minister for higher education, spells out numerous ways in which to improve students' alcohol consumption. But the recommendation outlining "initiation to a moderate consumption of wine" has garnered the most attention.

According to Jean-Robert Pitte, a former director of Paris's Sorbonne, lunchtime canteen tastings can be a great opportunity for students to learn to drink sensibly.

He said: "In order to avoid the total freak-out that happens every Friday night and Saturday night ... we want to try to teach students a sense of responsibility, to allow them to taste wine n very moderate quantities, and to show them that it is both a pleasure, good for their health ... and a part of their national heritage." (ANI)