Let's Not Drink To That

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It's hard to argue with a road safety campaign — you'd think. Since France began a crackdown on speeding earlier this year, road deaths have fallen by more than 20%. But now the campaign is targeting drunk driving and some in the French wine industry are crying foul. With restaurant wine sales reportedly dropping, A.F.I.VIN, an umbrella group of winemakers and sellers, worries the campaign is scaring the French away from their habitual bottle of red with dinner. "Certainly, safety is the priority, but we shouldn't exaggerate the role of wine in road accidents," says A.F.I.VIN director Patric Rousseaux. "People should be able to drink two or three glasses, with a meal, and be fine to drive home."

This is not the only well-meaning government initiative to draw fire from business. Tobacconists are in a huff over tax hikes on cigarettes — now up to 18% with another increase scheduled for January. After vendors' public protests, the government promised a four-year rate freeze and said it will pay up to €130 million to tobacconists who lose more than 5% of their business.

The €15 billion wine industry isn't asking for a handout: Rousseaux has a €350,000 industry-funded plan to outfit restaurants with breathalyzers. French taxpayers can breathe easy.