Legal drinking age
From Freepedia
Legal drinking age is the minimum age one must be to drink alcohol. In most countries this is 16 or 18, but there are notable exceptions such as China, which has no minimum drinking age and the United States, where the minimum drinking age is 21 Some countries distinguish between drinks with fairly low alcohol-content (such as beer and wine) and stronger spirit-based drinks. Beer is sold in vending machines in Taiwan which has a limit of 18. Many countries have banned alcohol advertising aimed at the youth market.
The high U.S. minimum drinking age is based on minimizing car accidents. The drinking age is actually not a federal law; every state has a limit of 21. The federal government simply withholds some highway transportation funding to states that don't have a limit of 21. The U.S. population have for decades been heavy users of personal automobiles for transportation, and hence it has a higher fatality rate for drivers; taking around 43,000 lives a year. According to proponents such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the relatively high US drinking age lowers the risk of accidents and alcohol addiction in younger people. Some studies appear to support this claim, though others have implied that accidents and the learning curve for handling alcohol are simply moved to the 21+ demographic (perhaps not even saving any lives). Some people argue that if one is old enough to vote and be drafted, one is old enough to drink, and that being introduced to alcohol at a younger age in a family environment means people are more likely to learn responsible drinking habits. Many also consider it reasonable for college students to experiment with alcohol before they are 21, as long as it is done safely.
Laws surrounding alcohol vary, but generally, minors are not allowed inside of drinking establishments and are not allowed to purchase alcohol. However, contrary to popular belief, few states specifically prohibit minors' consumption of alcohol in private settings. In the United Kingdom, children may enter pubs in the company of an adult until 9 PM and 14-year-olds may enter pubs unaccompanied if they order a meal. Some jurisdictions allow minors to drink in the privacy of their own home, with their parents' permission, and others do not.
The rigour with which age restrictions are enforced varies considerably from place to place: in some countries, proof of age is usually requested of everybody, while in others it is usually requested only if the customer appears to be obviously underage. Establishments that require proof of age will request it either at the door or when alcohol is purchased; usually, a driver's licence, passport, or special proof of age card must be used for this purpose.
Contents |
Legal drinking age by country
Note that exact laws vary from country to country, and often between states or provinces. Laws on consumption of alcoholic beverages vary even more widely. In some countries all alcoholic beverages are illegal, often due to religious law.
A - D
| Country / region | De jure | De facto | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking Age | Purchase Age | |||
| Antigua | 16 | |||
| Argentina | 18 | |||
| Armenia | No minimum age | |||
| Australia | 18 | No minimum age to drink in private with a parent/guardian | ||
| Austria | 16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits) | In Vorarlberg, it is 16 for spirits. | ||
| Azerbaijan | No minimum age | |||
| Barbados | 18 | |||
| Belarus | 18 | Corruption makes it very easy for someone under the drinking age to get alcohol. | ||
| Belgium | 16 | |||
| Bermuda | 18 | |||
| Brazil | 18 | |||
| Bulgaria | No minimum age | |||
| Canada | 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec; 19 elsewhere | 16 to drink in private with a parent/guardian | Legal drinking age legislation falls under provincial jurisdiction. | |
| People's Republic of China (mainland China) | No minimum age | |||
| Colombia | 18 | |||
| Denmark | No minimum age | 16 (in shops), 18 (in bars and restaurants) | ||
| Dominican Republic | 18 | |||
E - H
| Country / region | De jure | De facto | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking Age | Purchase Age | |||
| Ecuador | 18 | |||
| Egypt | 21 | |||
| Estonia | 18 | |||
| Finland | No minimum age | 18 (shops up to 22% ABV and all drinks in bars), 20 (over 22% ABV in shops) | Legal drinking age is actually enforced to be 18 | Law mentions only minimum legal possession age, but it is often interpreted that holding a glass or bottle for a time it takes to drink its contents is possession. On some cities non-disturbing or private drinking is overlooked, others have so called "zero-tolerance". |
| Fiji | 18 | |||
| France | 16 | 16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits) | The legal drinking age is not enforced when drinking in private | |
| Georgia | No minimum age | |||
| Germany | 16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits) | The legal drinking age is not enforced when drinking in private | Minors in possession of alcohol are not punished; however, people who make alcohol available to minors are. | |
| Greece | 16 or 18 | |||
| Hong Kong SAR, China | 18 | |||
| Hungary | 18 | |||
I - N
| Country / region | De jure | De facto | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking Age | Purchase Age | |||
| Iceland | 20 | |||
| India | Varies by state. 18 in Karnataka (lowest); 25 in Delhi (highest). Maharashtra: 21 (beer and wine), 25 (spirits) | Per state age limit, but rarely enforced. | ||
| Republic of Ireland | 18 | |||
| Israel | 18 | |||
| Italy | 16 | |||
| Jamaica | 18 | |||
| Japan | 20 | |||
| Korea | 21 | |||
| Latvia | No minimum drinking age | 18 | ||
| Lebanon | 18 | |||
| Lithuania | 18 | |||
| Malaysia | 21 | The sale of alcohol to Muslims is illegal, as is consumption of alcohol by Muslims. | ||
| Mexico | 18 | Rarely enforced. | ||
| Netherlands | 16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits) | |||
| New Zealand | No minimum drinking age | 18 | ||
| Nigeria | No minimum age | |||
| Norway | 18 (beer and wine), 20 (spirits) | |||
O - V
| Country / region | Legal drinking age | Legal purchasing age | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | No minimum drinking age | 16 | |
| Peru | 18 | ||
| Philippines | 16 | ||
| Poland | No minimum drinking age | 18 | |
| Portugal | No minimum drinking age | 16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits) | People suffering from mental illness or notoriously drunk cannot purchase or obtain alcoholic beverages. |
| Russia | 18 | ||
| Serbia | 18 | ||
| Slovenia | 18 | ||
| Slovakia | 18 | ||
| Singapore | 18 | ||
| South Africa | 18 | ||
| Spain | 16 | 18 | |
| Sri Lanka | 18 | ||
| Sweden | 18 in public | 18 (bars, < 3.5% beer and cider in shops), 20 (liqour stores) | |
| Switzerland | No minimum drinking age | 16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits) | |
| Republic of China (Taiwan) | 18 | ||
| Turkey | 18 | ||
| Uganda | 18 | ||
| Ukraine | 21 | ||
| United Kingdom | 5 in private, with adults and parental consent 16 if purchasing with a meal | 18 | Children under 5 can drink alcohol, but only from a note from the person's GP. Persons aged 16 or above can be served beer, cider or wine if ordered with a meal in a restaurant or pub. |
| United States | 21 | 21 | As of 2005, 21 states do not specifically ban underage consumption and an additional 15 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws. [1] Federal law explictly provides for religious, medical, employment and private club posession exceptions; as of 2005, 31 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage posession laws. [2] |
| Vietnam | No minimum age |
See also
External links
- World Drinking Ages
- "Minimum Drinking and Purchasing Age Laws" (International Center for Alcohol Policies)
