Author: Charles Frank

Drinking Age by Country 2024

Once again, local governments have the liberty of deciding when there are alcohol sales restrictions. That said, alcohol is still available in bars and restaurants on these days. Hours for selling vodka and other spirits will be reduced on workdays, with liquor stores opening at 2 p.m. Since Jamaica exists in the water, concern about underage drinking prevails. Therefore, no one can consume alcohol on cruise ships unless they are at least 21. At home, parents or guardians can allow their children to have alcohol.

However, the UK chief recommends that underage persons not drink at least until they are 15. Usually, children as young as five don’t drink much, and having more than probably a few sips is not typically advised. Some experts might say to not allow young people to drink more than once a week.

Furthermore, most of the countries, including France and Italy, consume alcohol with food. The concept of drinking seems to be less of a “big deal” in Europe than in America. According to the report, more than 50% of people in the Americas, Europe, and the Western Pacific Region (Japan, Australia, Oceania) drank alcoholic beverages in 2016. By comparison, only 32.2% of people in Africa and 33.1% of people in South-East Asia (India, North Korea, Sri Lanka, etc.) drank in 2016. What’s more, 94.9% of people in the Eastern Mediterranean region (Egypt, Iran, Yemen, etc.) have abstained from alcohol their entire lives.

Talk of changing the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) to 21 peaked in 2013. Heavy drinking has its consequences, so lawmakers continue to try raising Puerto Rico’s MLDA. You cannot have more than a .05 percent BAC if you decide to drive in Italy.

Only public businesses that have the proper license can sell alcohol, and the drinking age in Ireland is at least 18. Restaurants, hotels and resorts or pubs all have to abide by rules stating what hours of the day they can serve, and they could end up with fines, jail time or closure if they sell to minors. As part of a crackdown on excessive alcohol consumption, new laws were enacted. There, alcohol can be sold and consumed as long as the establishment is open. Many conceal alcohol in bottles of other drinks or hide the bottles in paper bags. However, if you’re not so desperate, it is best to keep consumption within homes or bars.

Food & Drink

Before deciding to drink in this country at ages less than 18, you should check your local laws. In some cases, countries do prosecute underage drinking outside their borders even if the vacation destination allows it at a lower age. With the new Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 came with it updated alcohol sale regulations. This means grocery stores cannot offer percentages or monetary units (euros) off bulk alcohol purchases. Pubs could also lose their alcohol licenses, and owners maybe could end up in jail if they serve to minors. European nations serve alcohol at most meals, and the idea is not for drunkenness but for sipping.

Together, they can determine what is best for that individual, based on individual risk factors, including family history, genetics, and lifestyle. Therefore, the minimum age at which a young person can buy alcohol in Spain stays at 18 as of 2021. Federal Government because they refused to raise the drinking age to 21 years. It affected this island’s economy so much that more than 54,000 people residing there had left. Some bars, however, will not allow patrons to enter unless they are 21 even if the drinking age has not yet increased.

Carrying flasks or other closed containers is technically illegal too. However, law enforcement doesn’t usually make an issue out of it unless someone commits vandalism, human violence or other unruly act. As far as buying alcohol, you can make your purchase just about anytime of the day or night at convenience stores in Japan.

Drinking Age History

Vendors must, however, acquire licenses that pertain to the types of spirits they plan to sell, such as wine, beer or liquor. However, the overall alcohol consumption rate (technically referred to as “alcoholism”) measures lower than some other European nations and the United States. It’s why Italy now attempts to control teenage drinking more than they did in the past. On February 18, 2020, the German Government stated that they will not raise the drinking age to 18.

They grew up with it, and for some reason, they feel compelled to overindulge more than adults. Researchers and public institutions continue to advocate less drinking among teenagers and children. The Minimum Drinking Age in France is 18 for purchases and consumption of all alcoholic beverages. As of 2009, French teenagers could still buy wine, beer, and other fermented beverages at 16. It’s not uncommon for European nations to serve alcohol to a child as young as five years old. However, the drinking age in the UK is 18, which is when young people can legally drink or buy alcohol in public.

1. In Canada, India, and the United Arab Emirates, different regions have varying legal drinking ages.
2. Malaysian identity cards will display the word “ISLAM” if the holder is Muslim (and otherwise blank if the holder is non-Muslim) on the bottom right corner, which allows enforcement of the religion-based sales restriction.
3. Apparently, Italy doesn’t enforce the minimum drinking age as much as other countries might.
4. The concept of drinking seems to be less of a “big deal” in Europe than in America.
5. Before deciding to drink in this country at ages less than 18, you should check your local laws.

A “young person” is defined as anyone under the age of 17 by the Children and Young Persons Act, 1949 Section 2. In 2019, the Ethiopian parliament passed a bill that bans a specific category of alcohol advertising in the media and also increases the age limit for purchasing alcohol from 18 to 21 years of age.

What You Need to Know About Buying Alcohol in Russia

School-age children and young adults also receive some of the same warnings about drinking too much alcohol as do the adults. No vendor can sell to anyone who already has had too much to drink, and no one can drive with more than .05 percent of blood alcohol content in their system. © 2021 International Alliance for Responsible DrinkingIARD’s members and the members of its Partnership Council are a diverse group of organizations with a variety of viewpoints. Any statements, findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed on this website do not reflect the policies or views of all IARD members or the organizations they represent, unless explicitly stated. However, all members agree on and support IARD’s mission of reducing the harmful use of alcohol.The resources on this website are not intended as health advice to individuals about their drinking. People with specific questions about their drinking are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional.

This coincides with safe alcohol limits for adults, which would be no more than one or two drinks per day. In this case, experts define one drink as approximately one can of beer or one glass of wine. However, new recommendations state that it’s better not to drink every single day. You cannot walk around with open alcohol containers in public, unless perhaps it’s at a bar or restaurant that serves cocktails or beer. People even have gotten caught consuming alcohol in secluded areas and fined or jailed.

In Canada, India, and the United Arab Emirates, different regions have varying legal drinking ages. U.S. Teenagers often travel to Mexico from Texas and other border states. However, they’re not allowed to drink if the minimum age of doing so is not 18 where they live. In any case, jail time or fines often are issued to underage drinkers who get caught if they’re not 18.