International Minimum Ages for Sales of Alcohol - ProCon.org (2024)

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International Minimum Ages for Sales of Alcohol - ProCon.org? ›

The majority of countries have a minimum legal drinking age of 18. The most commonly known reason for the law behind the legal drinking age is the effect on the brain in adolescents.

The majority of countries have a minimum legal drinking age of 18. The most commonly known reason for the law behind the legal drinking age is the effect on the brain in adolescents.

This means anyone who is aged 18 years or over and shows approved ID can enter licensed premises and buy alcohol.

No person may sell or offer to sell any alcoholic beverage to any individual who is under the age of twenty-one if the beverage is or has traveled in interstate commerce or if the sale or offer to sell is made in an establishment which is in or affects interstate commerce.

The minimum legal drinking age in the vast majority of European countries is 18. Others range from 16 to 20, depending on where it's served, its alcohol content, and if it's within the presence of an adult.

Burkina Faso is the country with the youngest drinking age at 13 years.

The youngest legal drinking age in the world is 15, with both Mali and the Central African Republic allowing folks to drink at that time. Seven countries do not have a government-mandated drinking age, while 11 countries ban the consumption of booze entirely.

At least eight countries and regions have set their MLDA at 16 years. These countries include Barbados, the British Virginia Islands, Cuba, Luxembourg, Panama, Serbia, Serbia, and Zimbabwe. In these countries, it is an offense for anyone to sell, give, or offer alcoholic drinks to people under the age of 16 years.

The youngest legal age associated with alcohol in Europe is in Germany. Here, a minor can drink undistilled alcohol like wine or beer at 14 years old, if they are accompanied by what is called a Custodial Person, (ie their parents or another adult who is in charge of their welfare).

In Japan, the legal adult age is 20. Japanese law prohibits individuals under the age of 20 to drink alcohol or smoke. Regardless of age, you must not force anyone to drink or smoke as it may cause serious health and social consequences.

Why is the US drinking age so high? ›

When states had lower legal drinking ages in the U.S., the underage drinking problem was worse. For example, before the 21 minimum legal drinking age was implemented by all states, underage drunk drivers were involved in over twice as many fatal traffic crashes as today.

The legal age for purchase is: 19 years of age in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon. 18 years of age in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec.

Check with your employer to determine their policy and procedures for these sales. The legal age to enter a bar is 18 o Some parishes or cities may restrict the age limit to enter a bar to 21.

Age of Models and Actors.

To help ensure that individuals in beverage alcohol advertising are and appear to be above the legal purchase age, models, and actors employed should be a minimum of 25 years old, substantiated by proper identification, and should reasonably appear to be 21 years of age and older.

The act also does not seek to criminalize alcohol consumption during religious occasions (e.g., communion wines, Kiddush). The act was expressly upheld as constitutional in 1987 by the United States Supreme Court in South Dakota v. Dole.

Belgium, Denmark and Germany set 16 years as the minimum age for purchasing beverages containing less than 1.2 % of distilled alcohol and 18 years for buying spirits (more than 1.2 % of distilled alcohol). Sweden set the minimum age for purchasing beverages with more than 3.5 % of alcohol at 20 years.

While most European countries uphold an MLDA of 18 years, some countries, such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, or Switzerland, allow on- and off-premise sales of beer and wine to teenagers as young as 16 years of age.

At least eight countries and regions have set their MLDA at 16 years. These countries include Barbados, the British Virginia Islands, Cuba, Luxembourg, Panama, Serbia, Serbia, and Zimbabwe. In these countries, it is an offense for anyone to sell, give, or offer alcoholic drinks to people under the age of 16 years.