Around the world, the age when it's legal to purchase or be served most alcohol products varies from 13 in Burkina Faso to 25 in Eritrea. Here's a brief look at how not only the legal drinking age but the culture and parenting around alcohol consumption varies across countries.
Consequently, Spain never experienced a process of decriminalization coming from a political decision: drug use and possession of small amounts have always been free of criminal penalties, and therefore Spain has a policy of decriminalization in the strict sense of the word.
In Europe, the most average (median) alcohol minimum purchasing age is 18 years old. But some countries (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain) still set the minimum age at 16.
In the United Kingdom, in England, Wales and Scotland, children aged 16 or 17 years are allowed to consume beer, wine or cider with a meal when accompanied by an adult, but they can only buy it from the age of 18 years. In Sweden, the legal age for being served alcohol (in restaurants, etc.) is 18 years.
Though the act successfully reduced traffic fatalities related to drunk driving accidents, underage drinking has not stopped. In many European countries, the legal drinking age is 18 or lower, and minors are not as compelled to drink excessively because moderated drinking is part of the culture.
The age of majority is 18 years in all EU Member States except for Scotland, where children are considered to have full legal capacity from the age of 16 years.
Colleges and Universities often argue that the legal drinking age should be 18 because outlawing alcohol consumption in colleges for those under 21 is making the problem worse. These colleges and universities say that allowing alcohol consumption legally might help cut down alcohol related deaths in colleges.
They held that both the Bible and Christian tradition taught that alcohol is a gift from God that makes life more joyous, but that over-indulgence leading to drunkenness is sinful.
This is actually a bit of a trick question, as several European countries including: Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Russia have no formal laws on what age people are allowed to consume alcoholic beverages.
It is not illegal:For someone over 18 to buy a child over 16 beer, wine or cider if they are eating a table meal together in licensed premises. For a child aged five to 16 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises.
Children and young people are advised not to drink alcohol before the age of 18. Alcohol use during the teenage years is related to a wide range of health and social problems. However, if children do drink alcohol underage, it shouldn't be until they are at least 15.
It's one of the seemingly ironclad rules of adolescence: In the United States, you can't drink legally until you're 21. Of course, our underage consumption laws are flouted regularly.
Overview of Minimum Drinking Age Around the World
- Youngest Drinking Age. Although the majority of the countries around the world have set the MLDA at 18 years, 16 years is considered the youngest drinking age.
- Drinking Age in Italy.
- Drinking Age in Russia.
Africa: Nigeria has the lowest age of consent in the world, at 11. In most parts of Southern Africa, including Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, people can consent to sex from the age of 16. In Libya and Sudan, the age of consent is not specified, but marriage is legally required before sex is allowed.
Law. Under Bangladeshi law, any beverage containing more than 0.5% alcohol is considered an alcoholic beverage. To drink alcohol in Bangladesh, one must have a legal permit. Muslims will need a medical prescription to obtain an alcohol permit.
Children and young people under 16 years of age are not allowed to buy, consume and possess alcoholic beverages in public. From 16 years old a person must not consum, possess and buy cocktails, spirits and alcopops. The excessive consumption of alcohol is prohibited as well.
In Russia, the legal drinking age is usually eighteen. Usually, because there are some exceptions to that case. Technically, stronger alcohol such as cognac and vodka is sold only to those over 21.
In Germany, the blood-alcohol limit is 0.5 mg of alcohol per mm of blood. For an average sized man, this is only two small beers. Anyone who is looking to drive in Germany must understand the laws about drinking and driving in the country.
