Your country's drinking age

[Shoqiyqa]

UK laws, straight from the horse-thieves' mouthpiece:

Spoiler: A few pages of .gov.uk website material

Note: some punctuation marks have been replaced with the most similar mark compatible with this forum as the marks used in the original text were not correctly displayed. The text as shown here is not considered to be significantly different from that on the website as a result of these changes.

Alcohol, young people and the law [http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/Youngpeopleandalcohol/DG_10026211]


What the law says

It is against the law:

* to be drunk in charge of a child under seven in a public place or on licensed premises
* to sell alcohol to someone under 18, anywhere
* for an adult to buy or attempt to buy alcohol on behalf of someone under 18
* for someone under 18 to buy alcohol, attempt to buy alcohol or to be sold alcohol in any circumstances (unless acting at the request of the police or a weights and measures inspector)
* for someone under 18 to drink alcohol in licensed premises, with one exception - 16 and 17 year olds accompanied by an adult can drink but not buy beer, wine and cider with a table meal
* for an adult to buy alcohol for a person under 18 for consumption on licensed premises, except as above

* Children and alcohol - what the law says in more detail [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030017_en_10#pt7-pb4]

Drinking at home

It is not illegal for a person under 18 to drink alcohol at home or at a friend's house. Parents can choose to give young people some of their own alcohol when at home.

Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c. 12)

12The Children and Young Persons Act 1933 is amended as follows.

13In section 5 (giving alcohol to a child under five) for "intoxicating liquor" substitute "alcohol (within the meaning given by section 191 of the Licensing Act 2003, but disregarding subsection (1)(f) to (i) of that section)".

14In section 12 (failing to provide for safety of children at entertainments)-

(a)in subsection (3) omit the words from ", and also" to the end,

(b)in subsection (5), for paragraph (a) substitute-

"(a)in the case of a building in respect of which a premises licence authorising the provision of regulated entertainment has effect, be the duty of the relevant licensing authority;", and

(c)after that subsection, insert-

"(5A)For the purposes of this section-

(a)"premises licence" and "the provision of regulated entertainment" have the meaning given by the Licensing Act 2003, and

(b)"the relevant licensing authority", in relation to a building in respect of which a premises licence has effect, means the relevant licensing authority in relation to that building under section 12 of that Act."

15In section 107 (interpretation), omit the definition of "intoxicating liquor".

Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c.12) [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/RevisedStatutes/Acts/ukpga/1933/cukpga_19330012_en_1]

...

3 Allowing persons under sixteen to be in brothels

(1)If any person having [F1responsibility for] a child or young person who has attained the age of four years and is under the age of sixteen years, allows that child or young person to reside in or to frequent a brothel, he shall be [F2liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F3level 2 on the standard scale]], or alternatively . . . F4 or in addition thereto, to imprisonment for any term not exceeding six months.

...

5 Giving intoxicating liquor to children under five

If any person gives, or causes to be given, to any child under the age of five years any intoxicating liquor, except upon the order of a duly qualified medical practitioner, or in case of sickness, apprehended sickness, or other urgent cause, he shall, on summary conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding [F1level 1 on the standard scale].

That seems to be it.

I don't think age is the issue. I think culture is the issue. As long as Radio 1 broadcasts soem dozy ***** saying "Ah 'ad a grehht weekend. I wore to'ally 'ammered. Can't remember a fing after lahk seven o'clock Frahdeh, wohk up in a strehnj bed lahk rilly sorr Sundi mornin', no ideah 'ow ad got tha, musta bin fun lahk, ad a rilly bangin' ed," and people seek to emulate this behaviour because it is considered cool, it's going to go on. You can set the drinking age anywhere from 16 to 25 without making much difference to drunken 15-yr-olds or drunken 26-yr-olds.

 

[Wardnath]

Australia, and 18.

 

[derdeutschmachine]

I'm in the US and its 21. I started at 13 though.

 

[Blackality]

Portugal,

16 to buy fermented drinks (like beer)
18 for distilled drinks (like vodka)

 

[Chainsauce]

18 to get served at a bar/pub. 20 to buy. (Sweden)

 

[Xiorell]

18 here, which was great when I was 18, but now as I get older, not so much, fucking kids everywhere lol

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

21.

I'm twenty now...and have no plans to drink on my 21st birthday. Or ever, really.

 

[Drejer43]

In Denmark you have to be 18 to buy alcohol in restaurants, bars and that sort, and only 16 to buy from supermarkets, liquor store etc.

PS: maybe somewhat unrelated but you only have to be 15 to have sex here.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

Germany: 16 (18 for stronger stuff)
Real drinking age: 13 or 14. And because everybody wants to make money fake IDs are widely accepted as well. That or an older sibling buying everything for you. It works.

Personally, I stay away from the whole thing, but that's what I got from others.

i second that, except from the stay away from it thing, my hangover says you are probably a smart person, but i dont listen to that bugger.
and to be a little more accurate

16 for beer wine, and everything that has beer or wine in it.
18 for everything else (the law generalizes it as brandy or brandycontaining)

 

[harvz]

aussie, 18 to buy, not 100% bout drinking cause i dont really care. i havent had a drink (im 18) which is cool if you go to a bar that still does that designated driver gets free soft drink deal.

 

[Woodsey]

18 to buy and drink what you want in the UK.

Doesn't really stop us though.

 

[Wintermoot]

16 for light alcholic drinks (wine beer etc.) 21/18 for heavy stuff (Vodka etc.)
heree in holland

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

I'm an Australian, and the legal age for getting your drink on is 18

And I like that, the drinking age at 21 like in the US has always bewildered me: indeed I heard a member of my family remark thus:

"How can a country say that 18 is old enough for a man to go and fight and maybe die for his country but still be to young to have a beer with his mates before he leaves?"

Also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8W2fkhfFPc

 

[captaincabbage]

Australia, and 18.

yup, definitely 18 here, last time I checked. The Aussie govt. was planning to put it up to 21, but that only means more underage drinking.

And also, awesome avatar Glamorgan.

 

[LandoCristo]

18, Singapore.

But it sucks since once I hit 18, I'm going to college back in the US.

 

[BlackWidower]

19 in Canada. I find it funny that at 18 the government considers you responsible to vote, but not responsible enough to consume alcohol. That goes to you to America!

Binge drinking among young people won't stop because you raise the drinking age. It might go down, but that's only because it'll be harder to access the booze, and it'll mean those under the age of 20 will be unable to legally drink responsibly.

I once heard a theory. You know the stereotypical North American college prick? Drinking all day and all night? That's something they don't have in many other countries with lower drinking ages. Why? Well the theory goes the North American college prick was never taught how to drink responsibly at a younger age, and by the time they can, they've already moved out of their parents house and don't get taught. However in...let's say Brittan, parents can teach their kids the merits of responsible drinking at the age of 16 so they're ready by the time they get out on their own.

Ignore the football matches.

 

[Egitor]

No limit for consuming (under adult supervision and responsibility)
16 for light alcoholic beverages such as (normal) beer, wine, pre-mixed drinks.
18 for liquor and other high-alcohol beverages. I believe this gap is at 15% alcohol content.

The age limit seems fine to me and a couple of strange towns aside, there are hardly any problems. I think if anything its 18 for driving that should be adjusted upward - in my perception the danger of alcohol lies in irresponsible driving by inexperienced people. Especially if they're not used to alcohol nor a very experienced driver, things can go very wrong very quickly after a night of party.

 

[Lacsapix]

Sixteen for beer and eighteen for strong liqour in the Netherlands.

 

[reg42]

Here in New Zealand you have to be 18 to buy alcohol, you can be any age to consume it as long as it's supplied by your parents and not consumed in a public area without your parents' supervision.

I'm pretty sure it's the same here in South Africa, not that it's stopped me or anyone I know from buying.

 

[TerribleAssassin]

You have to be over 5-6 to consume it privately
Under adult supervision in a public place: 16
Purchase it: 18.


I'm a Englishman btw.