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The legal drinking age is (informally) the minimum age at which people are legally allowed to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages in a given jurisdiction.
Some jurisdictions set a minimum age on the customers licensed retailers of alcoholic beverages may sell alcohol to. Some set down a more comprehensive prohibition against persons below the minimum age being on premises licensed to sell alcohol. At its strictest, the term describes the age below which persons must have their alcohol intake properly supervised by those responsible for them, or are simply not permitted to consume it. Frequently these minimum ages will differ in a single jurisdiction. Legal drinking ages are sometimes tied to other age of majority laws, such as the right to vote, to consume other substances such as tobacco or marijuana, and may include exceptions in cases of medical need or parental consent, or more complex stipulations regarding kinds of beverages: some countries distinguish between drinks with lower alcohol-content (such as beer and wine) and stronger spirit-based drinks.
In most countries the minimum age to purchase alcohol is at least 18, but there are notable exceptions (see list below), Generally, a lower minimum age, say between 12 and 16, is applied in relation to those persons who are not allowed on the premises of a licensed drinking establishment. This prohibition will either be absolute or partial, being limited to certain times of the day, like the evening and night. Exceptions may exist when the premises are licensed but not open to the public (i.e. are private members clubs) or when substantial meals are also served together with alcohol (e.g. restaurants and hotels). In some jurisdictions, such restrictions may be extended to unsupervised possession and/or consumption of alcohol by minors, and not merely presence at a licensed venue. An even lower age may apply in some jurisdictions that allow minors to drink in private with parental permission.
Contents
1Legal drinking age by country
1.1Africa
1.2Americas
1.3Asia
1.4Europe
1.5Oceania
2References
3External links
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.[citation needed]
Drinking by minors under adult supervision is permitted in licensed premises in the provinces of Manitoba and New Brunswick and at home in Prince Edward Island, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan. [1] Drinking age in any setting is not as enforced in Quebec compared to other provinces. Legal drinking age legislation falls under provincial jurisdiction.
Financial incentives create de facto federal purchase age of 21. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 states that revenue will be withheld from states that allow the purchase of alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. Some states do not allow those under the legal drinking age to be present in liquor stores or in bars (usually, the difference between a bar and a restaurant is whether food is being served). Contrary to popular belief, since National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, few states specifically prohibit minors' consumption of alcohol in private settings (an exception includes Connecticut). In some cases or states, alcohol permits can be purchased at a cost to the parent or legal guardian. As of 2006, 20 states do not specifically ban underage consumption and an additional 15 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws. [2] Federal law explicitly provides for religious, medical, employment and private club possession exceptions; as of 2005, 31 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage possession laws. [3] Underage purchase of alcohol, though illegal in all fifty states, is not a federal offense, although restrictions on highway funding for states that allow it make it illegal federally de facto. See underage drinking in America.
Muslims are not allowed to drink or possess alcohol, non-Muslim residents and visitors may import alcohol for personal consumption. Public sale of alcohol is illegal.
Parents, guardians, and others taking care of people under 18 are required pursuant to the Children and Youth Welfare Law (zh:兒童及少年福利法) to prohibit underage drinking or risk administrative fines when the situations are serious.
People under 18 years old are allowed to drink wine, champaigne and beer while being accompanied by parents. Although it is not directly stated, no restaurants or cafes will serve alcoholic beverages to unaccompanied minors. Also, minors cannot enter bars.
Dubai laws state that no person under the age of 16 may be in a place serving alcohol after 18:00. Alcohol is only served in restaurants and bars attached to hotels. Alcohol is forbidden in Sharjah.
If a shop fails to ask for an ID-card and they are identified having sold alcohol to an underage, they are fined. A national ID-card can be obtained in the local town hall in order for the youth to verify the youth age towards shops. It is very often used as a birthday present. Although there are no legal age for drinking in private, the confirmation (Age: 13-14) is regarded as the proper time for an introduction to alcohol, because Danes in the past started to work at that age. [3].
18 (shops and Alko stores up to 22% ABV and all alcohol in bars), 20 (over 22% ABV in Alko stores)
Although consumption by minors is not prohibited, it is strictly limited to certain rare situations because of various statutes regarding possession and offering. Because of this, legal drinking age is often perceived to be 18 by the general public. Purchase age also applies to possession.
The legal drinking age does not apply when drinking in private. Minors in possession of alcohol are not punished; however, people who make alcohol available to minors are.
Rarely enforced, except in certain chain restaurants (which have self proclaimed a 17 year old minimum drinking age). No legal age for drinking in private.
Possession or consumption of alcohol by minors is not an offence but supplying them with alcohol is. However, law allows alcohol possessed by a minor to be confiscated.
By law, only a passport, driving licence or the Garda age card is accepted as proof of age (although not always asked for in practice). Purchasing alcohol for a minor is illegal (except by parents for consumption at home).
As in the United Kingdom it is only illegal for an adult to give alcohol to a child under 5 years, unless under medical supervision or it is an emergency, but this gives an effective drinking age of 5. The age for buying and consumption of alcoholic beverages on licensed premises is 18; however, a person over the age of 16 may buy an alcoholic beverage with a substantial meal, as long as they are accompanied by a person over 18. [4]
Beer, cider and alcopops can be bought in any store, whilst all beverages above 4.7% must be bought at The Wine Monopoly. Under aged youth are actually allowed to drink alcohol, but it is illegal to sell them or provide them with alcohol.[citation needed]
People suffering from mental illness or already extremely inebriated cannot purchase or obtain alcoholic beverages. People under 16 can drink if parents allow
Sale of all distilled spirits is illegal for those under 18. Advertising distilled alcohol is forbidden during the day (between 5:00 and 22:00). All restrictions apply on sale and distribution to underage persons, not consumption.
Rarely if ever enforced. Beer and other alcoholic beverages are sold to minors in corner stores while some chain stores refuse to sell alcoholic beverages to minors.
In some regions, low-alcohol drinks, like wine or beer, may be bought by people over 16. This is likely to change in the near future to a national drinking/purchasing age of 18.
18 (bars and restaurants, beer and cider with ≤ 3.5% (volume) alcohol in shops), 20 (Systembolaget stores) Always enforced in Systembolaget stores.[citation needed]
See also alcohol in Sweden. Bars/clubs often voluntarily choose to have higher age limits than 18, commonly 20 or 23. Bootlegging to minors is illegal but frequent.
People under 18 years old are allowed to drink while being accompanied by an adult. Beer, being a low alcohol beverage, can be freely bought by minors. (NOTE: these laws are rarely if ever enforced)
The legal age to purchase alcohol is 18. Persons aged 16-17 may consume wine, beer, cider or perry with a meal in a restaurant providing they're with an adult and the adult orders it. Children under 14 are not allowed in pubs without an adult. The purchase of liquor chocolates is 16. The legal age for drinking in one's home is 5 provided parental consent is given. Children under 5 must not be given alcohol unless for medical reasons. [5]
It is illegal to buy, drink or possess alcohol if under 18 but states allow drinking or possessing alcohol on private premises for people under the age of 18 (under the supervision of an adult[s]). Minors may be on licensed premises accompanied by a parent or guardian (but not purchase alcohol) and parents can provide alcohol with a meal on licensed premises. In Victoria, if a minor is caught with alochol it will be confiscated and guardians notified of the offence, and a fine may occur. Generally the law enforcement forgive minors with just a warning and then confiscate the alcohol. The consequences of the situation depend on the police officer involved. It is also illegal to provide minors with alcohol, and one can be fined by it if caught in the act. [5]
While minors can drink at any age, they can only legally be supplied alcohol by their legal guardian or spouse. On 8 November2006 the New Zealand Parliament rejected a bill to return the legal age to 20. [6]
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