The legal drinking age is the minimum age at which a person can legally consume alcoholic beverages. The minimum age at which alcohol can be legally consumed may differ from the age at which it can be purchased in some countries. These laws vary from country to country and many laws provide for exceptions or special circumstances. Most laws only apply to alcohol consumption in public places, with alcohol consumption in the home generally unregulated (an exception is the UK, which has a legal age of five for supervised consumption in private places). Some countries also have different age limits for different types of alcoholic beverages. [1] Most countries have a legal drinking age of 18 or 19. [2] Here`s what the law says about children drinking alcohol Police can search minors in public places and confiscate or destroy alcoholic beverages in their possession. Incidents are reported to the legal guardian and child protection services, who may be involved in child protection proceedings. In addition, a fine is imposed on persons aged 15 and over.
[167] Health risks for youth that may arise after consuming very modest amounts of alcohol by adult standards include the possibility of alcohol intoxication or involvement in violence and finding themselves in vulnerable or dangerous situations. It is legal for anyone over the age of 5 to drink alcohol. Restrictions apply to purchase (under 18) and location – on licensed premises, in public places or in alcohol-free zones. Police have the authority to purchase alcohol from persons under the age of 18 in public spaces (e.g. on the street or in parks) to be confiscated. The UK`s chief medical officer recommends that an alcohol-free childhood should be the healthiest, but if children drink from minors, it shouldn`t be until the age of 15. Children, their parents and caregivers are informed that an alcohol-free childhood is the best option for health. However, if children drink alcohol, it should be at least until the age of 15. In Scotland, it is also illegal for under-16s to buy liquor sweets (e.g. chocolates).5 However, very few of us wait until we are 18 to drink – cans in the park are pretty much a rite of passage when you grow up. Some states do not allow people under the legal drinking age in liquor stores or bars (generally, the difference between a bar and a restaurant is that food is only served in the latter).
Contrary to popular belief, only a few states prohibit minors and young adults from consuming alcohol in private places. Anyone convicted of illegally supplying alcohol to someone under the age of 18 would have a criminal record and could pay a significant fine. This applies to people who walk or work in a pub or business, parents or guardians, or anyone else. But what exactly is legal and illegal when it comes to drinking in the UK? Can people under the age of 18 drink legally? The legal age for the consumption and purchase of alcohol in the Faroe Islands is 18 years. [163] However, if you are 16 or 17 years old and accompanied by an adult, you can drink beer, wine or cider with a meal (but not buy). You can be arrested, fined, or arrested by the police if you are under 18 and drink alcohol in public. Cities may also have local ordinances that prohibit the consumption of alcohol in public. It is LEGAL for a child between the ages of 5 and 16 to drink alcohol at home or in other licensed facilities. In some areas, it is illegal to carry or drink alcohol on the street, but many Britons do it anyway.
Police can confiscate open bottles or pints if you carry them on the street, so make sure you know the rules in the area you`re traveling to. It`s common to stand just outside a pub with a pint on a sunny day or hot evening, especially in cities like London. At home is another thing, a child between the ages of five and 16 can drink as much alcohol as he wants at home or in other private places. Section 78 of the Children`s Act – No person shall sell, lend, give, supply, provide or offer liquor to children under 16 years of age unless there is a written order signed by the parent or guardian of the child known to that person. The police have a duty to confiscate any alcoholic beverage in the possession of a child under the age of 16 without the written consent of parents or guardians. [38] Persons who are 16 or 17 years of age may serve alcohol in a restaurant if the licensee or bar manager has approved the sale. Some regions limit this sale to sealed bottles of alcohol. If your waiter looks like you`re under 18 when you eat or drink in England, it`s probably completely legal. In North America, the legal drinking age and the legal purchasing age range from 18 to 21: it is technically legal for minors to possess and consume alcohol at home and in public (not on licensed premises), as there is no law prohibiting it.
