For many, the ability to buy a legal drink is a sign of maturity and freedom — and perhaps a harbinger of questionable choices and good times. The method of calculating the legal age for alcohol is slightly different from the calculation of Korean age, where another year is added to the person`s age, while this method does not take into account the month and day of birth, but only the year. [105] Would you like to know more about the legal drinking age in the world? Check out the map below to find out the legal drinking age in countries around the world! The last legal age in the world is 15, with Mali and the Central African Republic currently allowing alcohol consumption. Seven countries do not have state-mandated drinking age, while 11 countries ban alcohol consumption altogether. At the same time, we know that nearly 60% of the world`s population currently does not drink until the age of 15 and older. This means that there could be many changes in the future that we need to be aware of,” Rekve said, noting that in 2016, 57% of men and women worldwide reported abstaining from alcohol in the past 12 months. The police may search minors in public places and confiscate or destroy alcoholic beverages in their possession. Incidents are reported to the 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] In Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, Maldives, Iran, Afghanistan, and Kuwait, it is illegal to drink alcohol. Most of these countries prohibit alcohol for religious purposes.

For example, alcohol in Bangladesh is illegal for Muslims, but legal privately for non-Muslim tourists. ** In Abu Dhabi, the legal drinking age is 18. In all other regions, except Sharjah, the age limit is 21 years. The sale, supply and consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Sharjah. Several reasons have been given for the laws and regulations underlying the legal drinking age. For some people, the initiation of minors to alcohol interferes with their normal expected activities, such as studying. Alcohol can also affect their behavior. However, the well-known reason for prohibiting underage drinking until they reach a certain age is the effect of alcohol on the brain in adolescents. Since their brains are still maturing, alcohol can damage their memory and long-term thinking. Alcohol can also lead to complications such as liver failure and hormonal imbalance in minors, as their bodies are constantly changing as they mature, especially during puberty. Italy has set a legal drinking age of 16, one of the lowest in the world.

In 2002, Renato Balduzzi, then Minister of Health, proposed raising the minimum drinking age to 18. However, the sale of alcoholic beverages to children under the age of 18 on premises is considered illegal and is punishable by a fine of 250 to 1,000 euros. Giving alcohol to anyone under the age of 16 is considered a crime and carries a penalty of up to one year in prison. Despite the regulations, many minors enjoy alcoholic beverages, especially in the company of their parents and at social events. AIM – Alcohol in Moderation, “What is the Legal Drinking Age (LDA)?”, www.aim-digest.com, January 2015 Children`s Act Section 78 – No person shall sell, lend, give, deliver, provide or offer alcoholic beverages to children under 16 years of age unless there is a written order signed by the child`s parent or guardian, who is 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] Alcohol consumption varies considerably from country to country, as does the legal drinking age. In the United States, you must be at least 21 years of age or older to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages (with some exceptions in some jurisdictions). Surprisingly, this is one of the highest ages in the world to drink. To the north of the United States is Canada, which has a legal drinking age of 18 to 19, and the legal drinking age is much lower in many other countries. In fact, some countries don`t have a minimum drinking age (although there may be a minimum age to buy alcohol) – although the vast majority of these countries still have laws on the age you need to have to buy alcoholic beverages.

Conversely, in some countries (usually under strict Muslim rule), alcohol consumption is completely prohibited. Manzoor Butt: “The consumption of illegal toxic alcohol kills hundreds of people every year in Pakistan; Family doctors must take a more proactive role in saving precious lives,” Middle East Journal of Business, April 2015 Alcohol consumption in public places, with the exception of designated drinking areas, is prohibited regardless of age. Now fasten your belt and catch your favorite cold because we`re going to look at the youngest drinkers around the world. In chemical terms, alcohol is an organic compound formed during the fermentation of grains, vegetables or fruits. Medically, alcohol is classified as a sedative (as opposed to a stimulant like caffeine or a hallucinogen like psilocybin) with a variety of physiological effects. Most of these effects involve slowing down or obstructing bodily functions. For example, alcohol inhibits bodily motor functions and slows reaction times. The more you drink, the slower and clumsier they become.

Similarly, alcohol also hinders the brain`s communication pathways. While one or two drinks can make a person looser and more relaxed, continued consumption leads to symptoms such as slurred speech, cloudy thinking, and poor decision-making. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to additional complications such as vomiting, memory loss, drowsiness up to fainting, and in extreme cases, alcohol poisoning. Finally, long-term excessive alcohol consumption can contribute to serious physiological conditions, including (but not limited to) pancreatitis, cardiomyopathy, liver disease, hyperglycemia, cancer, and various neurological disorders. In these countries, it is a criminal offence to sell, donate or offer alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of 16. However, in Zimbabwe, a person is allowed to sell or provide alcoholic beverages to children under the age of 16 if there is a written document signed by the parents or guardians of the minor known to the person selling the alcohol. Studies have varied, but some researchers say that no amount of alcohol is good for your health and that excessive alcohol consumption can damage the body and brain, especially in young people. There is some evidence that high alcohol exposure may be associated with brain impairment and cognitive deficits, including memory problems. Champagne often flows when you toast on New Year`s Eve, but at what age can most young people legally start drinking sparkling wine? As a next step, we want to know how these changes in alcohol consumption behavior affect morbidity. This is important because the societal cost of alcohol consumption is likely to skyrocket once it leads to hospitalization, especially among adolescents.

On the basis of the high-quality administrative medical documents of the OÖ Krankenkasse (UAHIF), we obtain information on hospitalizations due to alcohol poisoning for the entire population of children born in Upper Austria between 1991 and 1995. Alcohol poisoning is a rather rare result (one in a thousand children in our data suffers from alcohol poisoning), but the advantage of this data is that we don`t have to worry about reporting problems or memory errors. “Europe is generally very high, both for the adult population and for 15-19 year olds,” Rekve said. More than a fifth of Europe`s population aged 15 and over reported heavy episodic use at least once a week, according to the WHO. The following tables show the Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) and related data for 190 independent states recognized by the U.S. Department of State as of July 15, 2015. Data from the World Health Organization`s Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2014, unless otherwise noted. No information on alcohol age was available for Djibouti, Lebanon, Marshall Islands, North Korea or South Sudan, the other five countries listed as independent states by the State Department. For many, the ability to buy a legal drink is a sign of maturity and freedom — and perhaps a harbinger of questionable choices and good times.

In the United States, rates of binge drinking among teens are also declining. In Central America, the Caribbean and South America, the legal drinking age and the legal purchasing age are between 0 and 20 years (see table below).