It is illegal to sell alcohol to people under 18. This is laid down in the Licensing and Catering Act. Local authorities monitor businesses that sell alcohol for compliance with the legal age limits and with the conditions of their licence.
The youngest legal drinking age in the world is 15, with both Mali and the Central African Republic allowing folks to drink at that time. Seven countries do not have a government-mandated drinking age, while 11 countries ban the consumption of booze entirely.
The main objective of such German laws is to protect youth from severe alcohol consumption, which, if not done, may lead to a situation where these young people will have no control over their senses.
The legal drinking age varies by state. In Canada, most provinces have a minimum age of 19 years to buy or consume alcohol, while Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec, the minimum age is 18 years.
Children under the age of 14 are not allowed to buy or drink alcohol. Teens who are 14 or 15 are allowed to drink beer, wine or sparkling wine only in the presence and with the permission of their parents or another person in a custodial role. Other heavy alcoholic drinks are not allowed.
Laws that apply anywhere in Australia
Legal drinking age – you must be 18 or older to buy alcohol or to drink alcohol in a licensed venue. Selling alcohol – it's illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 18 or to someone who is already drunk.
In Italy, minors (anyone under the age of 18) are not able to legally purchase or consume alcohol in bars, restaurants or even outdoors (although it is very unlikely for a restaurateur or server to “card” someone who appears to be younger than that when they are drinking with their parents).
The drinking age is 18. But be aware that it is highly offensive to be seen drunk in public. Unlike Australia, France has no tradition of drinking for the sake of getting drunk. Having said that, if a family is dining in a restaurant, and a teenager has a glass of wine, the probability is that nobody will say anything.
If you're under 18, it's against the law: for someone to sell you alcohol. to buy or try to buy alcohol.
What is the minimum drinking age in Italy? The drinking age in Italy is 18 years old. However, it is not strictly enforced.
The official legal drinking age in Greece is 18 in public and you also have to be 18 to buy alcohol. In reality, these laws are not strictly enforced and in many tourist zones, they're not enforced at all.
Belgium, Denmark and Germany set 16 years as the minimum age for purchasing beverages containing less than 1.2 % of distilled alcohol and 18 years for buying spirits (more than 1.2 % of distilled alcohol). Sweden set the minimum age for purchasing beverages with more than 3.5 % of alcohol at 20 years.
In Japan, the legal adult age is 20. Japanese law prohibits individuals under the age of 20 to drink alcohol or smoke. Regardless of age, you must not force anyone to drink or smoke as it may cause serious health and social consequences.
Russia — Though age to purchase is 18.
Unlike other European countries, there is no official legal drinking age in Greece if you are drinking in private (like a house). However, if you want to purchase alcohol and drink in public, you must be at least 18 years of age.
It is forbidden to provide beer or wine (alcoholic drinks of more than 0.5 %) to people under the age of 16 years and strong drink (15% or more) to people under the age of 18 years. It is forbidden to consume alcohol on the street in the night-life district on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.
The minimum age to legally drink alcohol in Portugal is 18, as in most European countries such as Spain, Italy, and France. The law has an exception – minors aged 16 can legally consume a glass of beer or wine in a restaurant. Remember to have a photo of your ID/passport when buying alcohol in Portugal.
Raising the legal age for alcohol purchase to 21 would reduce alcohol-related harm in Australia. There is strong evidence and increasing support to raise the minimum age for purchasing alcohol from 18 to 21, leading public health experts argue in The Medical Journal of Australia (MJA).
In 2021, the legal age for drinking alcohol is 18 years in the state of Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Sikkim, and Puducherry in India. In comparison, the legal age for drinking is 21 years in the capital city of India, Delhi.
As of now, Japan has the lowest age of consent in developed countries as well as among the G7 countries where 13-year-old children are old enough to consent. A Japanese justice ministry panel proposed raising the age of consent in the country from 13 to 16.
The legal drinking age may vary depending on the cantons and municipalities' policies, but Switzerland's federal legal drinking age is 16 for wine and beer and 18 for Spirits.
If you are 18 years or older you can enter any licensed premises and buy and drink alcohol, as long as you can provide acceptable proof of age identification such as a driver licence, Hospitality New Zealand (HANZ) 18+ card or passport.
You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol in Ireland. It is an offence to: Serve alcohol to a person who is under 18.