Of these countries, 34 reported decreases in alcohol consumption levels and 17 reported increases. However, in order to purchase and . Some say that by allowing youth to drink at 18 (or even 16) that parents and community members end up playing a greater role in teaching youth how to drink responsibly. Bowden J.A., Delfabbro P., Room R., Miller C.L., Wilson C. Alcohol consumption and NHMRC guidelines: Has the message got out, are people conforming and are they aware that alcohol causes cancer? On the contrary, in terms of proportional burden of alcohol use (i.e., the proportion of mortality and burden of disease that could be avoided by reducing the use of alcohol), Europe is the region with the highest attributable health burden [3,4], with alcohol-attributable mortality currently at 9.4% (95% confidence interval, CI: 8.610.5%) and alcohol-attributable burden of disease at 10.3% (95% CI: 9.911.1%; all burden numbers taken from [3] for the European Region of the World Health Organization (WHO)). This involves taking a shot of chilled jenever (Dutch gin) from a small tulip glass, without using your hands. Minimum legal age to purchase alcohol by country: Prohibited 25 or older 25 (supervised drinking/fermented alcoholic beverages from the age of 21) 13 21 (supervised drinking/fermented alcoholic beverages from the age of 18) 20 20 (supervised drinking/fermented alcoholic beverages from the age of 18) 19 18 17 16 21 No regulation/no age set Technically, you have to be at least 18 years of age to buy alcohol in the country but there is no minimum age limit on the consumption of alcohol. Drinking and Driving Limits in Europe By country Australia Although details and penalties vary from state to state, drinking in public places directly outside licensed premises (and also in council-designated no alcohol zones [2]) is illegal. But by 2014, only . Scottish Government gov.scot Policy: Alcohol and Drugs. However, there are known effective and cost-effective alcohol control policies that could reduce this burden. Drinking Ages Around The World - WorldAtlas World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe Countries. Interestingly, in Sweden you can actually consume legally alcohol at any age at home, but you must be 18 to order it in a restaurant or bar, and 20 to actually purchase it. Rehm J., Room R., Monteiro M., Gmel G., Graham K., Rehn T. Global and Regional Burden of Disease Attributable to Selected Major Risk Factors. Kilian C., Manthey J., Moskalewicz J., Sieroslawski J., Rehm J. Popular local drinks: Ouzo, Rakomelo, Raki/Tsikoudia, Metaxa, and beer. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies Rehm J., Casswell S., Manthey J., Room R., Shield K. Reducing the harmful use of alcohol: Have international targets been met? Contrary to the assertion of the Amethyst Initiative, heavy alcohol use among adolescents is a common problem across . Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Drink Driving Limits across Europe. At most, the legal drinking age in certain European countries is 18 years old and above. The Effects of Alcohol Control Measures on Mortality and Life Expectancy in the Russian Federation. In other words, more than every tenth year of life lost prematurely in the WHO European Region is due to the use of alcohol. International Travel What is the Legal Drinking Age in Europe? Wagenaar A.C., Salois M.J., Komro K.A. Alcohol Control Policy in Europe: Overview and Exemplary Countries Bihar Nagaland Mizoram [12] [13] Indonesia ( Aceh territory only) [14] Iran (home production legal for Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians; commercial production illegal) [15] Iraq (parliamentary ban, rarely enforced) [16] Israel (selling in stores between 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. is illegal; serving at bars, restaurants and clubs always legal, [17] [18]) The report assesses the latest steps Member States have made towards implementing evidence-based and effective alcohol control measures. The relationship between different dimensions of alcohol use and the burden of disease-an update. The .gov means its official. Youth Drinking Cultures in a Digital World: Alcohol, Social Media and Cultures of Intoxication. Indeed, the WHO European Region has for many years been at the forefront of policy initiatives to address alcohol consumption, namely the European Charter on Alcohol, adopted by the WHO European Region Member States in 1995 [7], or the European Ministerial Conference on Young People and Alcohol, held in Sweden in 2001 [8], long before the adoption in 2010 of the WHO Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol [9]. [(accessed on 25 August 2020)]; Rehm J., Gmel G.E., Gmel G., Hasan O.S.M., Imtiaz S., Popova S., Probst C., Roerecke M., Room R., Samokhvalov A.V., et al. & J.R.; funding acquisition: N.B., C.F.-B., A.G., J.R. When in doubt, ask the locals of course, or the person serving you. Currently, this is only mandatory in the Eurasian Economic Union [34]. To present an overview of the current burden of disease attributed to alcohol in the Region and the implementation of corresponding control policies, WHO/Europes new report analyses data gathered from 51 Member States. This is not news for Russia, as alcohol use has already been established as a major determinant for mortality and life expectancy in that country [68,69]. Yes, but Only as a Disinfectant! Engaging in heavy drinking at this time can affect how the brain develops. The example of Russia included a pricing policy other than taxation: minimum pricing. Sweden set the minimum age for purchasing beverages with more than 3.5 % of alcohol at 20 years. Drinking Age by Country 2023 Changes in availability: Availability restrictions on alcohol include measures such as systems to regulate production and distribution of alcohol (e.g., by limiting the number of establishments or hours of retail sales) or setting minimum legal drinking ages. This situation seems to be the result of both countries attempting to address the problem of unrecorded consumption by implementing taxation increases and availability restrictions. 2. However, these legal instruments do not seem to be in sight at the global level, as the proposal from low- and middle-income countries to consider a working group to review and propose the feasibility of developing an international instrument for alcohol control was turned down at the WHO Executive Board earlier this year ([86]; see also [87]). Italys official legal drinking age is a bit of a mystery. More international integration and collaboration is also necessary for the next round of challenges for alcohol control policies: the increase of availability through online sales (see above) and the globalization of marketing on social media for alcoholic beverages, which is expected to increase rapidly [56,57]. National, regional, and global burdens of disease from 2000 to 2016 attributable to alcohol use: A comparative risk assessment study. There were more large-scale reductions in alcohol availability in the Eastern part of the WHO European Region, such as relatively marked decreases in hours of sale or increases in legal purchasing age. Canada: Illegal, with exception of Quebec, where laws are more relaxed. Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity: Research and Public Policy. Best practices in alcohol control policy in some European countries have been shown to save lives and increase the life expectancy of national populations. These changes included widening of availability without explicit changes of policy (example: [48]), or local and/or smaller-scale initiatives to restrict availability, such as partial bans on selling alcoholic beverages off-premises two days per week in a Swiss canton [49]. They believe that leaving your hat on the bed, wearing the color yellow, bringing an old broom into a new home, and Tuesday (named after Mars, the Roman god of war), all bring bad luck. Because of the increases in price in Lithuania, and the resulting increase in the price differential with Latvia, cross-border shopping increased, similar to an increase in cross-border shopping between Latvia and Estonia [84]. Thus, the period of 20102013, with measures to increase prices and restrict availability and marketing of alcohol, led to decreases in mortality, over double the number for men (1.2 per 100,000 per year) as for women (0.5 per 100,000 per year; [65]). Carah N., Brodmerkel S. Alcohol marketing in the era of digital media platforms. At the time of this writing, it is 21 years of age. They also argue that young adults aged 18-20 years drink more responsibly in Western European countries where the minimum legal drinking age is lower. First, successful alcohol control policies need the support of a large segment of the population (e.g., [32]), and to gain such support, increased alcohol health risk awareness and clear messages about alcohol use and its consequences are necessary, mirroring tobacco awareness-raising campaigns (as part of the Framework Convention [78]). Shown in grammes per litre. The majority of these measures involved price increases and availability restrictions, and were not primarily intended to impact traffic harms [30,71]. Even though such studies provide some control for alternative explanations, we cannot fully rule out the effects of other events occurring at the same time the policy was in effect, impacting alcohol-attributable harm [76]. Rehm J., Crepault J.F., Wettlaufer A., Manthey J., Shield K. What is the best indicator of the harmful use of alcohol? Overall, in the European Union and the other countries in the Western part of the WHO European Region, availability has been high and has generally remained unchanged over the past 10 years. Alcohol policy has saved lives in the Russian Federation. Advertisement Drinking customs in Germany The Germans aren't exactly known for having a playful sense of humor, but if you're heading to a wedding there, you might be in for a surprise. 46, D-01187 Dresden, Germany. This column looks at the relationship between minimum legal drinking ages and alcohol abuse. Rice P. Plus a change, plus cest la mme chose: A Review of Recent Alcohol Policy Developments in Europe. International Minimum Ages for Sales of Alcohol - ProCon.org - Drinking Age Alcohol is a major risk factor for burden of disease. Conceptualization: N.B., C.F.-B., A.G., J.R.; methodology: N.B., C.F.-B., A.G., J.R.; resources: N.B., C.F.-B., A.G., J.R.; writingoriginal draft preparation: J.R.; writingreview and editing: N.B., C.F.-B., A.G., J.R.; visualization: J.R.; project administration: T.G. When the legal drinking age is 21, there are fewer alcohol-related traffic fatalities in general, and specifically for 18 and 20 year-olds. They all agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. The statistics for the EU are more troubling, as an earlier WHO report also revealed. In order to fulfill the above specified objectives, we conducted a narrative review. Third, since all analyses are based on specific historical situations, conclusions may change in light of completely unexpected situations, such as the current coronavirus pandemic [54]. We did not report on those countries, as there were fewer publications with detailed evidence available, especially for unrecorded consumption. Blecher E., Liber A., Van Walbeek C., Rossouw L. An international analysis of the price and affordability of beer. Neufeld M., Bunova A., Gornyi B., Ferreira-Borges C., Gerber A., Khaltourina D., Yurasova E., Rehm J. Russias national concept to reduce alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence in the population 2010-2020: Which policy targets have been achieved? And once the poor man does eventually find his bride, he must then foot the entire bill for his groomsmen. That has made the monopolies less effective in reducing excessive drinking. The Legal Drinking Age in Each Country [MAP] - VinePair Rehm J., Crpault J.-F., Hasan O.S.M., Lachenmeier D.W., Room R., Sornpaisarn B. Check out the map below to discover the legal minimum drinking ages of countries around the world! The best-practice examples seem to be characterized by clusters of integrated policies with emphasis on the best buys, as described above. If you are somewhere around these ages, you are probably OK to consume wine or beer in moderation in this country. You need to be 18, however, to drink spirits in Germany, and 16 to drink beer and wine on your own. Jan-Llopis E., Kokole D., Neufeld M., Hasan O.S.M., Rehm J. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. In all European countries, the legal drinking age is less than this, running from about 15 years old up to 20. For instance, half the countries that have reduced their alcohol consumption by at least 10% are members or associate members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a free association of sovereign states formed in 1991 by countries of the former Soviet Union. A Guide to Open Container/Liquor Laws Abroad - Trazee Travel Probst C., Manthey J., Neufeld M., Rehm J., Breda J., Rakovac I., Ferreira-Borges C. Meeting the Global NCD Target of at Least 10% Relative Reduction in the Harmful Use of Alcohol: Is the WHO European Region on Track? There is some debate over whether a younger legal drinking age is better in the long run for the wellbeing of youth and others, or if it is more beneficial to delay it. SAFER is an acronym that stands for the 5 priority areas of intervention with the most effective and cost-effective policy measures that countries can adopt to decrease alcohol consumption and harm and to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals: strengthening restrictions on alcohol availability Alcohol consumption is allowed for the non-Muslims but only within their private residences or the hotels and bars they visit. The Top 9 Strange Alcohol Laws In Europe In Denmark you also must be 18 to be served in a restaurant, pub, or bar. That said, you might not want to get on the wrong side of them. First, by increases in internet sales (expected to increase steadily as part of a more general trend [53]) and second, by the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to severe restrictions in the on-premise availability of alcohol [54], but also to increases in off-premise availability in many countries that declared alcohol to be an essential good, widened delivery options for restaurants, and loosened restrictions on internet sales [55]. The major challenge for the EU today, and a major hope in terms of reduction of alcohol-related harm across Europe, is to respond to the recent changes in alcohol marketing practices and to help Member State governments coordinate policy responses, thereby helping to establish a truly comprehensive European alcohol control policy [91]. Alcohol law [(accessed on 2 September 2020)]; World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe Action Plan on Youth Drinking and on Heavy Episodic Drinking (Binge Drinking) (20142016) Progress Evaluation Report (2019) [(accessed on 2 September 2020)]; Drugs without the Hot Air: Making Sense of Legal and Illegal Drugs. We would like to thank Astrid Otto for the referencing and copy editing of the manuscript. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) Special Issue: Alcohol Control Policy and Health in Europe [(accessed on 25 August 2020)]; Status Report on Alcohol Consumption, Harm and Policy Responses in 30 European Countries. Global alcohol exposure between 1990 and 2017 and forecasts until 2030: A modelling study. For example, Russia did close some of the loopholes for unrecorded consumption by regulating and registering all forms of ethanol, although some untaxed medicinal forms still remain [65,83]. Modern trade agreements also restrict the ability of countries to regulate the marketing activities of the alcohol industry [59]. "If . Reduction in global alcohol-attributable harm unlikely after setback at WHO Executive Board. From left to right, the lower numbers apply to new or young drivers, while the larger number applies to experienced drivers. The need for coordination and a shared vision is greater for smaller neighboring countries due to the close proximity of their borders. Another aspect of comprehensive alcohol policy concerns the coordination of efforts between neighboring countries. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (, alcohol, control policies, taxation, availability, marketing ban, Europe, international coordination. Alcohol use is a major contributor to the global burden of disease and injury [1,2,3], and Europe is no exception. What is the Current Alcohol Labelling Practice in the WHO European Region and what are Barriers and Facilitators to Development and Implementation of Alcohol Labelling policy? Feb. 24, 2014, at 5:36 p.m. Age 21 Drinking Law Saves 900 Lives, Annually. and transmitted securely. ODonnell A., Anderson P., Jan-Llopis E., Manthey J., Kaner E., Rehm J. Standard : Commercial drivers : Novice drivers: Austria: 0.5 : 0.1 : 0.1 : Belgium: 0.5 : 0.2 : 0.5 : Bulgaria: You will need a strong stomach if you plan on drinking with the Dutch. In the same period, the 28 EU countries as well as Norway and Switzerland observed a reduction in alcohol consumption of only 1.5% a change that is not statistically significant when accounting for measurement errors. Humans have been consuming alcohol since ancient times, and perhaps even before. Miikien L., Midttun N.G., Galkus L., Belian G., Petkeviien J., Vaitkeviit J., telemkas M. Review of the Lithuanian Alcohol Control Legislation in 19902020. Lachenmeier D.W., Gmel G., Rehm J. Unrecorded alcohol consumption. Regression discontinuity estimates show that legal access to alcohol increases the frequency and . After all, it is said that Vikings would often drink wine from bowls made of the skulls of their sleighed enemies. 12. Mortality and morbidity due to the consumption of alcohol stems from four major disease categories: alcohol use disorders, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and injuries. Popular local drinks: Akvavit, Mead, Brennivin, and lager beer. Rovira P., Kilian C., Neufeld M., Rumgay H., Soerjomataram I., Ferreira-Borges C., Shield K.D., Sornpaisarn B., Rehm J. Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Drink Driving Limits across Europe What's The Legal Drinking Age In European Countries? The youngest legal age associated with alcohol in Europe is in Germany. 1. That five-year difference to the US, where the drinking age is 21, appears to be significant. Scheideler J.K., Klein W.M.P. A later drinking age also protects youths and adolescents from the negative impact alcohol can have on the developing brain. 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