Underage Drinking: When is it Legal for a Minor to Drink?

The legal drinking age in America has been the subject of a lot of debate over the years. At one time, I worked in alcohol counseling and youth alcohol and drug prevention advocacy, and learned a lot about alcohol and the effects it has on a young person's brain, especially when compared to an adult person's brain, is not fully developed at the age of 18, and in fact continues to develop until around the age of 21. Alcohol has a different effect on people whose brains are still developing than it does on a developed adult brain, thus making it more likely that a teen drinker will drink and drive, or drink to the point of alcohol poisoning.

There are, however, certain situations in which it is legal for minors to drink alcohol. These exceptions are written into the law in most states, but it is important to check out the laws in your state before giving alcohol to a minor or before consuming alcohol as a minor.

Also, before we get to the exceptions to the legal drinking age for minors, it is most important that adults and minors understand: it is NEVER legal to allow a minor to drink to the point of intoxication. It is NEVER legal for a minor to drink to the point of intoxication. This is true, even within the bounds of the legal exceptions to minors consuming alcohol.

Exceptions to Legal Drinking Age: Religious Ceremonies

There are many religious ceremonies that involve the consumption of small quantities of wine or other fermented alcohol containing beverage. As part of a religious ceremony, a minor may consume a small quantity of alcohol legally.

Exceptions to Legal Drinking Age: When Served by Parent

When a parent is in visible sight of the minor, and is in control of the minor, it is legal in most states for a minor to consume alcohol. The parent must purchase the alcohol and then serve it to the minor child, and the parent must stay in sight of the minor while he or she is consuming the alcohol. This exception is not intended to allow a child to go bar hopping with mom or dad. It's actually an exception that is intended to allow for the minor to celebrate special occasions or celebrate religious traditions with the family. However, in some states, the law does allow for a minor to consume alcohol with a parent at a restaurant or other establishment, provided the server actually serves the alcohol to the parent and the parent then serves it to the minor child. The establishment can legally require the parent to show identification to prove he or she is the parent of the minor before serving.

Exceptions to Legal Drinking Age: During Legal Research with Parental Consent

There are certain medical and social research grants and tests that might require a minor to participate to study the effects of alcohol. These tests must all be performed with both the consent of the minor and the parent or guardian of the minor, and the tests must be controlled and the minor protected from harm.

Unfortunately, young ones, these are the only legal exceptions to the drinking age in America. Any other consumption of alcohol or even consuming alcohol under these exceptions but to the point of intoxication is illegal. Guess you're going to have to wait until you're 21!

Sources:

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/

http://www.abc.ca.gov/