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Underage Drinking

Possession/Consumption/Internal Possession of Alcohol

Laws that prohibit underage alcohol possession, consumption, or internal possession (see Definitions for this policy topic on the About This Policy tab), together with various statutory exceptions to these laws.

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Variables: Underage Drinking: Possession/Consumption/Internal Possession of Alcohol

The variables for underage possession, consumption, and internal possession of alcoholic beverages indicate EXCEPTIONS to a prohibition of such activities by persons under 21 years of age. These exceptions are coded based on relevant statutes and regulations. There also may be religious, medical, parental, spousal, and law enforcement exceptions based on custom or constitutional protections that are not addressed by APIS.

  1. Type of Behavior:

    • Possession of alcoholic beverages
    • Consumption of alcoholic beverages
    • Internal Possession of alcoholic beverages (see Definitions for this policy topic on the About This Policy tab)
  2. Conduct is Prohibited:
    • Indicates whether or not the specified type of behavior is prohibited in that jurisdiction.  The alternatives are:

      • Yes
      • No
      • No Law (if there is no applicable law, a dash will appear in the Conduct is Prohibited column)
  3. Exceptions related to Family:
    • Parent/Guardian: Exception for minors when a parent or guardian consents and/or is present
    • Spouse: Exception for married minors when a spouse consents and/or is present
      • Some jurisdictions limit the Parent/Guardian and/or Spouse exceptions to specific locations. In such cases, the exception is shown as a  plus sign rather than a check mark .
  4. Exceptions related to Location:
    • In Any Private Location
    • In Private Residences
    • In Parent/Guardian's Home Only
      In some jurisdictions, the Location exception is conditional on the presence and/or consent of the parent, legal guardian, or spouse. In such cases, the exception is shown as a plus sign rather than a check mark.

NOTE:  As of the November 2, 2010, update, APIS has consolidated the former Parent/Guardian “Gives Consent,” “Is Present,” and “Role Not Specified” variables into a single Yes/No variable entitled “Parent/Guardian” (see Variable 3, above). Although APIS no longer reports this level of detail, there are several changes in the previously reported data that users may wish to note. To see these changes, click here.