The laws around alcohol consumption for young people vary across the different states and territories, but broadly the 'drinking age' in Australia is 18 years.
In 2019, the average age at which Australians aged 14 years and older consumed their first serve of alcohol was 17 years. However, the average age at which 14-24 year olds consumed their first serve of alcohol was 16 years.
Among Australians who drink alcohol, the usual quantity consumed per day differs by age. Australians aged 18-24 years generally consume more standard drinks on a day they drink than any other age group.
5% of Australians drink alcohol every day; 7% drink 5-6 days per week; 11% drink 3-4 days per week; 17% drink 1-2 days per week; 13% drink 2-3 days per month; 23% drink 1 day per month or less; and 23% of Australians abstain from alcohol. Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Teen alcohol usage statistics
The 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey found 66% of 14–17-year olds have never had a full serve of alcohol. It also found 2.8% of 14–17-year olds drink weekly (while for the 18–24 age group, the figure is 27.9%). Younger people are increasingly choosing not to drink alcohol.
Children and young people are advised not to drink alcohol before the age of 18. Alcohol use during the teenage years is related to a wide range of health and social problems. However, if children do drink alcohol underage, it should not be until they are at least 15.
By the age of 15, 33% of people have had at least one drink. By the age of 18, that number increases to 60%. The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility notes that the rate of current alcohol consumption rises by age: Less than 1% of 12-year-olds have had a drink.
How many young people drink alcohol in Australia? According to the 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, close to one-third (28.8%) of 12- to 17-year-old Australians reported drinking alcohol in the previous 12 months.
Australians boast about their selection and variety of alcohol. The most famous drink in Australia is vino. The most consumed drink in this country is red wine.
Youth drinking lowest in the decades
Rates of alcohol use by students has declined over the past three decades. The proportion of students drinking has significantly declined - in the past year (79.8% to 41.0%), in the past month (50.0% to 23.3%) and in the past week (33.5% to 14.5%).
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.
Beverage selection is closely tied to life stages: young children aged 2-8 years were the highest consumers of fruit drinks and cordials; teenagers between 14 and 18 years, especially boys, drank the most sugar-sweetened soft drinks and adults aged 31-50 years consumed the most low-kilojoule drinks as a proportion of ...
Australians have been named the heaviest drinkers in the world in a survey after spending more time drunk in 2020 than any other nation. The international survey found Australians drank to the point of drunkenness an average of 27 times a year, almost double the global average of 15.
There was an overall decline in the proportion of people who drink daily from 2016 (6.0%) to 2019 (5.4%) (AIHW 2020, Table 3.5). People aged 70 and over continued to be the most likely to drink daily (12.6%), followed by people in their 60s (9.6%) and 50s (7.3%).
Here in Australia we lowered the drinking age from 21 to 18 in Western Australia on July 1, 1970 while the corresponding date for Queensland was February 18, 1974. In South Australia the drinking age was lowered from 21 to 20 years with effect from December 19, 1968, and then to 18 years as from April 8, 1971.
An ABC News article published in 2018 described lemon, lime, and bitters (LLB) as "Australia's national drink". Lemon, lime, and bitters is a mixed drink made with (clear) lemonade, lime cordial, and Angostura bitters. The lemonade is sometimes substituted with soda water or lemon squash.
Spirits and RTDs are clearly the preferred drink among the youngest age group with the majority of 14 to 19 year olds indicating that bottled spirits or RTDs are their favourite drink (66.2%). In all other age groups beer and wine are the most popular drinks and together comprise the majority of favourite drinks.
Queenslanders appear to be the nation's biggest beer drinkers, with South Australians drinking the least.
In Australia, it's legal for a person under 18 to drink alcohol on private property. But in most states and territories, the person who gave them alcohol could be breaking the law – unless they're the young person's parent or guardian, or the parent or guardian has provided permission.
person aged under 18 years is forbidden to drink alcohol on licensed premises, unless they are accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse and having a meal. It is up to the licensee to make sure these laws are not broken.
Looking at the amount of alcohol consumed per person aged 15 years or older, the Seychelles is in first place with around 20.5 litres of alcohol drunk per person per year, according to Our World in Data; studies show that young male peer groups primarily drink high amounts of alcohol in the Seychelles.
And - although not recommended - the CMOs also say if children do drink alcohol, it shouldn't be until at least 15 years of age. For teenagers that do drink – it's important to understand that alcohol has serious effects on their health and development.
According to the report's findings, 23 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds do not drink alcohol, marking an increase of six per cent over the past 12 months.
According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) report, about 5.9 million Americans between the ages of 12 and 20 report current alcohol consumption; this represents 15% of this age group for whom alcohol consumption is illegal.