Drinking Age

Citizens Count Editor

The minimum drinking age in New Hampshire is 21. There is only one exception to this rule: an underage person cannot be prosecuted for drinking if they're caught while seeking medical help for someone suffering from an alcohol overdose.

Breaking the drinking law can lead to a fine of $300 for a first offense and $600 for a second offense.

Federal influence over state drinking laws

Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984, which imposed a 10 percent reduction in federal highway funds on any state that allowed minors under age 21 to purchase alcohol or possess it in public. However, the law did not include consumption of alcohol by minors under the following circumstances:

Drinking in private establishments (but not privately-owned businesses that are open to the public, such as a typical restaurant or bar)
Drinking for medical purposes
Drinking for religious purposes
Handling, dispensing, or transporting alcohol as part of one's job

All 50 states have a general minimum drinking age of 21, but some have taken advantage of these exceptions to allow minors to drink under certain conditions, such as:

On private property (where alcohol is not sold), with or without the consent of a parent or guardian
For educational purposes, such as training at culinary school
At bars or restaurants with the approval of a parent or guardian

Attempts to change NH drinking law

New Hampshire has considered lowering the drinking age, like in 2009 when a proposal to lower the legal age from 21 to 18 died in the House.

More recently, an attempt to allow minors aged 18-20 to drink while in the presence of a responsible adult aged over 21 was shot down.

Pros

Author

Citizens Count Editor

"NH should lower the drinking age."

A culture of dangerous, clandestine "binge-drinking" - often conducted off-campus - has developed.
Alcohol education that mandates abstinence as the only legal option has not resulted in significant constructive behavioral change among our students.
Adults under 21 are deemed capable of voting, signing contracts, serving on juries and enlisting in the military, but are told they are not mature enough to have a beer.

The preceding arguments were made by the Amethyst Initiative, a national coalition of college presidents in favor of lowering the drinking age.

Cons

Author

Citizens Count Editor

"NH should not lower the drinking age."

Brain development continues through the age of 21, and may be disrupted by alcohol consumption.
Some studies have found an association between higher drinking age and lower rates of traffic accidents.
If 18 year-olds are allowed to buy alcohol, they will become suppliers for even younger adolescents.
State laws often restrict other activities to adults over 21, including casino gambling, purchasing a handgun, adopting a child, and renting a car.

Learn More

New-Futures.org

National Youth Rights Association

ADVOCATE FOR YOUR CAUSE

Comments

October 21, 2010

The University of New Hampshire recently launched a pilot program that encourages its students to seek medical attention for fellow students suffering an alcohol-related emergency. The concept of “medical amnesty” is part of a national effort being promoted by Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a nonprofit advocacy group that seeks to engage and mobilize students in the political process to address policies and laws pertaining to drugs (including alcohol) that it perceives to be harmful. At UNH the amnesty program can shield students from “punitive” school sanctions for illegal use of alcohol in exchange for a proactive call for medical assistance by the student affected or by a student acting on the affected student’s behalf.

Here’s how it will work. If a student has placed a call for medical assistance, both the student offering assistance and the student in need of medical attention have the option of applying for medical amnesty. A campus hearing officer, using information provided by the student(s) as well as emergency responders or medical staff, can make a determination that medical amnesty is appropriate. If so, the student affected is likely to receive “educational sanctions” which could include assessment and alcohol education; however, the student would not be subject to punitive sanctions such as a fine or probation. The policy does not address law enforcement actions, nor does it absolve students of responsibility for other violations of the university’s code of conduct beyond the misuse of alcohol. Additionally, the amnesty applies to sanctions within the university’s conduct system and not to academic opportunities and privileges like study abroad and scholarships.

This is not a subject without controversy. There are strong arguments both for and against medical amnesty, and we debated long and hard internally before agreeing to support a pilot program. We rightly resist policies that would in any way contribute to binge drinking. In fact, we stress the legal, academic, social and physical risks of alcohol and drug use even before our students attend their first class or spend their first night in a dorm. College students need to be responsible, and to learn that actions have consequences.

But one of the consequences of irresponsible behavior should never be a preventable death. Indeed, one of our greatest duties as educators is to do everything we can to protect the lives of the young people in our charge. University policies should not discourage students from seeking potentially life-saving medical attention, even when the circumstances that give rise to the need for the medical intervention stem from irresponsible behavior or otherwise contravene university policy.

March 15, 2016

Didn't ask for an essay. I know your job requires standards but if you want your message to meet more people maybe it shouldn't be so complicated keep it simple.

Karen

October 26, 2017

I believe that the drinking age should be lowered back to 18, but with adult supervision. As the argument goes, if an 18 year old is old enough to vote, drive, smoke, have sex, and serve in the military, why should they be prohibited from drinking. I believe they are less apt to drink excessively when faced with the overindulgence of their peers, if they've had some exposure to alcohol while in the presence of a responsible adult. And since the government says that drinking under the age of 21 is illegal, why not make it illegal to smoke for those under a certain age as well?

Ellen

February 22, 2018

It is not realistic to think a young person will fully abstain until age 21 and then magically understand how to drink responsibly on the day they turn 21. It should not be a crime to allow a young adult to have a supervised glass of wine or beer in the home.

Daniel

February 23, 2018

How strange is it that at 18yo I was old enough to be conscripted and be told to kill people, but I was still to young to drink?

Beer and Wine are foods and can be respected.

We can focus more on the reasons that cause people to abuse substances and commit ourselves more to personally helping our neighbors.

John

July 1, 2018

As a high school student maybee sophomore. I watched the drinking age go from 18 to 20 back to 18, then finally 21. Here in New Hampshire. I feel it should be one age for everything. How can one be an adult for some privileges and duties, yet not for another. 18 and you can join military(and possibly give ones life), drink, posses a firearm/concealed carry, vote, smoke or purchase cigarettes, consent to sex, choose a seat belt/helmet and most dangerous drive. One age for everything adult. You are either a child or an adult. Not a mix.

Drinking Age

Federal influence over state drinking laws

Attempts to change NH drinking law

Comments

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