Do minimum legal drinking age policies really work? A critical examination in Canada

Russell C. Callaghan, PhD
Associate Professor
Northern Medical Program, UNBC

Given that alcohol consumption contributes to a substantial burden of injury, disability and mortality among young people, most countries worldwide have implemented minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) legislation which seeks to reduce alcohol-related harms among youth by imposing age restrictions on alcohol purchasing, possession and consumption. In Canada, the MLDA is 19 years old in every province and territory, except Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, where the MLDA is 18 years old. At this time, there are vigorous debates about the effectiveness of drinking-age laws. A central concern is: Do minimum legal drinking age policies really work? Driving upon the results from a series of five studies from the Canadian context, I will attempt to provide an answer this question.