Technically speaking, the average age at which someone has their first drink should be 21. This is because it is generally illegal for people to drink under 21 in the United States.
However, studies have found that roughly 75% of Americans will have alcohol for the first time before they reach that crucial age. Many people start drinking in college or in high school. According to one study, the average age for a first drink tends to fall between 15 and 17 years old.
Why does underage drinking happen?
What the studies suggest is that many young people will consistently break the law. They drink underage, and some of them may commit related crimes like supplying alcohol to minors or driving under the influence.
There is a wide range of reasons why they do this. In some cases, young people are just curious. In other situations, they may be rebelling against authority on purpose, not wanting to be told what they can and cannot do.
In many situations, the issue is peer pressure. This is especially true for college students. They’re living without their parents for the first time, so they have less supervision. They’re also trying to meet new people, make new friends and find new romantic partners. College students often follow the crowd and drink at a party or a social gathering, when they wouldn’t have done so if they were living at home with their parents.
If you are the parent of a young person who has been arrested on alcohol-related charges, be sure you know what legal defense options you have and what steps to take moving forward.