Can minors drink alcohol at home with their parents? What OH law says
Before I was born, my parents could drink at 18, but once they had me, the legal drinking age was turned to 21. Why change the age and are there any ways around it? Let’s check it out:
Why change the drinking age to 21?
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), “A review by the U.S. General Accounting Office, conducted in 1988, found that raising the drinking age reduced youth drinking, youth driving after drinking, and alcohol-related traffic accidents among youth.”
However, if you are a minor and still live with your parents, you may be able to drink alcohol at home under their supervision.
Can minors drink alcohol with their parents in Ohio?
There are still some legal ways to drink under 21 in Ohio, but they require parental supervision and permission.
The Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) prohibits alcohol consumption by and purchase for people under the age of 21. Still, it has a couple of exceptions to this rule.
Those exceptions include:
- If you are at a private residence of your parent AND
- If your parent is present
This also applies to furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors, which can be done only by the parent in the private residence.
However, the FTC encourages fully abiding by the drinking age, “Injuries from teen drinking are not inevitable and reducing teen access to alcohol is a national priority.”
Are you surprised by this exception to the law? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com
