Germany to ban supervised drinking for teenagers

The German government plans to eliminate a rule allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drink alcohol supervised by an adult, reports suggest. This exemption, part of the Youth Protection Act, has long been a customary aspect of social life in Germany, permitting teenagers to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine at a birthday celebration or a beer at a wedding alongside their parents.

However, the German Cabinet recently approved plans to scrap this provision, which will be discussed in the Bundestag. Family Minister Karin Prien, from the centre-right CDU, argues that the current exemption hinders efforts to safeguard young people from the health and social consequences of alcohol consumption, contradicting the government's objective of strengthening addiction prevention.

While alcohol use rates among 12-17 year olds have been declining, reaching 6.9 percent for girls and 12.4 percent for boys in 2024, the government's decision follows growing concerns among health officials. Neighboring France has stricter laws, prohibiting alcohol sales or offers to anyone under 18 in public, with no exceptions for teenagers.

If approved, the reform would abolish the current exemption, making the legal drinking age for beer, wine, and sparkling wine 16, unchanged. The proposal still requires approval from both the Bundestag and Bundesrat before becoming law.