Why Underage Drinking is Legal in 5 of 6 States in New England

Yup, you read that correctly.

Teens, and actually any minor for that matter, can legally drink in Maine and Massachusetts, as well as Rhode Island, Vermont, and Connecticut.

New Hampshire is the only state in New England where it's illegal, no matter what.

As you know, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act established the legal drinking age as 21 years old or older. Actually, this was only passed in 1984. Bananas, huh?

However, that federal law doesn't necessarily mean teenagers can't have a glass of wine or beer. It all depends on the various state-by-state exceptions.

Here's the deal.

According to the Alcohol website, for each state to receive certain types of federal funding, it must adhere to the National Minimum Drinking Age Act.

However, they're allowed to make their own laws as well, with exceptions if they choose.

WHEN MINORS CAN DRINK ALCOHOL LEGALLY

• Parent/Guardian Consent
• Religious Reasons
• Medical Reasons
• Culinary Class

As a matter of fact, there are only five states, including New Hampshire, without a single one of these exceptions, which means underage drinking is completely prohibited no matter what.

The other four states are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, and West Virginia.

For the most part, the family exception rule is why teens are drinking at home, at restaurants, or at weddings, and even these practices vary depending on the state.

According to the Drinking Age Pro Con website, not all states have the family exception law.

In New England, only Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have this law.

Meanwhile, Rhode Island and Vermont are the two states in New England without that law.

According to the Vine Pair website, here are the rest of the states that are stricter and don't have the family exception law. Instead, underage drinking is only allowed for medical, religious, or culinary education reasons.

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Michigan
• Missouri
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• New York
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Vermont
• Washington, D.C.

As with all laws, things can change state by state with new or altered laws, so always double-check.

Click here to learn more about what each exception law means per state.