Should There Be an Age Requirement To Buy Non-Alcoholic Drinks? 

Do you recall ordering your first “grown-up” drink as a kid? Maybe it was a Shirley Temple at a family wedding or a virgin piña colada on summer vacation that allowed us to participate in the camaraderie of sharing a drink with others without the negative effects and harms of alcohol. As new non-alcoholic drinks that imitate the taste of alcohol have been developed and the appeal of non-alcoholic beverages grows, an intriguing question emerges: should there be an age requirement to buy  non-alcoholic beverages?

Some argue that their similarities to alcoholic drinks make them gateways to alcoholic beverages. Meanwhile, others contend that, at the end of the day, they’re harmless because they don’t contain any alcohol. Join us as we discuss both sides of the debate.

Understanding Non-Alcoholic Beer, Wine, and Other NA Drinks

“Non-alcoholic beverage” can be used as a general term to describe any drink that contains no alcohol or only trace amounts of it. The term encompasses anything from sodas to zero-alcohol beer. To narrow the discussion, we’ll be using the term non-alcoholic beverages to refer to drinks that mimic alcohol rather than common drinks such as tea, coffee, or soda.

Non-alcoholic alternatives are made in the same way as their alcoholic counterparts. Grains, fruit, or other plants are fermented using yeast, which converts the sugars into alcohol. To produce non-alcoholic beverages, the product then goes through an additional process to remove the alcohol, eliminating the intoxicating properties. These alternatives often have trace amounts of alcohol (although not enough to be categorized as alcohol). In the U.S., any beverage above 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) cannot be labeled as non-alcoholic. It’s important to remember that “non-alcoholic” doesn’t necessarily mean zero alcohol, so, if we’re looking to completely avoid alcohol, we should check the label for ABV and make sure it says 0.0% alcohol.

Since these non-alcoholic alternatives are made in the same way as alcohol, they often emulate its taste and appearance. Today, there are non-alcoholic alternatives to almost every alcoholic beverage on the market. This includes non-alcoholic beer, wine, mixed drinks, and zero-proof spirits. The popularity of non-alcoholic drinks has skyrocketed as more people are joining the “sober curious” movement as they look for ways to enjoy the taste or social aspect of alcohol without its detrimental effects.

Current Regulations for Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Today, there are no standard regulations or age restrictions to purchase non-alcoholic beers or other alternatives to alcohol throughout the United States. Some states and businesses have decided to implement their own regulations, check IDs, and refuse to sell to minors. States such as Florida, South Carolina, and Maine have the same legal age for non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Other states only require purchasers to be 18, and some have no age requirement at all.

This means that in some states, a 9-year-old can walk into a store and buy a 6-pack of non-alcoholic beer, no questions asked. Many parents are sounding the alarm and pushing for age requirements. Let’s dive deeper into the reasons why.

Arguments for Age Requirements

Health experts and others who are in support of age requirements worry that non-alcoholic beverages act as gateways to alcohol use.

And, while non-alcoholic alternatives won’t make us intoxicated and don’t have the same detrimental health effects, they can normalize drinking. The harsh taste of alcohol is a common deterrent to drinking. However, If we — and especially children and youth — get used to the taste of non-alcoholic drinks, who’s to say that a 6-pack of non-alcoholic beer won’t turn into a 6-pack of regular beer when there aren’t alternatives around?

The result:  the door to innumerable negative effects opens wide.

Examining the risks of non-alcoholic beverages for minors brings to light a variety of health, behavioral, and social implications.

• Influence on future drinking habits. Consuming non-alcoholic beverages can normalize drinking due to a concept known as addition marketing, especially since the products look and taste almost identical to alcohol. This can lead to transitioning from non-alcoholic drinks to alcoholic ones. It may also indirectly promote excessive drinking. Since non-alcoholic beverages aren’t associated with the same health risks as alcohol, it’s not harmful to pour a bit more than we would alcohol. However, let’s say we’re used to enjoying a couple of glasses of non-alcoholic wine. If we somehow transition to consuming alcoholic wine, a couple of glasses will undoubtedly be harmful. 
• Social reinforcement of drinking behavior. Even though we may not be drinking alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks can often be mistaken for alcohol. Constant exposure to alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks that look similar in social settings can further normalize drinking culture. 
• Health implications. Non-alcoholic drinks, while they aren’t nearly as harmful as alcohol, can still do a number on our health. The high sugar levels and empty calories quickly add up, especially if we’re consuming excessively under the false notion that it’s okay to have as much as we want. 

While the main argument against non-alcoholic drinks is that it could be a gateway to alcoholic beverages, there’s not enough data at this time to prove that. Let’s take a look at case for the other side.

Arguments Against Age Requirements

The main argument against age requirements is that non-alcoholic drinks will always be a better alternative to alcohol. At the end of the day, non-alcoholic drinks don’t have intoxicating effects and don’t cause significant health risks for minors. 

Proponents hold that non-alcoholic drinks can be safe alternatives and help reduce overall alcohol consumption and related risks. Let’s say a teenager is attending a party where they know alcohol will be served. They don’t want to partake in drinking but still want to join in on the fun. They go to the store to pick up some non-alcoholic alternatives and find there’s an age requirement. Too scared to ask their parents, they end up going to the party and drinking alcohol instead. 

In this scenario, some argue that by not having an age requirement to purchase non-alcoholic beverages, kids have access to a safer alternative to alcohol. Still, the gateway argument currently prevails given the extensively studied and research-supported negative consequences of underage drinking and its harmful effects.

Harms of Underage Drinking

Underage drinking is associated with many negative consequences.

• Increased risk of alcohol dependence. Research shows that the younger we drink, the greater the risk of developing alcohol dependence and alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• Impacts on development. Our brain continues to develop until around the age of 25. If we start drinking at a younger age, development of some parts of our brain involving our emotions, learning, memory, and more can be impacted.
• Poor health outcomes. Alcohol is toxic to our body and associated with many chronic diseases. The younger we drink, the more alcohol we consume. This can negatively impact our health in the short and long term. 
• Worse mental health. Alcohol is a depressant that causes fluctuations in our mood and impacts our stress response. Over time, this can lead to mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. 
• Social consequences. When we drink, alcohol slows down messaging in our brain, which impairs our judgment and decision making. This increases the chances of engaging in risky behaviors, which can impact our academic or work performance and even result in legal problems.

To prevent these risks, it’s important for us to promote greater awareness of the dangers of underage drinking. Let’s take a closer look at underage drinking, focusing on the current trends of Gen Z.

Drinking Habits of Gen Z

Let’s zoom in on Gen Z — the population born between 1996 and 2010 — since it’s the only generation whose younger members are still under the legal drinking age and affected by regulation of non-alcoholic beverages. Despite their vulnerability, members of Gen Z actually drink less alcohol in general and are known to embrace the sober curious movement. This means they’re not only drinking less but also increasing their awareness about their drinking habits. Research indicates this trend could be due to increased consciousness of health and wellness, increased individualization, and increased availability of non-alcoholic alternatives. More mindfulness when drinking is one key to developing a healthier relationship with alcohol.

While Gen Z is drinking less than other generations in general, it’s still too early to tell what impact non-alcoholic drinks will have on their future drinking habits. That’s why it’s important to support younger generations with useful information and good examples.

Tips To Help Youth Navigate Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Perhaps more important than pushing for an age requirement to purchase non-alcoholic beverages is educating and supporting younger generations with navigating them and understanding the risks of alcohol consumption. 

Currently, most health experts aren’t pushing for an age requirement to consume non-alcoholic drinks, but rather to purchase them. Non-alcoholic alternatives continue to have many benefits, especially for adults looking to quit or cut back on alcohol. Putting an age restriction on purchasing non-alcoholic drinks highlights the importance of awareness of underage drinking and its related harms. 

This doesn’t mean minors can’t enjoy that virgin piña colada poolside during the family vacation; rather it urges parents to play a more active role in managing underage alcohol consumption and educating children on the risks of drinking. Here are several ways to do that.

• Focus on the facts. Kids don’t always heed our cautions. Educating them on alcohol’s risks through science and actual data may help get through to them.
• Show them how it’s done. Lead by example. If we’re telling our kids about alcohol’s harms but continue to down drinks in front of them, they’re getting mixed messages. Research shows that children of parents who drink regularly are also more likely to drink. 
• Don’t put a halo on it. While it’s helpful to increase awareness about alcohol’s harms, it’s also beneficial to shift the focus away from alcohol. Take drinking out of the spotlight and teach kids that it’s not something super important to their social life — or something they have to do! Instead of focusing on the piña colada by the pool, start a friendly game of Marco Polo.
• Don’t rule with an iron fist. It’s good to be firm about underage drinking and help kids understand its risks. However, we should also approach the conversation with compassion and understanding. Kids are much more likely to hear the message we aim to convey if we help them feel comfortable with open communication. 

There’s a saying: “Children are like sponges,” readily soaking up their environment. We can help our children lead healthy, happy, and informed lives by teaching them about the harms of alcohol early on.

Key Takeaways

Age requirements for non-alcoholic beverages are inconsistent, and attitudes toward them vary. While there isn’t enough data yet to show the harms of non-alcoholic beverages on minors, researchers cite previous examples as a cautionary tale. Remember candy cigarettes and how they were banned in 2009 for promoting smoking? It’s the same idea. Non-alcoholic drinks provide an alternative to alcohol, but many parents, researchers, and members of the general public believe these alternatives can serve as gateways to alcoholic drinks. The current discussion about age requirements for buying non-alcoholic beverages sheds light on the importance of educating youth about the harms of alcohol.