Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/232403 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 8806
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
Low minimum legal drinking ages (MLDAs), as prevalent in many European countries, are severely understudied. We use rich survey and administrative data to estimate the impact of the Austrian MLDA of 16 on teenage drinking behavior and morbidity. Regression discontinuity estimates show that legal access to alcohol increases the frequency and intensity of drinking, which results in more hospital admissions due to alcohol intoxication. The effects are stronger for boys and teenagers with low socioeconomic background. The policy’s impact is not driven by access. Data from an annual large-scale field study shows that about 25 percent of all retailers sell even hard liquor to underage customers. In line with this, perceived access to alcohol is very high and hardly changes at the MLDA. However, teenagers consider binge drinking at weekends to be less harmful after gaining legal access.
Subjects: 
alcohol
minimum legal drinking age
morbidity
JEL: 
I12
I18
H75
J13
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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