Health Minister : Youth Drinking Statistics Justify Raising Age For Alcohol Consumption

Health Minister, Dr Lackram Bodoe has defended Government’s proposal to raise the legal age for purchasing alcohol and tobacco to 21, arguing that scientific evidence, alarming youth drinking statistics and road safety concerns justify the move.

Contributing to debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2026 in the Senate on Tuesday evening, the minister cited data showing that young adults between 18 and 24 have the highest concentration of binge drinking in Trinidad and Tobago, while 31 per cent of tertiary students report heavy episodic drinking.

He further pointed to road safety concerns, stating that alcohol consumption within six hours of driving increases crash risk by four to five times.