Raising the drinking age will reduce teen drinking and improve test scores

Raising the drinking age will reduce teen drinking and improve test scores

Evidence from Spain's regional reforms suggests that delaying legal access to alcohol can promote youth well-being.

Study:Minimum drinking age and educational qualifications. Photo credit: Daisy Daisy.Shutterstock.com

A recent study in theJournal of Health Economicsexamines the impact of changes to the minimum drinking age (MLDA) on teenagers' educational outcomes, using different implementation timelines across regions of Spain.

Strategies for reducing alcohol consumption among adolescents

Alcohol consumption among European teenagers is significantly higher than in other parts of the world. Almost half of European young people aged 15 to 16 reported drinking alcohol in the past month and 30% had at least one episode of binge drinking during this time. In comparison, only 12% of U.S. teens ages 14 to 17 drank alcohol and only 6% reported binge drinking during the same period.

To curb alcohol consumption among young people, many European governments have introduced measures such as higher alcohol taxes, stricter licensing requirements and stricter advertising restrictions.

One of the most significant changes was the widespread increase in the MLDA. Around 2000, most European countries set the MLDA at 16, which is much lower than the U.S. limit of 21. However, over the past two decades, many European countries have raised the MLDA to 18 and implemented sweeping reforms that limit minors' access to alcohol, limit sales, and further regulate alcohol advertising.

Relationship between teenage alcohol consumption and education

Research shows that alcohol consumption in adolescents negatively impacts brain development, academic performance, and long-term outcomes. Young drinkers have reduced gray and white matter and are more likely to engage in risky behaviors that affect learning and mental health.

Despite its importance, there is little empirical research examining how MLDA laws affect educational outcomes, particularly in Europe where youth may be more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. Most studies focus on the United States and show mixed results, suggesting that results may be different in Europe due to cultural and legal differences and higher drinking rates among youth.

Increasing the MLDA and its impact on educational performance in Spain

This article examines the impact of increasing the MLDA from 16 to 18 on educational outcomes through the staggered implementation of the law across all Spanish regions. Before 1991, the MLDA was 16 nationally.

From 1991 to 2019, regions gradually increased the MLDA to 18, usually along with restrictions on underage access to alcohol establishments and advertising, referred to as "MLDA changes." The current study focuses on reforms from 2003 to 2019, when four regions (Castile and León, Galicia, Asturias and the Balearic Islands) implemented MLDA increases.

This study used a difference-in-differences approach that revealed medium-term educational effects and peer spillover effects not captured in previous US studies using regression discontinuity designs (RDD). Teen alcohol and substance use was measured using the Spanish High School Drug Use Survey, a biennial, anonymous classroom survey of approximately 250,000 students from 2004 to 2021.

During this period, alcohol consumption was widespread among Spanish teenagers: 60% of 14- to 17-year-olds had consumed alcohol in the previous month, 34% had binge drunk and 24% were drunk. Additionally, 19% reported memory loss after drinking, 15% had difficulty concentrating in school, and 33% had a hangover.

Information on educational outcomes was obtained from two sources. Academic performance was assessed using data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), a triennial OECD survey that used standardized tests and measured educational inputs and covered approximately 180,000 students from 2003 to 2022. Educational attainment was measured using the 2021 Census, focusing on people born between 1987 and 2002 (approximately 600,000 people); 78% have a secondary school education and 42% have attended or completed college.

The impact of MLDA changes was estimated using a difference-in-differences approach with wild bootstrap standard errors. After the MLDA increased to 18, it became slightly more difficult for underage youth to obtain alcohol. Fewer teenagers purchased alcohol in bars, but the majority purchased it through adults. Parents' attitudes remained the same, but more young people saw heavy drinking as a problem.

The MLDA leads to improved educational outcomes and increases average PISA scores by approximately 4% of a standard deviation. The effect was stronger among children of highly educated parents, reflecting a greater decline in alcohol consumption, although this was not statistically significant. However, these results could not be explained by changes in school resources, class size, instructional hours, or student effort.

In the long term, the MLDA changes had no impact on secondary school completion, but there was evidence of a slight increase in college attendance. Increasing the MLDA was also associated with small improvements in mental health outcomes, as less access to alcohol was associated with less use of anti-anxiety or sleep medications.

It should be noted that the MLDA increase did not have a significant impact on the use of other illicit substances, smoking or cannabis. It also had no clear impact on teenagers' social lives or leisure activities such as going out, using the Internet, playing games or playing sports.

Increasing MLDA reduced teen alcohol consumption and improved academic outcomes

Increasing the MLDA from 16 to 18 in Spain resulted in a decrease in underage alcohol consumption that was consistent across age, gender and region.

Reductions in alcohol consumption were associated with improvements in school performance and a decrease in the use of anti-anxiety and sleeping pills among teenagers. The results suggest that across Europe, stricter MLDA laws could effectively improve student outcomes at a relatively low cost.

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