Underage drinking is most commonly understood to be illegal drinking by youth who are below the minimum legal age at which a person may purchase beverage alcohol in any given jurisdiction. For example, in many countries around the world, the legal drinking age is 18-years old (including Australia, China, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa). In Japan, the legal drinking age is 20-years old, and in the United States, the legal drinking age is 21. (For more information on legislated drinking age limits, see Appendix I.)
Also, for the purposes of this discussion, the concept of underage drinking is understood to preclude religious occasions and ceremonies which may traditionally involve beverage alcohol, as well as parental serving of alcohol to their children in the home. (For similar and additional related content, see The Issues Forum entry on Legal Drinking Age.)