New survey: One in four Danes say no to alcohol before 18

02.07.2025 - A new Voxmeter survey shows that 25 percent of Danes believe people should wait until they are 18 before drinking alcohol. According to the General Secretary of Blue Cross Denmark, this is a positive sign that more people want to change Denmark’s drinking culture.

For some, it starts with a few breezers on their confirmation day, for others it happens at high school parties, and some wait until they turn 18. But one thing is clear: more Danes want young people to postpone their first drink. This is shown in the new survey commissioned by Blue Cross Denmark, where one in four respondents said people should be at least 18 before they start drinking alcohol.

“This is a clear sign that more Danes want to change our drinking culture, where it is almost expected that young people drink before turning 18. We know this can make it difficult for many young people to feel included, because they feel pressured to drink,” says Morten Skov Mogensen, General Secretary of Blue Cross Denmark.

Delaying alcohol debut prevents problems

The Danish Health Authority recommends that young people completely avoid alcohol until they turn 18. This is partly because the brain is still developing and the risk of alcohol-related harm is higher during teenage years.

According to Professor Janne Tolstrup from the National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark, research shows a clear link between early drinking and later risk of misuse and social problems. “The earlier you start drinking, the greater the risk of developing harmful alcohol habits later in life. It makes sense that more Danes now want to delay the first drink. We also see many alcohol-related injuries among young people simply because they get far too drunk,” says Tolstrup.

How early is too early?

Currently, young people aged 16 and 17 in Denmark can buy alcoholic drinks under 6 percent alcohol in supermarkets and convenience stores, but must wait until they are 18 to buy beer and wine in bars and restaurants. At the same time, a new international ESPAD study has once again shown that Danish youth drink more and start earlier than in other European countries.

“We don’t want to point fingers, but we want to start a conversation. Among young people, their parents, schools, and education institutions: When is it actually okay to start drinking? This is a question we need to ask as a society,” says Morten Skov Mogensen.

Blue Cross Denmark works to promote a healthier alcohol culture and supports a uniform age limit of 18 years for all alcohol sales.

About the survey:

• The survey was conducted by Voxmeter on behalf of Blue Cross Denmark.

• 1,022 respondents participated between 7 and 16 May 2025.

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Source: Blue Cross Denmark