Can minors drink alcohol with parental supervision in Kansas? Here’s what the law says
The legal drinking age in the U.S. was established at 21 years old with the 1984 National Minimum Age Drinking Act. But are there exceptions in Kansas?
In some states, minors and those younger than 21 can drink in their private residence and with parental consent and supervision. In Kansas, that isn’t the case, save for two exceptions.
According to the Alcohol Policy Information System, a federal database, those younger than 21 can have an alcoholic beverage provided by a parent or legal guardian in Kansas if it’s a cereal malt beverage and the guardian supervises. The APIS defines these beverages as “any fermented but undistilled liquor brewed or made from malt or from a mixture of malt or malt substitute” that does not exceed 3.2% alcohol by volume.
Kansas law also allows those younger than 21 to drink wine if it is provided for sacramental purposes in a religious context.
Purchasing alcohol for minors, even if the minor is your own child, is illegal in Kansas in all other circumstances.
In addition, servers have to be at least 18 years old to serve beer, wine and spirits in Kansas, and all bartenders have to be at least 21, according to the APIS.
What are the fines for furnishing alcohol to minors?
Kansas law defines providing alcohol to a minor as a class B person misdemeanor. The minimum fine is $200.
The law says possible defenses to the prosecution are if the person had reason to believe the person they bought alcohol for was 21 years of age, the defendant holds a seller’s license or the minor provided an identification that appeared to indicate they are old enough to purchase alcohol.
Additionally, Kansas has a zero-tolerance policy for minors who drive after drinking alcohol. Those with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 or higher could receive a 30-day driving suspension and 330-day restricted privileges.
Not only is underage drinking illegal in most instances, it also can result in health risks. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, underage drinking is known to cause impaired judgment, death, injury and more.
The institution also reported a higher likeliness of experiencing alcohol abuse later in life when drinking underage.
