IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eecrev/v185y2026ics0014292126000450.html

The impact of raising the minimum legal drinking age on academic achievement and risky behaviour: A difference-in-discontinuities approach

Author

Listed:
  • Alonso-Armesto, Luis
  • Cáceres-Delpiano, Julio
  • Lekfuangfu, Warn N.

Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of raising Spain’s Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) from 16 to 18 on teenagers’ academic performance, substance use, and peer behaviours. Teenagers turning 16 after the reform could no longer consume alcohol legally. We estimate the effects using a difference-in-discontinuities design comparing outcomes for teenagers near the age cutoff (15- and 16-year-olds) before and after its implementation. Evidence from PISA data shows substantial gains in mathematics and science achievement, concentrated among male students and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. National survey data on teenage substance use supports that these gains stem from reductions in alcohol consumption, intoxication, and other substance use, consistent with a mechanism linking substance use to academic outcomes. We also document declines in alcohol and drug use within peer networks, indicating peer spillovers as a key channel amplifying individual effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Alonso-Armesto, Luis & Cáceres-Delpiano, Julio & Lekfuangfu, Warn N., 2026. "The impact of raising the minimum legal drinking age on academic achievement and risky behaviour: A difference-in-discontinuities approach," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:185:y:2026:i:c:s0014292126000450
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2026.105301
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014292126000450
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2026.105301?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:185:y:2026:i:c:s0014292126000450. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eer .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.