Quite predictably, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar recently announced a plan to raise the legal age for alcohol consumption from 18 to 21 and to set a higher age threshold for the use of marijuana has sparked a chorus of differing opinions.
For decades, alcohol has been as much a part of T&T’s cultural DNA as music, food, and Carnival. A drink in hand is commonplace at family gatherings, social events, or a lime with friends. Marijuana too—once taboo and heavily criminalised—is now undergoing its own transformation as attitudes and laws evolve regionally and worldwide.
However, there is a compelling scientific consensus that the brain continues to develop well into a person’s mid-20s and that the parts responsible for impulse control, judgement, and decision-making are among the last to mature. Therefore, introducing substances such as alcohol or cannabis during these critical years increases the risk of addiction, mental health disorders, and cognitive impairment.
Moreover, T&T already battles significant social costs from alcohol misuse—trauma cases, domestic violence incidents, alcohol-related illnesses, and road fatalities.
These are not abstract concerns—they are lived realities affecting families, communities, and the economy.
And while the conversation is shifting towards legalisation or decriminalisation of marijuana, that does not mean it is harmless, particularly for younger users. Studies link frequent adolescent cannabis use with memory issues, reduced educational attainment, and heightened risk of psychiatric disorders.
In any case, if T&T eventually creates a regulated cannabis market, it makes sense to implement an age limit.
Countries that raised drinking ages, such as the United States, which moved from 18 to 21 in the 1980s, saw declines in alcohol consumption among youth, fewer drunk-driving deaths, and delayed initiation into drinking.
Even if some young people inevitably circumvent the law, higher age limits tend to lower overall rates of heavy use and dependency.
However, legislation alone cannot solve this issue. Enforcement has always been a challenge in this country. Age limits mean little if bartenders, vendors, or event promoters fail to check IDs or turn a blind eye for profit. The same goes for marijuana, where an illicit market may persist even if legalisation occurs.
Changing laws also means confronting resistance.
Many will argue that if someone is old enough to vote or marry, they should be trusted to drink or smoke. That is a valid point, and any policy shift must be accompanied by public education campaigns to explain the scientific rationale and potential benefits.
Economically, the alcohol and (potential) cannabis industries are significant. Bars, restaurants, event promoters, and small businesses could push back, fearing revenue losses if the legal ages rise. There’s also a risk of driving underage consumption further underground.
Therefore, policies must be paired with community support, mental health services, and other harm-reduction strategies.
The bigger picture is clear. Any decision on raising the age limits for consumption of alcohol and smoking marijuana should be about investing in the health, productivity, and future of T&T. The decision should be based not on political agendas, but on courageous, science-driven policymaking that prioritises people’s needs.
Raising the legal age should not be about prohibition but about protection.