RADHICA DE SILVA
Senior Multimedia Reporter
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Psychologist Sarah Subhan has welcomed the Government’s proposed increase in the legal age for the use of alcohol and drugs, saying the move is supported by international research and scientific evidence on adolescent brain development.
Subhan said research indicates that alcohol use among young people can affect decision-making and impulse control, while the brain continues developing into young adulthood.
“The age amendment for the use of drugs and alcohol is a positive move based on international research and scientific evidence,” she said.
Subhan pointed to research by the United States National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which indicates that alcohol can affect areas of the brain involved in decision-making and impulse control.
She said the adolescent brain continues to develop into young adulthood and that delaying exposure to alcohol and drugs could help reduce the likelihood of young people developing unhealthy coping mechanisms.
“However, for this age limit amendment to be effective, we really need some foundational and cultural change in our society and shifts,” Subhan said.
Her comments come as the Government prepares to introduce the Miscellaneous Provisions (Alcohol, Cannabis, Dangerous Drugs, Gambling and Tobacco) Bill, 2026, in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
The Bill proposes amendments to several pieces of legislation dealing with alcohol, cannabis, dangerous drugs, gambling and tobacco. Parliament’s Order Paper lists the Bill for introduction and second reading on Wednesday.
The proposed changes follow Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s announcement in January that the Government intended to raise the legal age for the sale, purchase, possession or consumption of intoxicating liquor and tobacco from 18 to 21, and cannabis from 18 to 21. The proposed age for gambling is 25.
Subhan said legislation alone, however, would not necessarily change behaviour in a society where alcohol use is widely accepted.
“We live in a culture where alcohol use is socially accepted and in many cultures in Trinidad and Tobago, introducing young people to alcohol at a young age is acceptable,” she said.
She said the proposed changes therefore need to be accompanied by sustained public education aimed at young people and their parents.
Subhan suggested taking the message into schools and communities, while using social media and mass media to raise awareness about the effects of early exposure to alcohol, marijuana and vaping.
“We may need some more public education campaigns to educate the public about the impacts of early use of alcohol, marijuana and even vaping,” she said.
“Going into schools, going into communities, using social media and mass media would be very helpful to educate young people and their parents about the impact of drugs on their system and the reasons why delayed use of these substances might be helpful for their long-term development.”
The proposed legislation forms part of a wider package of changes being pursued by the Government in relation to substance use and gambling. The Prime Minister also said the Government was examining reforms to the Dangerous Drugs Act following the decriminalisation of cannabis in 2019, including issues surrounding cultivation, public use and regulation.
The Bill is scheduled to proceed to the Senate after consideration in the House, with Parliament listing it for second reading in the Senate on Friday, October 2.
The proposed changes would therefore place greater emphasis on delaying young people’s access to these substances, while Subhan said broader changes in attitudes, parental guidance and public education would be needed if the legislative measures are to have their intended effect.
