Cancun is usually known as a party town. With plenty of discos and nightclubs, there is no shortage of nightlife activities while you are on your Cancun vacation, but there are concerns about the amount of alcohol consumption that occurs. Many tourists and guests come to Cancun, drink way too much and then find themselves in trouble.

The legal drinking age is much lower than in the United States. Rather than 21 being the legal drinking age, in Cancun, the drinking age is only 18. This is why many older teenagers make their way to Cancun for vacation and spring break. This is also why there are many problems with the younger crown that visits Cancun. Most young people drink too much and find themselves in a lot of trouble. A very important detail that many people fail to realize is that while they are in Cancun, is that they are subject to the laws of Cancun and Mexico. But its not just the law that can cause problems.

Alcohol related injuries are not uncommon in Cancun and there have even been a few reported deaths. There have been reported cases of young spring-breakers drinking too much at the local discos or in their hotel rooms and then falling off of their room balconies. Granted, that kind of incident is not common, but that it happens is a concern. Car accidents are common though. Many young kids rent cars and then drink and drive late at night here in Cancun. This is a danger to themselves and other drivers and they are also putting themselves at risk for getting into trouble with the local police.

Alcohol consumption laws are very strict here in Cancun. In the US, there is a “legal limit”. Which means that you can drive legally also long as you blow lower than a 0.08 BAC on a Breathalyzer test, but here in Cancun, like much of Mexico, there in no “legal limit”. If you drink and drive, you will be arrested, fined and possibly face jail time.

Moral of the story is to use your better judgment. The laws and lifestyles are different here in Cancun than they are in most places around the world and it can be very tempting to indulge just a bit too much, but keep a level head and be safe. If you chose to have a few drinks and enjoy the exciting nightlife that Cancun has to offer, be safe. You can always have a good time, but remember to also be responsible.

Enjoy your time in Cancun to the fullest, but make sure you go home in one piece! If you drink, take a cab! It is a safe and inexpensive alternative to driving drunk.