While the drinking age of 18 years old is not the only reason the younger crowd likes to drift across the border into Baja, it is definately one of the reasons. It's a fact that anyone who is 18 years old, or anyone who even looks like they are 18 years old, will probably be able to purchase alcohol or order drinks in Baja.
It's also a fact that there are plenty of people who are over 18 and under 21 years of age who are not responsible enough to make good decisions in their lives, but they too can legally drink in Baja. So it's a wild mix of characters sipping the cervesa south of the border.
Drinking in an of itself is usually not the problem in Baja. Having a beer or two on a hot day, or with a good meal, is a great way to make an enjoyable experience even better. But drinking "newbies" are usually inexperienced, often don't understand the word 'moderation', and don't always don't know when to stop drinking.
Laws regarding drinking in Mexico are pretty much the same as in the United States. Enforcement may not be quite as strict in Mexico, but the penalties and risks are much worse when a person is caught breaking the law in Mexico than in the U.S.
DRINKING IN BAJA
Drinking and driving in Baja can get you a free tour of the local jail...from the inside.
The things that can get a person into trouble while drinking in Baja are pretty much the same things that can get people into trouble Stateside. Drinking and driving, disturbing the peace, fighting, urinating or getting naked in public...you know the drill. It's all a bad news, no matter what age the offender is.
Getting arrested in Baja is not fun. Not even close. Although Carlos Fiesta has some how managed to stay out of Baja jails over the last 25 years, he has known too many people who have ended up in a Baja jail for a day...or two..or more...and wished they could have avoided the horrible experience all together.
In all of the different states in Mexico, including the two states on the Baja Peninsula, a person is considered guilty until proven innocent when it comes to crimes. That means you get to look at the inside of a Mexican jail until the local officials figure out what really happened. And that guy in the cell with you named "Bubba" is your new sleepover friend.
Another problem with getting drunk in Mexico is that it can lead to stupid sex (not ot be confused with intelligent sex). While that may not sound like a problem on the surface, catching a sexually transmitted disease, AIDS, or becoming a parent because of a sloppy fling while under the influence of alcohol might change your life forever. And forever is long time, no matter which side of the border you are on.
Baja has a lot to offer, so there is no great need to go overboard on the drinking issue. A few cold cervesas, a tasty margarita on the rocks...it's all good. But like most things in life, it's best to keep it all in moderation. Salute!