DRINKING IN CANCUN
It's no secret that the legal drinking age in Mexico (and Cancun) is 18 year old. This law holds true for Mexican citizens as well as for foreign visitors. This is just one of the many factors that draws students to Cancun from all across the United States for a few days of partying and letting loose during SPRING BREAK and the rest of the year as well.
It's not really the casual drinking of alcohol for Cancun visitors under the age of 21 that gets most kids (and adults) into trouble. Having a few beers while hanging around the pool is probably not a bad thing. But throw in a hot climate, peer pressure, and students looking for an excuse to ease the pain of hooking up with the opposite sex...it can be challenging to draw the line at just a few beers.
There are several things to look out for while drinking in Cancun. For starters, just like in the United States, it is against the law to drink and drive a vehicle. Although the Mexican police do not go out of their way to track down drivers with an open container of alcohol in the car, anyone who gets pulled over for any other reason will probably get some serious attention from the officer in charge if they do have open cans of beer or bottles of tequila in the car. If the police are looking for a reason to put you in jail, they just found one. It's best to keep the cocktails out of the car on any Cancun road trip.
Another problem with getting 'cocktailed' in Cancun is the chance of disturbing the public. Whether it's starting a fight in a local watering hole, taking off your clothes in public (don't laugh, it happens all the time), or yelling in the halls of the hotel on the way back to the room, if it comes to the attention of the authorities you might be spending the night in a cell with a guy named Senor Bubba from Guadalajara. You get the idea.
Saving the best for last...let's talk about sex. Both guys and gals use alcohol as a tool to loosen up and do things that they would never even think about doing back at home. ("Not that there is anything wrong with that" - Jerry Seinfeld). But too many people get 'overserved' in Cancun's bars and nighclubs only to end up doing the wild thing in a public place or on the beach. Not only is sex not allowed in public places in Mexico, but just getting naked in public is also against the law. Just ask Carlos Fiesta...he found out the hard way.
As if getting put in jail for slapping the fat on the beach with someone you just met isn't bad enough, catching an STD or getting pregnant with someone you will probably never see again can put a huge dent in your fun bag. Besides, most people can't afford to be hung over too many days in a row if they are only in Cancun for a few days. It can be done, but it is a waste of valuable vacation time.
To summarize, having a few drinks while vacationing in Cancun can be an acceptable part of the vacation experience. But crossing that line from having a couple of social drinks to getting drunk....that's where the problems can start. 'Everything in moderation' is a good rule to follow while enjoying Cancun!
