NationStates Jolt Archive

In the US, it's 21 and it's either 18 or 19 in Canada, depending on what province you live in. I don't really know enough to say what it is in European countries, although when I was in Mexico, they let me into the bar and I saw people younger than me drinking but they don't really give a damn down there, now do they. Personally, I think 18 is a good age, maybe 19. What do you think?

Hmm, I don't know. Maybe, there should be a license for drinking responsibly. On retrospect, that sounds stupid, but oh well.

Only idiots drink under 25.

When you drink under 25, it can permantly damage the liver. Do you want that to happen to you?

25 I vote for.

I think drinking should be legal at any age under parental supervision, and probably 15 or 16 for drinking without parental supervision. I was encouraged to drink a small amount at a young age (my grandparents wanted me to learn wine appreciation), and was allowed to go out to pubs from the age of 15 on my own. Consequently I never really got into the whole bingeing till I puke that so many people in britain aged 18-25ish seem to!

I vote for under 18.

But I mean no drinking age at all. Setting an arbitrary line does more harm than good.

Responsible drinking never hurt anyone. But you don't find much responsible drinking until the person hits 21...I wonder why that is?

Only idiots drink under 25.

When you drink under 25, it can permantly damage the liver. Do you want that to happen to you?

25 I vote for.

WHAT?

Excessive drinking at any age can permanently damage your liver, responsible drinking is not harmful to anyone. obviously in childhood responsible limits are much lower!

Only idiots drink under 25.

When you drink under 25, it can permantly damage the liver. Do you want that to happen to you?

25 I vote for.



Ya, that wasn't an option because I assumed most people would see those ages more reasonable than your mind 20s and alot of people do stuff thats bad for their bodies, like eating too much fast food or smoking.

WHAT?

Excessive drinking at any age can permanently damage your liver, responsible drinking is not harmful to anyone. obviously in childhood responsible limits are much lower!

Did you read a different post?!

I never said that!

I said that drinking under 25 permanently damages the liver.

I never said that drinking recklessly above 25 does not. It does.

18

I said that drinking under 25 permanently damages the liver.
Excessive drinking. And the biggest problem is potential brain damage. But as long as people drink in moderation, there really aren't any negative consequences. And excessive drinking over 25 also permanently damages the liver. Stem cells could potentially rectify this though...

Did you read a different post?!

I never said that!

I said that drinking under 25 permanently damages the liver.

I never said that drinking recklessly above 25 does not. It does.

Perhaps you did not read what I wrote either. I was disputing that all drinking under 25 permanently damages the live!

Excessive drinking. And the biggest problem is potential brain damage. But as long as people drink in moderation, there really aren't any negative consequences. And excessive drinking over 25 also permanently damages the liver. Stem cells could potentially rectify this though...

That would be awesome. Mine is limping along at this point.

That would be awesome. Mine is limping along at this point.
Then you should have a drink to calm it down.

Only idiots drink under 25.

When you drink under 25, it can permantly damage the liver. Do you want that to happen to you?

25 I vote for.
are you saying that at 25 your liver magically becomes more resistant to damage?

I dont care how old you are drinking in excess is bad, yet removing the taboo that is attached to drinking will decrease the rebelious cool factor with could lead to more responcible drinkers

That would be awesome. Mine is limping along at this point.
It would. Many people don't realise the potential that stem cell research gives. But that isn't what this thread is supposed to be about. And, in regard to the poll, the last option is badly worded. Some people think that no-one should drink, but are against laws restricting it. I personally think there should be very few drinking laws, but I also don't think people should drink excessively.

are you saying that at 25 your liver magically becomes more resistant to damage?

If growth is magical, then yes.

Your liver reachs the most mature level it will reach at 25.

If growth is magical, then yes.

Your liver reachs the most mature level it will reach at 25.
Does that also give it recuperative powers to repair damage?

when i went to italy, it was 12. they let people into bars at 16 though, which makes sense, you don't want kids in bars.

and also, in ontario the legal age is only 19 because the old curriculum had 5 years of highschool and they didn't want people in highschool to be able to drink lest they distribute alcohol to younger students.

really, 18 is most reasonable for in public, you're an adult afterall. at any age with parents around though.

same for pot.

when i went to italy, it was 12. they let people into bars at 16 though, which makes sense, you don't want kids in bars.

and also, in ontario the legal age is only 19 because the old curriculum had 5 years of highschool and they didn't want people in highschool to be able to drink lest they distribute alcohol to younger students.

really, 18 is most reasonable for in public, you're an adult afterall. at any age with parents around though.

same for pot.



So many pretty colours running down the walls!

18 to be a fully responsible adult drinker

14 to drink at home

16 to drink at a restaurant with your parents.

I say drinking legal at any age, with education in the public schools about the dangers of excessive drinking.

"Drinking is probably a bad idea, and can get you in bad situations and make you do things you'll probably regret, but if you are gonna drink, just don't drink too much, have sober friends around to take care of you, and NEVER drive under the influence."

How's that for a lesson plan?

So many pretty colours running down the walls!
you're not thinking of pot there.

maybe lsd or mushrooms... pot doesn't really do much for blurring colours... it can give things auras, a little... i find it heightens the senses.

you're not thinking of pot there.

maybe lsd or mushrooms... pot doesn't really do much for blurring colours... it can give things auras, a little... i find it heightens the senses.



Who said I was talking about pot, I don't smoke the stuff............

I dont think it will matter what the legal age is, if underage people want to drink they will drink, yet they will do it where there is less control and where it is less safe, they will take more risks. I dont have an answer to alcoholism but I would leave the public drinking age to 18 and encourage under 18's to drink at home where they can be supervised till they have some experience.

kinda like a learners permit for drivers

hmmm education through hangovers :D

pot doesn't really do much for blurring colours... it can give things auras, a little...
Wait...you mean that's not normal? Because I always see little colours flitting across my vision, and see "auras", as you put it, around things...but then again, I have had a few opitcal problems in the past, but I was hoping that it wasn't terribly abnormal...

I really don't see the point in having a 'legal age'. If younger people want to drink, they're going to drink. I know this from vast experience.. Alcohol is amazingly easy to obtain so they should just take away the age limit and make it much less of a thrill to drink.

Wait...you mean that's not normal? Because I always see little colours flitting across my vision, and see "auras", as you put it, around things...but then again, I have had a few opitcal problems in the past, but I was hoping that it wasn't terribly abnormal...

Sorry to tel you, but it's very abnormal. Anyone who gets it is strange!!!

(no only kidding)

Alcohol is amazingly easy to obtain so they should just take away the age limit and make it much less of a thrill to drink.
Yes, the forbidden fruit. Though if it was legal, I do have to admit that people would probably drink it more, simply because they're not afraid of getting thrown in jail or anything. But it would probably reduce overall drinking, after a brief surge.

Your liver reachs the most mature level it will reach at 25.
just because it is mature doesnt mean it is any less likely to be damaged by alcohol. It doesnt change its function to better resist damage does it?

I really don't see the point in having a 'legal age'. If younger people want to drink, they're going to drink. I know this from vast experience.. Alcohol is amazingly easy to obtain so they should just take away the age limit and make it much less of a thrill to drink.
I'm trying to picture myself arguing that before Congress. It's incredibly logical, but I'd get chased out. The view that we have to even have a drinking age is so firmly ingrained in everyone's heads that no intelligent reform is possible.

Sorry to tel you, but it's very abnormal. Anyone who gets it is strange!!!

(no only kidding)
Well, I am strange, I won't deny that. And the doctors I go to kind of just ignore me when I tell them about it. I hope that's not a bad sign...

Yes, the forbidden fruit. Though if it was legal, I do have to admit that people would probably drink it more, simply because they're not afraid of getting thrown in jail or anything. But it would probably reduce overall drinking, after a brief surge.
thats a logical and likely scenario

Well, I am strange, I won't deny that. And the doctors I go to kind of just ignore me when I tell them about it. I hope that's not a bad sign...

Nah doctors generally ignore anything they can't be bothered with, it makes their lives easier.

And getting back on topic:

Drinking should be encouraged in children because they grow up with a healthier attitude to alcohol and don't get involved in binge drinking!

9.
yes, it is a joke

18 for the US.

We can send 18 year olds to war but god forbid they can legally drink.

The growth of the liver isnt about size, it's about function, once it is fully functional, it can cope better with toxins (like alcohol) than it can when it is not fully mature and functioning. It's not magic, it's science.

I personally dont think anyone should drink alcohol, but I also think that people 20 years and over should be responsible for making that choice for themselves and bearing whatever consequences may result.

I say no younger then 5 years of age.

I say no younger then 5 years of age.

I was about 5 when I was given my first drink; red wine. I didn't like it, but I was told I needed to be educated, now I love the stuff, along with whisky, real ale, stout, mead and vermouth, but always in moderation.

I had beer when I was 4 because I thought it looked like apple juice and hence would taste like it. Boy, was I in for a surprise........

just because it is mature doesnt mean it is any less likely to be damaged by alcohol. It doesnt change its function to better resist damage does it?

Actually it does if you think about it.

It's function is better preformed when it is fully developed, which means you can drink more without suffering permanant liver damage.

In the US, it's 21 and it's either 18 or 19 in Canada, depending on what province you live in. I don't really know enough to say what it is in European countries, although when I was in Mexico, they let me into the bar and I saw people younger than me drinking but they don't really give a damn down there, now do they. Personally, I think 18 is a good age, maybe 19. What do you think?
there should be no "drinking age." all drugs, including alcohol, should be 100% legal at any time for any person. if parents wish to restrict their childrens' consumption of such products then it is their job to do so.

18 - because throughout my life in school I watched 13 year olds buying alcohol... now if a 13 year old can pass as an 18 year old... then what age can pass for a 16 year old? =/

Raising it above 18 is daft in my veiw... 18 is the age of majority you get the vote at 18 you should have the rest too.

-

Now I disagree bottle, because parents cannot be there all the time, the law has to be enforced on all of society - parents are utterly hopeless at this.

Plus if you commit a crime while drunk you... well... you don't want to take a lecture on the English legal system...

Now I disagree bottle, because parents cannot be there all the time, the law has to be enforced on all of society - parents are utterly hopeless at this.

Plus if you commit a crime while drunk you... well... you don't want to take a lecture on the English legal system...
so? it is up to parents to instill values in their children, and it is up to them to impress upon their children the importance of wise decisions. i grew up in a house with a wine collection and a collection of vodkas and scotches, and i was home alone after school every day of my junior high and high school careers...if i had wanted, i could have been getting wasted every single day, and my parents probably would never have noticed. but because they raised me with appropriate respect for my body and healthy attitudes about drinking i never had any interest in getting blotto.

it's called PARENTING. we should expect PARENTS to do it. the government should never regulate what people can and cannot put in their own bodies. if somebody chooses to imbibe alcohol and then breaks the law then they should be held responsible for the criminal action, but drinking is not, itself, a crime.

in the us you can join the armed forces with parental consent at age 17
and if you are in the armed forces you should be able to drink no matter what your age
otherwise i say 21 is good

I like the situation here in Holland: 16 for light alcoholic drinks (>12% I think), 18 for strong drinks

I also like the situation in Holland... lol, surely it can be circumvented by buying afew bottles of wine rather than just one of vodka, whiskey or brandy?

I also like the situation in Holland... lol, surely it can be circumvented by buying afew bottles of wine rather than just one of vodka, whiskey or brandy?
You just try to get as drunk from wine as you can get from whiskey

I've said 18, although really I wouldn't trust the majority of idiot youths in the UK to be drinking at that age. It's not truly the drinking that's the problem though; it's the "culture". If you go out intending to act stupidly and commit acts of violence, drinking will make it easier; if you go out intending to have a few pints with some friends then head off home, it is quite likely you iwll do just that.

Look at it this way: if you can have beer at 16, you know (some of) your boundries by the time you can drive (18 in Holland).

Look at it this way: if you can have beer at 16, you know (some of) your boundries by the time you can drive (18 in Holland).

Hey thats kinda clever. :D

I say the LEGAL drinking age should be 14. It's ridiculous that the legal driving age is lower than the legal drinking age...

I say the LEGAL drinking age should be 14. It's ridiculous that the legal driving age is lower than the legal drinking age...
indeed

I say the LEGAL drinking age should be 14. It's ridiculous that the legal driving age is lower than the legal drinking age...

When you drive for a while, do you damage your liver?!

When you drive for a while, do you damage your liver?!
nope. and guess what: drinking for years doesn't necessarily do any damage at all to your liver, either. drinking certain amounts actually IMPROVES your health. in contrast, eating fried chicken every day does permanent damage to your cardiovascular system...having a beer each day is safer than having fried chicken every day. furthermore, one person drinking doesn't endanger the lives of other people the way driving does; any time you are behind the wheel you have the potential to kill or seriously injure another person, but the same is not true of drinking. so i don't see what the hell point you were trying to make.

nope. and guess what: drinking for years doesn't necessarily do any damage at all to your liver, either. drinking certain amounts actually IMPROVES your health. in contrast, eating fried chicken every day does permanent damage to your cardiovascular system...having a beer each day is safer than having fried chicken every day. furthermore, one person drinking doesn't endanger the lives of other people the way driving does; any time you are behind the wheel you have the potential to kill or seriously injure another person, but the same is not true of drinking. so i don't see what the hell point you were trying to make.

If you pass an extensive course and get your drivers license, and drive for three hours every day, you do not do harm to anybody. However, if you drink for three hours every day, you will suffer permanate brain and liver damage, and might die if you pass out on the floor and throw up. You also do not need to pass a course to drink, so abuse is more common.

Anytime you drink you have the potential to kill or "seriously injure" another person by driving while drunk, or by accidently killing them while you are drunk, which is actually quite common.

Name calling? I think we're above that.

what name did i call you?


If you pass an extensive course and get your drivers license, and drive for three hours every day, you do not do harm to anybody. However, if you drink for three hours every day, you will suffer permanate brain and liver damage,

incorrect. it is quite possible to drink for 3 hours every day and suffer no ill effects. it all depends on how much alcohol you consume in that period of time, and what your personal physiology is.


and might die if you pass out on the floor and throw up.

again, i have often drank for 3 hours and have never once passed out on a floor and thrown up. the duration of drinking time actually can decrease likelihood of such things...drinking a beer in a minute versus over three hours will have quite different effects, for instance.


You also do not need to pass a course to drink, so abuse is more common.

world wide, more people are killed by cars than by alcohol each year.


Anytime you drink you have the potential to kill or "seriously injure" another person by driving while drunk, or by accidently killing them while you are drunk, which is actually quite common.
read what you wrote. if you DRIVE while drunk you have the potential to kill somebody. it's the driving that's the dangerous activity...if you sit while drunk, play videogames while drunk, sing off key while drunk, play cards while drunk, or engage in any number of other activities while drunk you will never harm a soul. only if you engage in dangerous behaviors while drunk will you harm somebody, and it is those behaviors which are dangerous rather than the being drunk part of it.

You keep on misreading my message.

If you drink STRAIGHT for three hours, no taking a break except to breath (to compare you could also add time for stoplights).

if you sit while drunk, play videogames while drunk, sing off key while drunk, play cards while drunk, or engage in any number of other activities while drunk you will never harm a soul. only if you engage in dangerous behaviors while drunk will you harm somebody, and it is those behaviors which are dangerous rather than the being drunk part of it.
I dunno...singing while drunk might be potentially harmful to others...

I can't really offer an opinion as I live in the UK, where we have really huge binge drinking problems and nobody knows what to do about it… damnit, in France they don't have that problem! How come we Brits do?


I've never had alchohol (it would be illegal for me to do so), but I think 18 is okay, if only because they're safely in the sixth form centre when they're drunk for the first time :-P.

In the US:

40% of all suicide attempts are alcohol-related
54% of all violent crimes are alcohol-related
60% of all emergency room admissions are alcohol-related
80% of all domestic disputes are alcohol-related

http://www.nh-dwi.com/caip-206.htm

--------------------

In the UK:

65% of suicide attempts
76,000 facial injuries a year
23% of child neglect calls to national helplines
39% of fires
15% of drownings

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/

In the US:

40% of all suicide attempts are alcohol-related
54% of all violent crimes are alcohol-related
60% of all emergency room admissions are alcohol-related
80% of all domestic disputes are alcohol-related

http://www.nh-dwi.com/caip-206.htm
I could find no sources. I do not believe those are actual statistics.

In the US:

40% of all suicide attempts are alcohol-related
54% of all violent crimes are alcohol-related
60% of all emergency room admissions are alcohol-related
80% of all domestic disputes are alcohol-related

http://www.nh-dwi.com/caip-206.htm

--------------------

In the UK:

65% of suicide attempts
76,000 facial injuries a year
23% of child neglect calls to national helplines
39% of fires
15% of drownings

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/
so? 100% of car crashes are car-related. what's your point? shouldn't we actually treat the real problems, like depression, domestic abuse, and violent crime, rather than trying to tell private citizens what they can and cannot consume? how about we expect people to take responsibility for their own actions, rather than pinning the blame on that demon liquor?

I could find no sources. I do not believe those are actual statistics.

Read it:

From statistics complied by the U. S. Dept. of Transportation and the N. H. Department of Safety.

so? 100% of car crashes are car-related. what's your point? shouldn't we actually treat the real problems, like depression, domestic abuse, and violent crime, rather than trying to tell private citizens what they can and cannot consume? how about we expect people to take responsibility for their own actions, rather than pinning the blame on that demon liquor?

What's your point?

If liquor causes all those problems, if people had to get a license to consume it, and take courses, there would be less of all those problems mentioned. Liquor is a major cause all the problems you mentioned.

Rising the drinking age to 25 would insure that there is a limit safe for everybody, not just a general limit, because everybody should (there are exceptions) be able to drink around the same amount.

16. it is 16 in france, there are no troubles with it!

hm, about the suicide rate things. My mother is doctor. She sees suicide attemps regularly... and almost none are related to alcohol. Well, in fact, I cannot remember any.
Maybe "related to alcohol" means the suicider drank alcohol in the past 6 monthes? :rolleyes:

16. it is 16 in france, there is no troubles with it!

That's because the French have strong family values.

But drinking could be what's causing the French to have so much sex. An average Frenchman has more per year than anybody else.

That's because the French have strong family values.

But drinking could be what's causing the French to have so much sex. An average Frenchman has more per year than anybody else.

no. Statistics showed that an average american has even more.

But those statistics also shows that men has like 3 times has much sex as women. the conclusion is that either there is a huge proportion of gays in both countries, or that men tend to say they fuck a lot, while women prefer appear as 'innocent' ;)

conclusion: those stats are crap :p

If liquor causes all those problems, if people had to get a license to consume it, and take courses, there would be less of all those problems mentioned. Liquor is a major cause all the problems you mentioned.
Alcoholism is a symptom, not a problem. People turn to alcohol because of other problems. You can try to eliminate symptoms as much as you want, but they will keep coming back until you address the real issue.

no. Statistics showed that an average american has even more.

But those statistics also shows that men has like 3 times has much sex as women. the conclusion is that either there is a huge proportion of gays in both countries, or that men tend to say they fuck a lot, while women prefer appear as 'innocent' ;)

conclusion: those stats are crap :p

That's incorrect or outdated information.

Source please?

I'll try to find mine...

Alcoholism is a symptom, not a problem. People turn to alcohol because of other problems. You can try to eliminate symptoms as much as you want, but they will keep coming back until you address the real issue.

That gave me a good idea.

Upon reaching the legal age for drinking in all countries, people should be screened for depression and mental illnesses (sp?), and banned from having any liquor if they fail until they are retested as normal.

That's incorrect or outdated information.

Source please?

I'll try to find mine...
couldn't find it... maybe i'm wrong... but anyway, a survey like this cannot be verificated...

This may sound outrageous, but I suspect the vast majority of alcohol-related problems, especially among young people, will decrease if only the "legal age" was done away with entirely.

couldn't find it... maybe i'm wrong... but anyway, a survey like this cannot be verificated...

Mine was a recent survey (I believe three or four months ago) by a condom company. It was of several thousand people worldwide, and it concluded that Frenchmen had sex every three (or five, I cannot remember) days, the most of any country. It also concluded the the people of Japan do it the least.

Mine was a recent survey (I believe three or four months ago) by a condom company. It was of several thousand people worldwide, and it concluded that Frenchmen had sex every three (or five, I cannot remember) days, the most of any country. It also concluded the the people of Japan do it the least.
Or perhaps they just buy less condoms. I know the Japanese government is really scared about an AIDS epidemic...

It also concluded the the people of Japan do it the least.
And they have the largest animated porn industry in the world.

Japan is an interesting country.

....I know this from vast experience.. Alcohol is amazingly easy to obtain...

When I was 15 or 16 we scheduled a penny poker game at Bob’s because his mother wasn’t home that night and it was cool with her for us to play poker. After we arrived we decided we wanted some whiskey so we called the local liquor store and found out how much a pint was. Armed with that information, we called the cab company to find out how much they would charge to pick up the pint and asked them to do so.

We then put the money in an envelope along with a tip for the driver and a note. The note said something like I’m in the bath or had to step out, please leave the bottle on the steps. When the cab drove off we opened the door and retrieved out pint. Had a great poker game.

Usually we just asked Pops at the pizza place next to the liquor store to get it for us.

I allowed my kids to dring a little wine or beer at home when they were young. I think 18 is a good age. If you can serve in the military or be responsible enough to vote you should be allowed to drink.

What's your point?

If liquor causes all those problems, if people had to get a license to consume it, and take courses, there would be less of all those problems mentioned. Liquor is a major cause all the problems you mentioned.

i disagree. i don't believe liquor can be blamed for human choices. a great many people drink and do not commit any crime or endanger any lives at all, so there is clearly some factor other than the consumption of alcohol. if alcohol were the cause of those problems then they would never occur among the sober, and all drunks would create such problems. that is not the case, so alcohol is clearly not either the necessary or sufficient cause.


Rising the drinking age to 25 would insure that there is a limit safe for everybody, not just a general limit, because everybody should (there are exceptions) be able to drink around the same amount.
lol, and why 25? what about that age is so magical to you? if you want people to be able to drink roughly the same amount then age shouldn't factor into to your assessment at all. women will ALWAYS have different tolerances than men. body weight is a critical factor, as is body fat. height, nutrition level, and fitness all play crucial roles. age plays virtually no role at all. a 200 pound 18 year old can drink a 130 pound 25 year old under the table in virtually all cases.

also, are you aware of the study in upstate New York where they looked at the impact of raising age limits for activities like driving? see, they had these statistics showing that 16 year olds were more likely to be in car accidents than 17 year olds, so they raised the driving age from 16 to 17...and guess what? as soon as they did, the 17 year old statistics matched up to those they had gotten from the 16 year olds. it was simply that the first year a person is driving they are less experienced, and therefore more likely to make mistakes. raising the legal age for drinking won't do a thing to stop or slow underage drinking, but it almost certainly will increase the dangers, the reckless behaviors, and the deaths from alcohol abuse in young people.

read up on the stats, learn the science, and stop coming up with crackpot theories in order to justify your desire to boss people around.

I can't really offer an opinion as I live in the UK, where we have really huge binge drinking problems and nobody knows what to do about it… damnit, in France they don't have that problem! How come we Brits do?


Could be the culture. In Spain, and I presume France, the family will have wine at most meals and their children are allowed to drink some. In the evening it is not uncommon for the entire family to go the bar for some drinks and tapas, although I seldom saw the kids having any wine. The cultural thing sends a message that it is OK to drink responsibly. Also, because they had wine or beer with meals while young, drinking isn't a big thing. The Spanish also frown on drunks. :squirril:

lol, and why 25? what about that age is so magical to you? if you want people to be able to drink roughly the same amount then age shouldn't factor into to your assessment at all. women will ALWAYS have different tolerances than men. body weight is a critical factor, as is body fat. height, nutrition level, and fitness all play crucial roles. age plays virtually no role at all. a 200 pound 18 year old can drink a 130 pound 25 year old under the table in virtually all cases.

25 because that is when the liver fully developes. I know I phrased my earlier post in a rather stupid way.

Also, are you aware of the study in upstate New York where they looked at the impact of raising age limits for activities like driving? see, they had these statistics showing that 16 year olds were more likely to be in car accidents than 17 year olds, so they raised the driving age from 16 to 17...and guess what? as soon as they did, the 17 year old statistics matched up to those they had gotten from the 16 year olds. it was simply that the first year a person is driving they are less experienced, and therefore more likely to make mistakes. raising the legal age for drinking won't do a thing to stop or slow underage drinking, but it almost certainly will increase the dangers, the reckless behaviors, and the deaths from alcohol abuse in young people.

Did you live in Updstate NY? No? Then don't comment on. The driving age is sixteen right now, and it will be for another two years. I have no clue what you are talking about, except that a new policy will be in affect just in time for my classmates when they reach sixteen. That policy includes limiting the passengers to one or two (not sure of the number) and many other changes. To get a full license, currently, you need to be 18. I've read the entire DMV packet, so I know what I'm talking about.

read up on the stats, learn the science, and stop coming up with crackpot theories in order to justify your desire to boss people around.
...and since when do I "boss people around?" Please stop this stupid flamebaiting.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

If the drinking age is lowered, they should have mandatory maximum amounts a person can have based on their age, gender, and nutriution. If depressed people also were barred from buying, this would result a drastic improvement in all the crimes mentioned. Do we agree on this at least?

Japan is an interesting country.
The most!

16. it is 16 in france, there are no troubles with it!

hm, about the suicide rate things. My mother is doctor. She sees suicide attemps regularly... and almost none are related to alcohol. Well, in fact, I cannot remember any.
Maybe "related to alcohol" means the suicider drank alcohol in the past 6 monthes? :rolleyes:

That is one of the ways that the pro-prohibition crowd manipulate statistic, yes.

What's your point?

If liquor causes all those problems, if people had to get a license to consume it, and take courses, there would be less of all those problems mentioned. Liquor is a major cause all the problems you mentioned.

Rising the drinking age to 25 would insure that there is a limit safe for everybody, not just a general limit, because everybody should (there are exceptions) be able to drink around the same amount.

Liquor doesn't cause problems. It may or may not aggrivate some. Still, unless you also have statistics to show how those percentages are related soley or mainly to the 25 and under crowd how does that relate to what you think the minimum drinking age should be?

Has anyone mentioned yet that people will drink regardless of what the "legal age" is?

If the drinking age is lowered, they should have mandatory maximum amounts a person can have based on their age, gender, and nutriution. If depressed people also were barred from buying, this would result a drastic improvement in all the crimes mentioned. Do we agree on this at least?

Please stop yelling, I may be old but I can hear you just fine. No I do not agree with you. :gundge:

16 (but 18 for spirits)

In Britain, it is illegal to give any alcohol to under-5s except for medicinal purposes.
Once past the age of 5, adults can give alcohol to children at home or in restaurants, provided they are sensible (though it's not really suggested to give any to under-10s)
Then there are a couple of things you can buy with food at 16 (but I've forgotten the details for this).
At 18, you can drink what you like.

Children who are never allowed to try any alcohol at home are far more likely to go mad and drink irresponsibly when it suddenly becomes legal to drink whatever they like.

I live in America, and I am in the Army. It saddens me to sometimes look at the civilian world and see all crime and the hate... Where is this going?

Well in this country I notice we allow driving at 16, and drinking at 21. We have crime to a point of insanity, we have drunk driving by underage drinkers every 24 seconds. so on and so forth...


Well in Germany drinking is legal at 16 and driving is not legal till 18, and to top it off... it costs 2000buckaroos just to take the test....

Also there is very little crime in Germany.. Notice, people always want what they can't have and don't concern themselves overmuch over what they already have. So, the theory that still works for the Germans is that, since they can drink at a young age, they don't try to get all sneaky about everything and do dumb things.

25 because that is when the liver fully develops. I know I phrased my earlier post in a rather stupid way.
The liver has a remarkable ability to recover and regrow itself, particularly at a young age - the only difference is it has to get used to the alcohol first - if you can't drink until age 25, then this will happen at age 25 instead of age 18. Only drinking stupid amounts of alcohol repeatedly will cause lasting damage.

Most 18 year olds I know are as sensible as most 25 year olds I know - often the 25-year-olds actually think they have a bigger capacity, just because they're older, whereas they drink less often, because they work. As a result, they have a lower tolerance to alcohol - I know I don't recover from a night out as quickly as I did five years ago. I also know a lot of people who don't go out often, and so try to make up for it by drinking more in a single night.

The drinking culture in Britain is one of binging - that causes lasting damage no matter how old you are.

I think iyt should be 16 and tobacco should be 18...

I think iyt should be 16 and tobacco should be 18...
When I went to France for my A Level exchange trip, all the French kids smoked like chimneys, and made no effort to hide this from their parents.

Then, when we went for one small beer of an evening, it was, "Don't tell my mum we were drinking! You mustn't say anything! We just drank coke and played table football!"

Has anyone mentioned yet that people will drink regardless of what the "legal age" is?
Would you go round busting kids' asses for drinking a beer if you were a cop?

Better make it legal

read what you wrote. if you DRIVE while drunk you have the potential to kill somebody. it's the driving that's the dangerous activity...if you sit while drunk, play videogames while drunk, sing off key while drunk, play cards while drunk, or engage in any number of other activities while drunk you will never harm a soul. only if you engage in dangerous behaviors while drunk will you harm somebody, and it is those behaviors which are dangerous rather than the being drunk part of it.

First of all, when you are drunk, can you really decide if it is right or wrong to get in a car and drive around? When you are buzzed, possibly. But beyond that, you pretty much lose all logical sense of thought.

On the drinking age.. I believe it should be 18, because if you are legally old enough to go off to some war and die for your country, you should damn well be old enough to drink. If I were getting shot at, the first thing I would be thinking is 'I need a drink!' :sniper:

I think drinking should be legal at any age under parental supervision, and probably 15 or 16 for drinking without parental supervision. I was encouraged to drink a small amount at a young age (my grandparents wanted me to learn wine appreciation), and was allowed to go out to pubs from the age of 15 on my own. Consequently I never really got into the whole bingeing till I puke that so many people in britain aged 18-25ish seem to!

Exactly! The only countries with strictly enforced drinking ages are the US, GB and Canada. The only countries with a major drinking and driving problem are, you guessed it, the US, GB and Canada. whatever the age is, it should be MUCH lower than the driving age. People should be used to alcohol and know what their limit's are long before they are allowed behind the wheel. Alcoholism can be treated, death can't.

Exactly! The only countries with strictly enforced drinking ages are the US, GB and Canada. The only countries with a major drinking and driving problem are, you guessed it, the US, GB and Canada. whatever the age is, it should be MUCH lower than the driving age. People should be used to alcohol and know what their limit's are long before they are allowed behind the wheel. Alcoholism can be treated, death can't.
The UK isn't that strict, as I pointed out earlier. You just can't buy it yourself or drink in a pub until you're 18. You're allowed to drink in restaurants, and at home.

16

If you are able to drive car you are also able to drink :D ¨

Harry "the Bastard" (English is not my native language)

Is the U.S. the only country with a drinking age over 18???

Sometimes it seems like my country is on an entirely different wavelength than Europe, Canada, and Australia.

I live in America, and I am in the Army.

Thank you for serving. It is also unfortunate that if you are serving in the US and are not 18, you can't legally buy a drink off post. :(

Is the U.S. the only country with a drinking age over 18???

Sometimes it seems like my country is on an entirely different wavelength than Europe, Canada, and Australia.
the US is on a very special wavelength, which i like to call "full blown batshit crazy." it is a nation where a movie can be PG-13 if it depicts the murder of a human being, but must be rated R if it shows a nude female body in any context. it is a country where parents campaign to have educational material removed from schools. it is where you can choose to get married up to 7 years before you can legally drink champagne at your wedding reception, and where you can choose a President before you can choose a beer at the pub. America is where the word "intellectual" is an insult, "elite" is a smear, and a word that used to mean "happy" now refers to the most miserable and abused minority in the developed world.

yes, the United States has a wavelength all its own.

the US is on a very special wavelength, which i like to call "full blown batshit crazy." it is a nation where a movie can be PG-13 if it depicts the murder of a human being, but must be rated R if it shows a nude female body in any context. it is a country where parents campaign to have educational material removed from schools. it is where you can choose to get married up to 7 years before you can legally drink champagne at your wedding reception, and where you can choose a President before you can choose a beer at the pub. America is where the word "intellectual" is an insult, "elite" is a smear, and a word that used to mean "happy" now refers to the most miserable and abused minority in the developed world.

yes, the United States has a wavelength all its own.

When you put that all togeather it really does sound messed up

silly Americans

The UK isn't that strict, as I pointed out earlier. You just can't buy it yourself or drink in a pub until you're 18. You're allowed to drink in restaurants, and at home.

Sorry, i guess I hadn't read your post yet. My knowledge of the UK's policy's in this is a little, scetchy, but I have done a lot of research about Canadian and American policys, and the numbers are staggering. No european nation comes close even when you base the statistics on percentages of the population. Canada and the US have stricter policys, and more cultural antagonism, about drinking and it is killing our youth. What gets me is extreme christian right, in both countries, wanting to prevent them from getting exposed to liquor to save their souls and damn their bodies. People need to kow that drinking is okay. When we allow it, its less cool and fewer people go on binges and wrap their car around a street-light. If anyone in various european nations has actual stats on their drinking and driving rates, I think it would be quite enlightening.

the US is on a very special wavelength, which i like to call "full blown batshit crazy." it is a nation where a movie can be PG-13 if it depicts the murder of a human being, but must be rated R if it shows a nude female body in any context. it is a country where parents campaign to have educational material removed from schools. it is where you can choose to get married up to 7 years before you can legally drink champagne at your wedding reception, and where you can choose a President before you can choose a beer at the pub. America is where the word "intellectual" is an insult, "elite" is a smear, and a word that used to mean "happy" now refers to the most miserable and abused minority in the developed world.

yes, the United States has a wavelength all its own.

Thank you, I like it like that. :p

Is there anyone here under 21 who can honestly say that not being of legal age in any way affects their ability to obtain and consume alcohol?

21 and up to buy. But only beer and wine should be sold. Wine because of religion and it is possibly good for you and beer because it has the lowest alcohol concentration. I've had only had 2 sips of wine in my life, both were not my choice. Other than that, I don't plan on doing any other drinking ever again. My dad almost goes crazy when I won't drink a bit of wine, but it tastes nasty and I'd rather keep my liver from suffering even a tiny setback.

The drinking age should be 18 in the U.S. because if you are old enough to vote and smoke and pay taxes and be an active member of society, then you should be able to drink alcohol.

I also think that the laws on drunk driving should be made MUCH stricter

Is there anyone here under 21 who can honestly say that not being of legal age in any way affects their ability to obtain and consume alcohol?
Shhh...the government's listening. :p

Prohibition was a joke 80 years ago, it's a joke now.

The 16-21 crowd will drink whether they buy the booze or not.

It's time the cops and government stopped worrying what we do to ourselves, and focus on actual safety concerns like getting drunks off the road.

I think you should be legally able to drink alcoholic beverages at the age of 12!!!!!


Hmm, maybe I sou- shoulllll ... sober would have been better for this typing thingy.

the US is on a very special wavelength, which i like to call "full blown batshit crazy." it is a nation where a movie can be PG-13 if it depicts the murder of a human being, but must be rated R if it shows a nude female body in any context. it is a country where parents campaign to have educational material removed from schools. it is where you can choose to get married up to 7 years before you can legally drink champagne at your wedding reception, and where you can choose a President before you can choose a beer at the pub. America is where the word "intellectual" is an insult, "elite" is a smear, and a word that used to mean "happy" now refers to the most miserable and abused minority in the developed world.

yes, the United States has a wavelength all its own.
Sad but true...sometimes I'm almost ashamed of my own country. :(

Is the U.S. the only country with a drinking age over 18???

Sometimes it seems like my country is on an entirely different wavelength than Europe, Canada, and Australia.

Sometimes I think we live with Robie the Robot, Will Robinson, and Dr. Smith. :) :) :)

There shouldn't be a "drinking age" at all, although I would support not allowing you to buy it before a certain age....say, 18.

...beer because it has the lowest alcohol concentration.

Obviously you have never had Thai or Turkish beer. :D

Let's just give everybody a fifth of whiskey, a Colt .45, a car and a joint upon reaching puberty. Then we will not have to worry about those who are stupid enough to use them recklessly contaminating the gene pool later on.

In the US, it's 21 and it's either 18 or 19 in Canada, depending on what province you live in. I don't really know enough to say what it is in European countries, although when I was in Mexico, they let me into the bar and I saw people younger than me drinking but they don't really give a damn down there, now do they. Personally, I think 18 is a good age, maybe 19. What do you think?

18.I say 18 only because at 18 you can be put to death or join the military.
And you can vote at 18 too.
and buy porno.