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Legal drinking age in the US vs. Europe

UtahBill said:
I have heard of something they call "addictive personality" or something like that. You probably know the correct term for it. Genetically, some of us are just prone to addictions.
The worst reformed druggy I ever met was, at the time, addicted to his religion, and could not keep it to himself....
Not that those few people should be a reason for making new rules/laws, etc.
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Exactly.

Now, I personally don't mind them lowering the legal ages - it seems ridiculous, to me, to let people vote, drive, work, drop out of highschool - but still adamately insist they are unable to handle drinking anything :shrug: Seems backwards.

But would a sudden repeal be ideal or advisable? No. . . just as when they reach 21 they hit the bar and fall apart - they'll then just hit 18 and fall apart . . . or 16, whatever.
The idea has to take hold socially - and maturely.
 
It should not be "US vs Europe" !
Instead, we should work together in improving the lot of man.
IMO, they are a lot more advanced than us, socially, we can learn from each other once our altitudes are adjusted...
Heres one for the international historians..
Did Europe even go thru prohibition as we did a century ago?
 
Aunt Spiker said:
Exactly.

Now, I personally don't mind them lowering the legal ages - it seems ridiculous, to me, to let people vote, drive, work, drop out of highschool - but still adamantly insist they are unable to handle drinking anything :shrug: Seems backward.

But would a sudden repeal be ideal or advisable? No. . . just as when they reach 21 they hit the bar and fall apart - they'll then just hit 18 and fall apart . . . or 16, whatever.
The idea has to take hold socially - and maturely.
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Legalities can be circumnavigated, we learn to buy/drink beer at age 16, I started at age 13 with "hard stuff".
I learned nothing until age 25 or so.
Best to learn to drink at home, with loving parents..
IMO, the "legal" age should be 18, not 21...
 
Aunt Spiker said:
Exactly.

Now, I personally don't mind them lowering the legal ages - it seems ridiculous, to me, to let people vote, drive, work, drop out of highschool - but still adamately insist they are unable to handle drinking anything :shrug: Seems backwards.

But would a sudden repeal be ideal or advisable? No. . . just as when they reach 21 they hit the bar and fall apart - they'll then just hit 18 and fall apart . . . or 16, whatever.
The idea has to take hold socially - and maturely.
Click to expand...

Drop out age is one thing I really object to....19 or pass the GED, or get drafted into infantry....one sister and I, out of 6 kids, finished HS, and we are the only 2 who are self supporting to any degree. We pay taxes, but not enough to cover the waste of food that so many of our relatives are guilty of...
 
earthworm said:
Legalities can be circumnavigated, we learn to buy/drink beer at age 16, I started at age 13 with "hard stuff".
I learned nothing until age 25 or so.
Best to learn to drink at home, with loving parents..
IMO, the "legal" age should be 18, not 21...
Click to expand...

"learn to drink" to me is a bizarre concept - you either drink or you don't. What's to 'learn' ?

But I think the 'parental involvement' is a solid point - which the US amazingly has a vast lack of - our education would be better off if more parents were more involved. Children would be healthier if they were more involved . . . kids would do better, grow up more refined - if more parents cared and were more involved.

And that is a totally other issue - you can't regulate parental involvement and force individuals to hold values that they just don't initially hold.
All those social changes happen over time.

earthworm said:
IMO, they are a lot more advanced than us, socially, we can learn from each other once our altitudes are adjusted...
Heres one for the international historians..
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With everythign I've learned about European and world history I firmly disagree.

There isn't a single country out there which I would claim is a good example of *what to do* - they're all good examples of *what not to do* though :) . . . Humans: we're all ****ed up.
 
This thread has given me an idea.

Best option: Parents (or their equivalent) teach their children (or their equivalent) about drugs, both legal and illegal. Downside is problems resulting from incompetent parents and such.

Potentially acceptable option: Federally requirement that all children be taught the basics about substance abuse (if this doesn’t happen already)…

Problem is, I fear in many cases it would be the parents and/or the teachers saying “This is BAD!” And leaving it at that.

I’m thinking actual explanations of how and why the substances cause issues, and mentions of sometimes positive effects (that bit about red wine comes to mind).

Additionally, what some have mentioned – make parentally supervised drinking before age 18/21 legal.

This would allow “hands-on” instruction, if you will. :?

“Downside” to that would be the potential for what happens already – parents not supervising their children in regards to substances.

I’d almost say (in the school idea) have children given (very small!) drinks in class and examine their reactions too it in an essay or whatnot…But that might not end well…
 
The Mark said:
This thread has given me an idea.

Best option: Parents (or their equivalent) teach their children (or their equivalent) about drugs, both legal and illegal. Downside is problems resulting from incompetent parents and such.

Potentially acceptable option: Federally requirement that all children be taught the basics about substance abuse (if this doesn’t happen already)…

Problem is, I fear in many cases it would be the parents and/or the teachers saying “This is BAD!” And leaving it at that.

I’m thinking actual explanations of how and why the substances cause issues, and mentions of sometimes positive effects (that bit about red wine comes to mind).

Additionally, what some have mentioned – make parentally supervised drinking before age 18/21 legal.

This would allow “hands-on” instruction, if you will. :?

“Downside” to that would be the potential for what happens already – parents not supervising their children in regards to substances.

I’d almost say (in the school idea) have children given (very small!) drinks in class and examine their reactions too it in an essay or whatnot…But that might not end well…
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If this were to be implemented, do you think Muslim chlidren should be forced to drink alcohol?

.
 
TOJ said:
If this were to be implemented, do you think Muslim chlidren should be forced to drink alcohol?

.
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Now see, there's another issue.

What of the people whose religion dictates they cannot partake of this or that substance? For that matter, dictates that they should partake of?

I would say a parental note requesting they not be required to do such would suffice - it does in other cases, doesn’t it?

But my hypothetical was based on parents being incapable of teaching their kids about the various substances, and further, incapable of supervising them in drinking – which is not going to be the case in every situation.
 
Hatuey said:
If they're old enough to go to war, they're old enough to have a drink.
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I don't buy this. I'd be open to allowing those who join the military to drink alcohol (even at 18), but just because someone is old enough to join the military does not automatically mean they are mature and responsible enough to handle drinking responsibly.
 
Jucon said:
I don't buy this. I'd be open to allowing those who join the military to drink alcohol (even at 18), but just because someone is old enough to join the military does not automatically mean they are mature and responsible enough to handle drinking responsibly.
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The same would apply to anyone joinging the military. Besides, if they are actually taught correctly kids would be responsible drinkers...unless of course thier dna screws them up.
 
Given that we can't measure how mature a person is with any degree of accuracy (I'd argue that some kids are able to drive a car on their own well before they're allowed, and many can't drive into their 30s), I think age is a fair thing to base restrictions on. I haven't found anything that's as reasonable (if you have some, I'd love to see them).

However, I disagree that you can be mature enough to drive a car (which costs many thousands of lives each year, and puts OTHERS at risk, not just yourself), but not mature enough to drink alcohol (which can only harm you, unless you force feed it to your date *shifty eyes*). Therefore I support one age for all restrictions. Should it be 18? Personally I'd put it at about 17, but that's fine. 21 is too high.

Australia, the United Kingdom, most of Canada and a very large part of Europe all let people buy/drink alcohol at or before the age of 18, and much of them have lower rates of alcohol abuse per capita. Alcohol is like anything else, it's how you use it.

You can't legally be an adult, but be viewed as not responsible enough to drink. That's ridiculous.

So yes, I am in favor of lowering the legal age for purchasing alcohol to 18, though I think the age you can drink as with stringent supervision from a parent should be quite a bit lower, although parental abuse of this shouldn't be tolerated.

That's my $0.02, I might even get some bipartisan support on this ;)
 
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SirPwn4lot said:
Given that we can't measure how mature a person is with any degree of accuracy (I'd argue that some kids are able to drive a car on their own well before they're allowed, and many can't drive into their 30s), I think age is a fair thing to base restrictions on. I haven't found anything that's as reasonable (if you have some, I'd love to see them).

However, I disagree that you can be mature enough to drive a car (which costs many thousands of lives each year, and puts OTHERS at risk, not just yourself), but not mature enough to drink alcohol (which can only harm you, unless you force feed it to your date *shifty eyes*). Therefore I support one age for all restrictions. Should it be 18? Personally I'd put it at about 17, but that's fine. 21 is too high.

Australia, the United Kingdom, most of Canada and a very large part of Europe all let people buy/drink alcohol at or before the age of 18, and much of them have lower rates of alcohol abuse per capita. Alcohol is like anything else, it's how you use it.

You can't legally be an adult, but be viewed as not responsible enough to drink. That's ridiculous.

So yes, I am in favor of lowering the legal age for purchasing alcohol to 18, though I think the age you can drink as with stringent supervision from a parent should be quite a bit lower, although parental abuse of this shouldn't be tolerated.

That's my $0.02, I might even get some bipartisan support on this ;)
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Consider this response my support, although I don't know as to it's bipartisanship...

I agree.
 
In Louisiana we are allowed to drink at 18 so long as it is on private property. You can also drink at 18 in Louisiana if you are married to someone 21 or older. Many people in the state laugh at the federal drinking age (even Republicans) but we can't really change it since the feds will revoke highway funds.
 
Phantom said:
In Louisiana we are allowed to drink at 18 so long as it is on private property. You can also drink at 18 in Louisiana if you are married to someone 21 or older. Many people in the state laugh at the federal drinking age (even Republicans) but we can't really change it since the feds will revoke highway funds.
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Didn't the purchasing age use to be 18, also - an dthey changed it because kids from out of state would drive in - it caused a variety of problems. (long time ago)
 
States?, in Australia?
Your nation is probably more advanced than ours, quite the accomplishment, IMO.
We have so much to learn.
The conservatives must go.
 
Apocalypse said:
It's 18 over here, but they want to raise it to 21.

Not that it's relevant to me anymore.
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If the child never has any real parents, or his parents are of no value, then the drinking age should be boosted to 210!
Anyone remember prohibition?
 
Aunt Spiker said:
"learn to drink" to me is a bizarre concept - you either drink or you don't. What's to 'learn' ?

But I think the 'parental involvement' is a solid point - which the US amazingly has a vast lack of - our education would be better off if more parents were more involved. Children would be healthier if they were more involved . . . kids would do better, grow up more refined - if more parents cared and were more involved.

And that is a totally other issue - you can't regulate parental involvement and force individuals to hold values that they just don't initially hold.
All those social changes happen over time.



With everything I've learned about European and world history I firmly disagree.

There isn't a single country out there which I would claim is a good example of *what to do* - they're all good examples of *what not to do* though :) . . . Humans: we're all ****ed up.
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Europe has gone thru both the bad and the good.
Learn to drink?
Of course, a smart drinker - does not - but if he must, he drinks slowly, carefully.
Non-smart college students have proved that foolish drinking leads to death.
Everything man does must be learned.
 
Aunt Spiker said:
Didn't the purchasing age use to be 18, also - an dthey changed it because kids from out of state would drive in - it caused a variety of problems. (long time ago)
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I think 18 was the legal age to parchase any alcoholic beverage until 1984.
 
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