Some people think it needs to be lowered or could be. What do you think?
I dont drink......

18 is the legal age in our county.. and I guess that age is quite okay. No need to lower it down.

It depends my father allowed me to drink when I was 16 years old, and that was my grandmothers birthday and he's not allowing me to drink outside the house with y friends. i think it all depends to the parents.

Well, even if we lower it, it would still not stop those not allowed to drink to get their hands on a bottle of vodka or beer. the responsibility is not just with the limit of selling it but also on educating the teen about it. from parents and school maybe.

I think that there is no need to lower it. it's okay.

When the USA had the legal age limit set at 18 back in the day, there was a high number of deaths caused by drunk driving from 18 year olds. We raised to limit to 21 and the number of drunk driving deaths from the ages of 18-20 has drastically gone down.

It is good at 21, since from the ages of 18-21 allows the person to become a more knowledgeable driver.

If you're old enough to fight and die for your country you're old enough to drink, IMO. That was also the rationale for lowering the age to vote. Drunk driving is a separate issue, and I think that the penalties for it should be raised significantly, like attempted vehicular homicide on the first offense. With rights come responsibilities, after all.

tim

It's fine as it is. There's nothing that's really asking for a change.

No need to lower it down. legal age for alcohol drinkers must know their responsibilities and limit.

no it should be lowered you tolerating the youth to drink in an early age..

Originally Posted by serandfae

With rights come responsibilities, after all.

I suspect you'll get significant pushback from our representative of the cartoon Republicans on this forum.

Personally, I think the drinking age should have a parental override.

How's that work? Once you're eighteen you've reached the age of majority. Or are you talking about eliminating the drinking age entirely? It won't work here. The culture here can't handle it. It works just fine in many European countries, but the ones I'm thinking of neither have the problem of excess that Americans seem to have as a cornerstone of their culture, nor do they have the problems with DUIs that we have.

tim

In France, I'm not even sure what the legal drinking age is....I don't think anyone cares...everyone is drunk anyway.

"My Doctor told me a glass of wine a day is good for me. Plus, It actually made me walk 5 kilometers this week"
"how come?"
"the only store with a one liter glass is 2.5 k away"

I was born and raised in Romania. After visiting a couple of times - since the ten year move to Canada - I can tell you that there is no real drinking age there, and everything functions as normal. I'm 16, so I'm not quite "of age", however, while visiting, there was no problem if I popped in a bar and had a few drinks with some friends!

I think the restriction makes the matter a bit tougher to deal with. With a restriction - you get kids like me thinking they're all cool if they smoke a joint, or have a drink. I think that it might be arguable to claim that if an age restriction was never put into play - there would be no real reason for so many teenagers (or minors) to drink as often as they do.

Originally Posted by serandfae

How's that work?

I think it already does work - it's just "underground" in the family. We don't have a census to tell us how many, but I'd guess a statistically significant number of 16 year olds drink a glass of wine with their family dinner. I don't think that should be (technically) illegal. I think a restaurant should even be able to serve wine to minors, with the parent's approval.

Originally Posted by serandfae

How's that work? Once you're eighteen you've reached the age of majority. Or are you talking about eliminating the drinking age entirely? It won't work here. The culture here can't handle it. It works just fine in many European countries, but the ones I'm thinking of neither have the problem of excess that Americans seem to have as a cornerstone of their culture, nor do they have the problems with DUIs that we have.

tim

Did you mean maturity here? Males don't reach full maturity until at least age 25.

Originally Posted by SuperNovaArcade

Did you mean maturity here? Males don't reach full maturity until at least age 25.

I am mature since June then.
Bring on the booze!

JK.

I do agree with Learning Newbie. It is not uncommon in France to see minor drink wine with their parents in a restaurant. No one cares as long as you don't get rowdy.

The interdiction is what makes young people drink. The push of Adrenaline because you are both drunk and you do something forbidden. Plus you feel more confident talking to girls. What more do you want?

If you legalize it, it might not be such a big deal. I see the same thing with nudity and sex. In france, I have seen my parents naked all the time growing up. Naked body is not a taboo. In Canada, it is and kids are having sex at 13 and three sum at 14 now.

* Show kids a fence and they'll run and jump over it. Show them the big field behind it and they'll be too lazy to run to the other side.

*put a dog on a short leash, it will pull like crazy. Extend the leash it will walk by you

*to make a donkey walk when it doesn't want to, pull on his tail. It will want to do the opposite and will start walking

etc etc...

Originally Posted by SuperNovaArcade

Did you mean maturity here? Males don't reach full maturity until at least age 25.

The age of majority is the term used when someone is no longer considered a minor, which in the US is the age of eighteen. So no, I didn't mean maturity, I meant the legal age of adulthood. Besides, most males never reach full maturity period.

tim

To back John up, I have a glass of wine with my parents at least once a week - for dinner!

I also completley agree with Julien. The problem is only as big as you make it out to be.