Should There Be a Minimum Drinking Age?
Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2019 11:45 pm
Alcohol- The Cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems
So alcohol. Some countries allow everyone to drink it, irrespective of age, some only allow those above a certain age to drink, and other countries don't let anyone to drink at all
So, my question is- which is the best approach?
I believe that eliminating the drinking age all together is the best approach. And before you ask, no, it's because I am underage and want to drink. I am in mid-twenties, l above the world's highest drinking age of 21, and well above my country's drinking age of 18
In countries where there is no drinking age, or where the drinking age is unenforced, children learn to drink responsibly from a young. If 12 year olds have a glass of wine with dinner, they are accustomed to booze, and learn to drink in moderation.
However, if children are prohibited from drinking until they reach age x, then in many cases, they'll drink themselves stupid when they reach x birthday, (as people tend to over-indulge in things that they consume for the first time, legally or otherwise) and carry that habit with them throughout their lives. Further, if underaged children manage to get their hands on booze, they will also drink themselves stupid because they don't know how long it will be till they can get their hands on booze again. And the thing is, if you have a habit of drinking yourself stupid, you won't just magically start drinking responsibly when you turn 18, or whatever the minimum drinking age is.
To an underage person, there is no difference between full on prohibition and a minimum drinking age, and we all know how prohibition turned out for... every country that's tried it. If we teach responsible drinking from a young age, kids will carry that habit with them through life. In fact, countries with no or unenforced drinking ages have lower incidents of alcoholism than nations with enforced drinking ages, for the very reason that 12 y/os are taught to drink responsibly from a young age.
Well, that's my 2 cents, or should I say, that's my 18 cents (crickets chip). What's your 2 cents?
Side Note: I'm not an alcoholic, I rarely drink more than a glass of wine or so in an average month or so, (unless I attend an event, like a wedding, Christening, etc)
So alcohol. Some countries allow everyone to drink it, irrespective of age, some only allow those above a certain age to drink, and other countries don't let anyone to drink at all
So, my question is- which is the best approach?
I believe that eliminating the drinking age all together is the best approach. And before you ask, no, it's because I am underage and want to drink. I am in mid-twenties, l above the world's highest drinking age of 21, and well above my country's drinking age of 18
In countries where there is no drinking age, or where the drinking age is unenforced, children learn to drink responsibly from a young. If 12 year olds have a glass of wine with dinner, they are accustomed to booze, and learn to drink in moderation.
However, if children are prohibited from drinking until they reach age x, then in many cases, they'll drink themselves stupid when they reach x birthday, (as people tend to over-indulge in things that they consume for the first time, legally or otherwise) and carry that habit with them throughout their lives. Further, if underaged children manage to get their hands on booze, they will also drink themselves stupid because they don't know how long it will be till they can get their hands on booze again. And the thing is, if you have a habit of drinking yourself stupid, you won't just magically start drinking responsibly when you turn 18, or whatever the minimum drinking age is.
To an underage person, there is no difference between full on prohibition and a minimum drinking age, and we all know how prohibition turned out for... every country that's tried it. If we teach responsible drinking from a young age, kids will carry that habit with them through life. In fact, countries with no or unenforced drinking ages have lower incidents of alcoholism than nations with enforced drinking ages, for the very reason that 12 y/os are taught to drink responsibly from a young age.
Well, that's my 2 cents, or should I say, that's my 18 cents (crickets chip). What's your 2 cents?
Side Note: I'm not an alcoholic, I rarely drink more than a glass of wine or so in an average month or so, (unless I attend an event, like a wedding, Christening, etc)