Should there be a minimum drinking age?

by **Roedean** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:35 pm

What's your opinion on this issue? I've always been in two minds about this. One part of me thinks that the government should have no role in mandating sale of alcohol and that its wrong to ask people for ID cards. On the other hand I am concerned that educational failure due to alcoholism would increase if there were no restrictions on underage sales.

If there is to be a minimum age for buying alcohol, then I think that you should be able to buy it as soon as you complete your high school education (i.e. at 18) or be at least 20 if you haven't completed your education. I think that people should only have to show an ID card if they look under 20. I also think that the minimum age of 21 in America is unnecessarily high.

Do you think there should be a drinking age? If so, what age should it be set at, and why are you in favour of it? Also, do you think that people should have to have an ID card to prove their age when buying alcohol?

Additional Comments:

I'm not advocating that the government try to regulate actual underage consumption of alcohol. I'm just saying that making it hard for them to get hold of it will mean that they drink less of it.

Also I think that a legal age of 18 is a bad idea because most people turn 18 just a few months before their final exams. They would suddenly start drinking at this age after having bottled up their cravings, which would have a detrimental affect on their studies. If there is to be a drinking age I think it should be 20 because almost all people have finished school at this age.

I have yet seen no evidence that age restricting alcohol improves educational attainment. If someone can point me to some evidence then I will more likely to support the drinking age as being a good idea.

Also, I believe that the argument about brain development is highly exaggerated. There could be some truth to it, but I think that there would only likely be any significant negative effect on their brains if a young person drank alcohol in excess or on a regular basis.

In my opinion there should be no minimum age for buying or drinking alcohol. The main reason for this is that its impractical to enforce. It's also unfair on shopkeepers as well as other customers to require everyone to have an ID card as proof of age.

by **Conserative Morality** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:37 pm

Yes, 18, if you're old enough to fight for your country you're old enough to drink, if you want to drink after 18, that's your choice, I'm just trying to stop the worst damage to one's mind and body caused by drinking alcohol before one's mind and body are completely developed.

by **Wienholdland** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:37 pm

by **Roedean** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:40 pm

Conserative Morality wrote:Yes, 18, if you're old enough to fight for your country you're old enough to drink, if you want to drink after 18, that's your choice, I'm just trying to stop the worst damage to one's mind and body caused by drinking alcohol before one's mind and body are completely developed.

But at 18 people are still at school sitting their final exams. Shouldn't they have to be 18 and have completed school?

by **Conserative Morality** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:41 pm

Roedean wrote:But at 18 people are still at school sitting their final exams. Shouldn't they have to be 18 and have completed school?

No. I'm not trying to solve their lives for them. Just trying to lessen the amount of harm they do to themselves and society.

by **Terrasricas** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:43 pm

Alcohol should be banned outright for all ages.

by **Inchland** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:43 pm

I think the purchase age should be 16, and the legal drinking age considerably lower, and yes ID cards should be necessary to buy.

by **Coccygia** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:44 pm

To OP: Are you serious? :palm:

by **Bavin** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:44 pm

Roedean wrote:
Conserative Morality wrote:Yes, 18, if you're old enough to fight for your country you're old enough to drink, if you want to drink after 18, that's your choice, I'm just trying to stop the worst damage to one's mind and body caused by drinking alcohol before one's mind and body are completely developed.

But at 18 people are still at school sitting their final exams. Shouldn't they have to be 18 and have completed school?

The issue isn't schooling. The issue is filling the brain with alcohol while it's still developing, which is probably not good. There's probably a shitload of studies about this but I cba to look them up.

by **Roedean** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:45 pm

Conserative Morality wrote:
Roedean wrote:But at 18 people are still at school sitting their final exams. Shouldn't they have to be 18 and have completed school?

No. I'm not trying to solve their lives for them. Just trying to lessen the amount of harm they do to themselves and society.

So why 18? Why not 17 or 19? Why do you think 18 is the right age?

by **Conserative Morality** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:47 pm

Roedean wrote:So why 18? Why not 17 or 19? Why do you think 18 is the right age?

18 is generally when one's body is mostly developed. 18 is when someone can go and get their limbs blown off for their country, which is a tad more harmful than drinking alcohol.

by **Roedean** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:47 pm

Inchland wrote:I think the purchase age should be 16, and the legal drinking age considerably lower, and yes ID cards should be necessary to buy.

Why 16? Most kids under 16 don't have the money to buy alcohol anyway so why bother with a law at all in that case?

by **Roedean** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:52 pm

Conserative Morality wrote:
Roedean wrote:So why 18? Why not 17 or 19? Why do you think 18 is the right age?

18 is generally when one's body is mostly developed. 18 is when someone can go and get their limbs blown off for their country, which is a tad more harmful than drinking alcohol.

Okay, ill accept that. I normally think that the body development argument is a bit shaky because different people reach physical maturity at different ages.

by **Inchland** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:53 pm

Roedean wrote:
Inchland wrote:I think the purchase age should be 16, and the legal drinking age considerably lower, and yes ID cards should be necessary to buy.

Why 16? Most kids under 16 don't have the money to buy alcohol anyway so why bother with a law at all in that case?

I think its a good purchase age, better than 18 in my opinion, provided that it's properly controlled by the government, families etc, such as in mainland Europe, where children are often given alcohol at an early age, thus reducing any negative effects it could have when they are teenagers. My friends and I always had plenty of money for drinking when we were 16, and that was only last year....

by **Terrasricas** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:58 pm

Inchland wrote:
Roedean wrote:
Why 16? Most kids under 16 don't have the money to buy alcohol anyway so why bother with a law at all in that case?

I think its a good purchase age, better than 18 in my opinion, provided that it's properly controlled by the government, families etc, such as in mainland Europe, where children are often given alcohol at an early age, thus reducing any negative effects it could have when they are teenagers. My friends and I always had plenty of money for drinking when we were 16, and that was only last year....

by **Inchland** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:01 pm

Terrasricas wrote:
Inchland wrote:
I think its a good purchase age, better than 18 in my opinion, provided that it's properly controlled by the government, families etc, such as in mainland Europe, where children are often given alcohol at an early age, thus reducing any negative effects it could have when they are teenagers. My friends and I always had plenty of money for drinking when we were 16, and that was only last year....

Why the facepalm, May I ask?

by **Terrasricas** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:03 pm

Inchland wrote:
Terrasricas wrote:

Why the facepalm, May I ask?

Drinking at 16, don't you thing that's a little early??

by **Inchland** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:04 pm

Terrasricas wrote:
Inchland wrote:Why the facepalm, May I ask?

Drinking at 16, don't you thing that's a little early??

No, not at all, It's very common where I live.

by **Roedean** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:05 pm

Inchland wrote:
Terrasricas wrote:Drinking at 16, don't you thing that's a little early??

No, not at all, It's very common where I live.

Where do you live may I ask? Does drinking at 16 affect their educational attainment?

by **Denau** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:06 pm

In practice, a minimum drinking age is a good idea. However, if any of you have teenagers, or were once teenagers (ha ha), you should realize that even if restrictions are put in place...most of the time, most teens won't abide by them. Its partly due to a few things, in my opinion:

People are naturally curious; ESPECIALLY young adults and children.

Teens aren't usually fond of restrictions.

Teens are very impressionable.

Still...understanding myself what some of the deadlier consequences are, and having mostly waited until 21 to even drink (two sips of sake and wine hardly count for me), I think its a good idea to have an age limit. However, since most people I know tend to drink (often in excess) at the age of 18 (sometimes younger), I think the age limit should be altered a bit to 18 (legal adult age). But instead of relying on "scare tactics" in commercials, actual educational information should be given to teens in school to inform them of the consequences of underage drinking long before the opportunity ever arises. In addition to that, it should be partly the responsibility of parents to educate their teens about alcohol and its effects on the body and (in excess) in life. Finally, I'd prefer if there were reasonably better carding and identification in most states than are already in place, to prevent underage drinking from occuring.

by **Aurora-Nova** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:06 pm

I can't choose either of your options. In response to the actual thread title, I don't think there should be. However, there is a difference between setting a minimum drinking age, as the title says and which I oppose, and setting a minimum purchasing age, which is what the poll says and which I support.

by **Inchland** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:08 pm

Roedean wrote:Where do you live may I ask? Does drinking at 16 affect their educational attainment?

Ireland. It's is illegal at 16 yes, but it's not uncommon. I've never seen an incredible difference in grades between those who drink and those who don't...

by **Risottia** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:08 pm

Roedean wrote:Do you think there should be a drinking age?

Absolutely.
All kids older than 10 should start sipping their wine (if they didn't start earlier), under parental control. Learn to use so you won't abuse.

by **Roedean** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:09 pm

Denau:

I'm not advocating that the government try to regulate actual underage consumption of alcohol. I'm just saying that making it hard for them to get hold of it will mean that they drink less of it.

by **Rusikstan** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:10 pm

Conserative Morality wrote:Yes, 18, if you're old enough to fight for your country you're old enough to drink.

^ this