If You Could Make The Law

[Jazza]

what would you set the minimum drinking age (alcohol) as for whatever country you live in?

[Klepton]

was the person who voted for 19 a misclick?

[Raydain]

[ QUOTE ]
was the person who voted for 19 a misclick?

[/ QUOTE ]

and how about 15?

[Alobar]

I saw if you are deemed responsible enough to kill other people in the name of your country, and vote for the leader who gets to tell you who to go kill then you should be allowed to kick back and have a beer if you want.

That being said, if it was legal for 18 year olds, 15, 16, and 17 year olds would have easy access to it, and that definately wouldnt be a great idea.

Why did they up the age to 21 in the first place? Didnt it used to be lke 18 back in the 70s??

[Jack of Arcades]

[ QUOTE ]
I saw if you are deemed responsible enough to kill other people in the name of your country, and vote for the leader who gets to tell you who to go kill then you should be allowed to kick back and have a beer if you want.

That being said, if it was legal for 18 year olds, 15, 16, and 17 year olds would have easy access to it, and that definately wouldnt be a great idea.

Why did they up the age to 21 in the first place? Didnt it used to be lke 18 back in the 70s??

[/ QUOTE ]

To try to cut down on drunk driving.

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
was the person who voted for 19 a misclick?

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe a Wyoming resident. Before the federal laws withholding highway funds to states with drinking ages over 21, the drinking age in Wyoming was 19. I know this because I went to college at Colorado State University, about 40 miles from Cheyenne Wyoming. If we wanted something harder than 3.2 beer (which was legal for over 18 in Colorado at the time), and didn't want to risk trying to buy it illegally in a Colorado liquor store, we would go to Wyoming. The current situation has to suck for 18-21 year-olds now. I'm glad I grew up when I did.

[2+2 wannabe]

in many countries it's legal (and socially acceptable) for kids to drink

since underage drinking is addressed there, it's not seen as "being cool" and there aren't nearly as many social problems that stem from it.

it's absurd that you can vote, drive, and go to war - but illegal to have a glass of wine.

[bump]

[ QUOTE ]
I saw if you are deemed responsible enough to kill other people in the name of your country, and vote for the leader who gets to tell you who to go kill then you should be allowed to kick back and have a beer if you want.

That being said, if it was legal for 18 year olds, 15, 16, and 17 year olds would have easy access to it, and that definately wouldnt be a great idea.

Why did they up the age to 21 in the first place? Didnt it used to be lke 18 back in the 70s??

[/ QUOTE ]

Raegen. Highway funding.

[rusty JEDI]

[ QUOTE ]
was the person who voted for 19 a misclick?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was the person who clicked 19. I dont understand why you think this is so impossible it had to be a misclick. The drinking age in Canada everywhere but Alberta is 19 and it seems to work fine.

rJ

[Blarg]

Yeah. It set up bizarre situations, though. Not only of course that you were responsible enough to vote and make life and death decisions as a soldier at 18 while being unable to even buy a beer, but you could go from one place to the next and find the laws different. Like, 18 was the age in Hawaii, then I came to California to go to school at 20 and couldn't drink. Weird.

[kipin]

I voted for 15. I think the current US system breeds a nation of alcoholics and binge drinkers.

[YourFoxyGrandma]

This depends entirely on what country you live in and the associated culture regarding alcohol. For the U.S. where people, especially kids, like to get wasted, I think the drinking age is about right. I could see an argument to lowering it to 19 so kids can start drinking once they hit college. For a country where alcohol consumtion at non-intoxicating levels is the norm (France, etc.) it would make sense for the drinking age to be alot lower/non-existant.

[zephed56]

[ QUOTE ]
I saw if you are deemed responsible enough to kill other people in the name of your country, and vote for the leader who gets to tell you who to go kill then you should be allowed to kick back and have a beer if you want.

That being said, if it was legal for 18 year olds, 15, 16, and 17 year olds would have easy access to it, and that definately wouldnt be a great idea.

Why did they up the age to 21 in the first place? Didnt it used to be lke 18 back in the 70s??

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty sure Eisenhower did that. They were building interstate highways with federal money and forced the states to change the age to 21 or no highways would be built in their state.

I think I got this off the history channel.

EDIT: I looked it up, it was Reagan. But the Eisenhower interstate highway project was his vehicle.

[FMMonty]

Come on 25 years old? are you serious??

Own up and explain yourself

[Victor]

[ QUOTE ]
Come on 25 years old? are you serious??

Own up and explain yourself

[/ QUOTE ]

hes right.

it takes a long time to build roads.

[thatpfunk]

[ QUOTE ]
They were building interstate highways with federal money and forced the states to change the age to 21 or no highways would be built in their state.

[/ QUOTE ]

Incorrect. It is the choice of the state. However, the government gives extra funding to those states that comply with their "suggestion," hence all the states falling into line.

[daveymck]

We have 18 to purchase Alocohol and Alobar summed it up nicely kids at 15,16,17 start experimenting and getting drunk etc. Move it down to 15 and the worry would be more 12,13,14 year olds would then be drinking regular than currently are (and currently numbers are rising).

21 is far too old in my opinion.

As for to consume alcohol then I think in your own home its parental choice and making alcohol non taboo isnt that bad in my opinion. French kids get wine with a lot of meals learn to drink it socially and supposedly dont have as may alocohol issues as they grow up. In my house my stepson 12 gets the odd can of beer, my step daughter and daughter 8 and 5 get the odd sip of wine but nothing more.

[zephed56]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They were building interstate highways with federal money and forced the states to change the age to 21 or no highways would be built in their state.

[/ QUOTE ]

Incorrect. It is the choice of the state. However, the government gives extra funding to those states that comply with their "suggestion," hence all the states falling into line.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's what I meant. Forced, as in blackmail or coercion.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They were building interstate highways with federal money and forced the states to change the age to 21 or no highways would be built in their state.

[/ QUOTE ]

Incorrect. It is the choice of the state. However, the government gives extra funding to those states that comply with their "suggestion," hence all the states falling into line.

[/ QUOTE ]

They don't give "extra" funding. They take away funding for states that don't go along.

[spamuell]

[ QUOTE ]
This depends entirely on what country you live in and the associated culture regarding alcohol. For the U.S. where people, especially kids, like to get wasted, I think the drinking age is about right. I could see an argument to lowering it to 19 so kids can start drinking once they hit college. For a country where alcohol consumtion at non-intoxicating levels is the norm (France, etc.) it would make sense for the drinking age to be alot lower/non-existant.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you think that the culture regarding alcohol of the country you live in is very much determined by the age where it's legal to drink?

Also, can we just define what "minimum drinking age" means? Because in the UK, while it's illegal for those under 18 to buy alcohol, it's legal for them to drink it, whereas I've heard that it's illegal to drink alcohol in the US if you're under 21.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't you think that the culture regarding alcohol of the country you live in is very much determined by the age where it's legal to drink?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that's backwards. I think it's American's ridiculously uptight view of alcohol that determines the law, not vice versa. Regardless of drinking age, parents could allow kids to drink at home with meals, but don't because they're uptight about it.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
I saw if you are deemed responsible enough to kill other people in the name of your country, and vote for the leader who gets to tell you who to go kill then you should be allowed to kick back and have a beer if you want.

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree. These idiots shouldn't be allowed to vote until they're at least 21.

[masse75]

[ QUOTE ]
I looked it up, it was Reagan. But the Eisenhower interstate highway project was his vehicle.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank goodness...I thought it might've just been a crafty name. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[DavidC]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
was the person who voted for 19 a misclick?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was the person who clicked 19. I dont understand why you think this is so impossible it had to be a misclick. The drinking age in Canada everywhere but Alberta is 19 and it seems to work fine.

rJ

[/ QUOTE ]

Quebec is 18, if you count it as part of Canada.