So why 21 is the legal age to drink

[Burzhui]

Does that make sense to anyone?
It sure as hell doesn't to me.

You can smoke at 18, much worse then drinking, you have to go to war when you're 18, and yet you can only drink when you turn 21, legally that is.

No other country does that, most of them allow you to drink starting the age 18, and even then they don't enforce it.

[Burzhui]

Damn don't know why it posted this topic twice but post in the other one

[K2]

cuz they figure that u are the most mature then?

i dunno...its 18 here...and thats all i care

[Cantacuzene]

They feel that if 18 year old high school kids can drink it will mean super easy access to booze for 15 year old freshmen, which is kinda true. Also, it alleviates the problem of tons of kids coming to high school plastered.

[mojo]

i believe our armed forces can drink on base at 18. i also believe that this is why esdee joined

[Burzhui]

Originally posted by Cantacuzene
They feel that if 18 year old high school kids can drink it will mean super easy access to booze for 15 year old freshmen, which is kinda true. Also, it alleviates the problem of tons of kids coming to high school plastered.

Other countries don't seem to be having problems with this, maybe because there is still discipline in schools

[gear02]

I might not be speaking from fact so be warned.

I had a roommate my freshman year who was from Germany and we had this discussion. I think it might be cultural. I mean in Europe, they drink alcohol in normal situations like meals. I think they learn at an early age to be somewhat responsible in their drinking habits.

Here in the US, drinking is illegal for high school and most college students, hence that's why it's so popular. When they do drink, it's either in secret, behind the scenes, etc. and I really don't think people are responsible in their drinking. Plus, most drinking in the US happens in bars and parties, which usually promote people drinking till they're drunk, not in moderation.

I don't know...I'm speaking out of my wahoo, but I think it's cultural.

[hang10wannabe]

they allowed soldiers in war to smoke at the age of 18 b/c it would help calm their nerves, drinking on the other hand would impede their performance, so i think thats why (note: during war times most troops are 18 - 20ish). i believe that is how the standard was set

[Nanotech9]

smoking is NOT worse than drinking.

basically, you're more mature at 21 than you are at 18 (hopefully). Drinking impairs your judgement, and younger people (18) are more prone to drink more etc etc.... they drink, then they drive, and thats a dedly combination.

hopefully by the time they're 21 they'll be less inclined to drink and drive after the last three or four years of seeing a few of their friends do it and get themselves killed in the process. That generally drives a little sense into you.

[Jihforce]

I think it has more to do with drinking and driving. The average 18 year old in the US has a drivers license and car. The average 18 year old in other countries takes the bus, rides a bike or walks.

[ribitch]

Originally posted by Burzhui
Damn don't know why it posted this topic twice but post in the other one

wow, its even a double repost!!!

PROOF!

[Speedfreak]

What's worse is having to be 25 (or 26?) to rent a car. If it is 25, I will finally be able to to everything in a couple of months..well, except sign up with AARP even though they keep sending me stuff to do so. You have to be 50 for that.

[Cubsfan]

Originally posted by Speedfreak
What's worse is having to be 25 (or 26?) to rent a car. If it is 25, I will finally be able to to everything in a couple of months..well, except sign up with AARP even though they keep sending me stuff to do so. You have to be 50 for that.

Get an American Express card. I'm not exactly sure why, but when I made reservations with AVIS, if I used my American Express then the age was lowered to 18. I suppose it has something to do with the card having insurance.

[mcs328]

Yah...25 to rent a car. You also need to be or it used to be that you need to be 25 to sponsor somone underage to get into Dave and Busters.

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by Cubsfan


Get an American Express card. I'm not exactly sure why, but when I made reservations with AVIS, if I used my American Express then the age was lowered to 18. I suppose it has something to do with the card having insurance.

No need for AMEX. Technically, you can rent a car while under 25. The problem is, they will charge you a "under 25 fee". But can still rent them. I've rented from Avis, Budget and Alamo while being under 25. At Hertz, you can rent it too, but you need to have an reservation. They won't rent you one over the counter.

[ski]

Though I am only 20, I still think 21 is a good age for legal buying of alcohol. Even at 18 or 19, I know many people would be irresponsible in dispensing it to younger kids that wanted it. But I'll still be enjoying some beverages responsibly for the next year

[eSDee]

Originally posted by mojo
i believe our armed forces can drink on base at 18. i also believe that this is why esdee joined

'

You've exposed me mojo

It's a hell of a lot easier defending your country's freedom when you got a M-16 in one hand and an ice cold brewdog in the other

[sbp]

Originally posted by Burzhui
Does that make sense to anyone?
It sure as hell doesn't to me.

It makes total sense. No younguns drinking brews means more beer for us old farts!

[i6s1]

Originally posted by Jihforce
I think it has more to do with drinking and driving. The average 18 year old in the US has a drivers license and car. The average 18 year old in other countries takes the bus, rides a bike or walks.

Not in Canada, we have just as much car usage as the US, but our age is 18/19 depending on which Province you're in.

[Burzhui]

Originally posted by Jihforce
I think it has more to do with drinking and driving. The average 18 year old in the US has a drivers license and car. The average 18 year old in other countries takes the bus, rides a bike or walks.

I'm sorry but that's just ignorant, who told you this?

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by i6s1


Not in Canada, we have just as much car usage as the US, but our age is 18/19 depending on which Province you're in.

Now hows that possible considering there less people living in Canada than in the US??

[Jihforce]

Originally posted by Burzhui

I'm sorry but that's just ignorant, who told you this?

Personal experience. In the countries I"ve been to, not every household has a car for each and every driver. Now if you're talking about fully industrialized countries where citizens make pretty good money, then yeah maybe. There are also a quite few countries in which catching a cab or taking public transportation is more convenient than having a car. You're from NYC, you should know that in some cities, you just don't need a car. There are also others in which owning a car at 18 years of age is more of a luxury than it is here.

[Hoser]

Mojo, armed forces can't drink on base at 18 anymore. It used to be that way years ago when I was 18. I could drink beer, but not hard alcohol on base. If you're stationed overseas, you can just go off base and do your drinking.

[welfareloser]

Originally posted by Burzhui


Other countries don't seem to be having problems with this, maybe because there is still discipline in schools

been to school in other countries (where grade schools and mcdonalds served beer), and at least in those countries, there was far less discipline there. students respected teachers and acted like human beings because they wanted to be in school. more an issue of parenting (and i believe that those who didn't want to be in school were not forced to be there.)

it's 21 because that's as high as they could make it and still reasonably say "you're not an adult until this age." the age for smoking is lower because the tobacco lobby has historically been stronger, and because smoking was historically seen as something that only hurt yourself (or, going a bit farther back in history, cured the common cold.) the damage from drinking was often immediate and easily visible - barfights, crashing vehicles, spousal abuse, vandalism. alcohol doesn't cause em, but it sure does help em along.

my theory has always been that if a drinking age was removed, we would have a period of about ten years (enough time for one generation to grow up) of absolute chaos - kids for whom drinking had once been taboo would suddenly be given access, and they would take to it like fish to water. after that, things would settle into an equilibrium that is not necessarily superior to the current state of things... that annoying issue of access is resolved for the under-21 set, but increased access would lead to moderate increases in teenage alcohol abuse - it already happens, and it would happen at least a little bit more.

biggest reason the age has stayed the same is that the only people who want it raised are between the ages of 12 and 21, the vast majority of whom do not vote - even those from 18-21. and even if they all voted, they still wouldn't have a powerful lobbying group (like MADD and other anti-drinking organizations do) so the issue will probably never make it onto a ballot for them to exercise their vote on it... unless the alcohol lobby starts rooting for the change, which they haven't recently, given the smackdown that big tobacco's been getting.

[welfareloser]

Originally posted by Burzhui



I'm sorry but that's just ignorant, who told you this?

in western europe, most 16-21 year olds don't have a car... most can't get a license until 18, and most don't own a car for cultural reasons - it's a pain and an expense and due to the lack of sprawl and the good public transport, they don't need one.

don't think it has a whole lot to do with the drinking age, tho.

[Burzhui]

Originally posted by Jihforce

Personal experience. In the countries I"ve been to, not every household has a car for each and every driver. Now if you're talking about fully industrialized countries where citizens make pretty good money, then yeah maybe. There are also a quite few countries in which catching a cab or taking public transportation is more convenient than having a car. You're from NYC, you should know that in some cities, you just don't need a car. There are also others in which owning a car at 18 years of age is more of a luxury than it is here.

Well i'm not talking about countries, where most people can't afford food. I'm saying, Russia, Germany, Canada, Poland, Japan, etc


BTW, out of almost 9 years of living in NYC i have never taken a cab

[zenbooty]

Originally posted by Burzhui
BTW, out of almost 9 years of living in NYC i have never taken a cab

Yeah, but don't you live out in Queens? That doesn't really count as NYC .