why can you smoke at 16 but not drink alcohol til 18?

Answer 1

they are just thinning out the herd. So there are fewer people going for the jobs in a few years.

Answer 2

So clearly, many of the question answerer's are not aware that there is life outside of the US, and even though I am American, it isn't the only place in the "free-world"

Probably the reason for drinking and smoking being different, is that drinking is more immediately dangerous (you can die today) and the fact that it is a mind altering drug.

But since you are from the UK, you know that a 16 year old will never be asked to prove age in most pubs, so drink to your heart's desire

Answer 3

I don't know where you're at, but in Ohio you can't smoke until 18 and drink @ 21. I know in Canada you can drink @ 18. It's the same thing as an 18 year old getting the death penalty or serving this country, but they can't buy a 12 pack. Doesn't make much sense, does it?

Answer 4

Because some crazy person has messed with the rules of things. it is the same as why can you move out of home at 16 with out parents permission but have to ask them to get married if you are 17, also why can you smoke at 16 but not buy them until you are 18. The rules are like that here in Australia

Answer 5

Its not legal to smoke at 16 in the USA. 18 is the smoking age and 21 is the drinking age.

Answer 6

because you can't go out and kill someone if you've been smoking too much - if you drink too much, then get in a car, you could more easily get into an accident and kill someone or yourself. 16-year-olds who are just starting to drive don't need to add alcohol to the mix - give them a few more years to become better - and more responsible - and more experienced - drivers

and where do you live that you can drink at 18?

Answer 7

Because smoking does not 'impare your judgement' and you are only harming yourself by doing it, where as drinking, affects your overall behaviour, and they feel that 18 is obviously a 'mature' enough age to make responsible judgements at. However they are both way too young for either, and no age limits has ever stopped any teenager from getting their hands dirty early anyways.

Answer 8

It depends on where you livebecuase technically you cant smoke until you are 18 and cant drink until you are 21

Answer 9

you'd actually in the long run be better off drinking a few beers than smoking because once you get addicted and want to stop it's a whole different ball game than starting
i used to smoke a pack a day and stopped but its sooo hard

Answer 10

One of those nonsensical leftover laws from when people thought smoking wasn't a big deal.

In Canada the age is 19 for both.

Answer 11

Gordon must make more money from cigarettes than drink.

Is anyone else as shocked as I am by the arrogance of the Americans trying to correct the question because horror of horrors the law here is not the same as theirs. Idiots.