Why when you 18 you can fight in a war and vote but cannot have an alcohol beverage?

Question

Why do we need to be 25 to rent a car?

I am 37 but wonder how in a free country 18 year olds are so powerless.

Answer 1

If in Iraq you can only buy near beer! Don't want to offend!

In the states, they have bars on post and the class 6.

Answer 2

The reason is that we determined that it was too dangerous to make alcohol legal for 18 year olds
(1) because they're not mature enough to drink in moderation,
(2) because they're then REALLY terrors on the road when intoxicated
(3) because it's too easy for 18 year old high school students to provide alcohol to really young kids.
For a period of time between vietnam and about 1990, 18 year olds could drink legally. But the age was changed back due to statistical studies and case studies showing the three above-listed problems.

Answer 3

The policy is typically that you obey the law of the land, so if you're 18 and in Germany you can drink all the fine Bier you want.

Really, I agree, it's lame that you can't drink at age 18, it's not bad for you as long as you're intelligent and responsible about it. But using that argument, you don't really need a lot of alcohol, or if you do, it should be in places where you can be responsible about it (like a family get together), so it doesn't really matter one way or the other.

Answer 4

Because most 18-year-olds are not mature enough to handle alcohol responsibly.

Remember that these laws were passed to lower the drunk driving fatality rate.

Answer 5

Look on the bright side: at least you can still buy smokes, hookers and firearms legally.

It's not to hard to find someone age 21+ to buy beer for you.

Answer 6

Last I looked you can do all that on base. If you are not serving, then just wait.