if you arn't 21 but served for your country and live on your own should you still be able to drink?

Question

in bars, clubs, ect...?

Answer 1

I'm the wrong person to be asking. I grew up with 18 being the age for beer and wine, hard liquor was 21... and I still disagree with that because I think the reason young people run out and get "wasted" as it were... is because we make alcohol so taboo in the USA.

In many European countries, beer and wine are just a part of the meal... young people are given watered down wine just as they're given milked up coffee from a relatively early age and it's a cultural thing... something to compliment the food... not something to use to "get high."

Interesting that this approach yields a much lower rate of alcoholism in European countries and far fewer drunk driving incidents...

Personally I teach my children about the different nuances of wine... what types match with what foods... I allow them to taste a small bit after 18... offer them 1/2 glass at holidays and special occasions... and by the time they're 21, they're understanding the differences between different wines, they have a clue what to order when they're eating a meal, they all have complete respect for common sense, none of them drink and drive... and none of them are big "get drunk at the party" sort of kids.

My oldest has beer on tap at his house... in a built in bar... my other son collects wine bottles with unusual labels and is mostly a wine drinker... my daughter is just a "sipper" and then I have a 19 year old who has zero interest in alcohol at all because he watches his college buddies make fools out of themselves on a regular basis and has no plan to "destroy his brain cells" like that :)

I think if we would teach moderation and establish a culture about alcohol as opposed to a party/taboo/forbidden fruit attitude about it, we'd be a lot better off.

As for your specific question, I think it's absurd to suggest that someone is mature and qualified enough to get married, have children, vote in elected officials and choose to die for their country, but not mature enough to have a beer with a hot dog or a glass of wine with a plate of pasta... or even champagne at their own wedding!

Answer 2

Yes; and in the vast majority of countries in the world, you can. It's really only the US amongst Western countries that sets the age limit so high.

Especially when you consider that people aged 30-65 are much more likely to drunk drive than people aged 18-30, most of the arguments against lowering the drinking age fade away.

Young people, when they abuse alcohol, do so because it is taboo and thus 'cool'. If you remove the age barrier to alcohol, then wine and beer just become another thing that you can drink - it's nothing special. This is why, despite a five year difference in legal drinking ages, Italy and France have much lower rates of teenaged alcohol abuse than the US does.

I'm with you on this one.

Answer 3

Yes, absolutely. At 18 your mature enough to die in battle, to vote for a president, get married, pay taxes, or be given the death penalty. Yet for some reason the government deems that you are unable to control yourself while drinking or that your body is unable to process and handle alcohol well.

Completely asinine if you ask me.

I guess I should say that I think anyone of the age of 18 should be able to go to a local bar, or club and be served...

Answer 4

Serving in the military at the age of 18, 19 or 20 has nothing whatsoever to do with drinking alcohol at those ages. The LAW (voted on by voters 18+) states you sign up for the draft and serve (if called or elect to do so) for your country, the LAW regarding alcohol is a horse of a different color, that LAW states you must be 21 to drink alcohol legally. The LAWs are different for different reasons, if you want them changed you had better get to work and contact your legislators and senators and get a bill introduced to change this LAW.

It is the LAW and legal for you to drive a vehicle (providing you pass the drivers test and take drivers education) at the age of 16. You can also KILL a person with that vehicle (if you don't drive safely) just as you can KILL a person in the military, does that mean you should be able to drink alcohol at 16?

A LAW is a LAW and we should abide by them otherwise we should get our acts together and work toward getting them changed.

Answer 5

They tried making it 18 years ago, but the incidence of drunk-driving related deaths just about shot through the roof.

I just turned 22, and looking back, I was still incredibly immature at the age of 18, and I'm glad I had the three years to grow up a bit before imbibing in a substance that ruins many lives. I'm a social drinker, and am careful not to push my limits. I've attended one of the top partying colleges in the country, went to a few frat parties, and can definitely tell you that these people are not taking precautions when they drink (the majority of them around 18 years old), and while I relaxed and sipped on my drink, they chugged away. Who threw up and woke up with a massive hangover? Not me.

Answer 6

If you've done all those things, damn right you should be able to.

Age restriction is a tricky thing.
Some people (even old farts like me) NEVER get to be responsible adults.
And then there are those late-teen, early-twenty-somethings that are excellent, responsible adults.

It is tough to rule on something like this...but I'd tend to side with a 21 and older restriction with the exception of those who've served in the military.
They have EARNED the right.

Answer 7

"WARNING, MAY CAUSE OBISITY, PROFANITY, AND LACK OF SELF ESTEEM." Proceed to bartender with caution.

Drinking harms your body at any age. When you are young the adults steer you away from it, b/c then know the draw backs of alcohol. If it becomes a medication, for get it, you can kiss years of your life away. All adults have high hopes for their children and therefore keep drinks as far away as possible. Not to say that if you drink you are a failure, merely hinting that it is not as benificial as you think. It just like watching television for a very long time. Nothing too spectacular. As far as the military is concerned...it makes far less sense to be inebriated in battle than it does to be in life. I don't care how I am, if I go to war drunk, I deserve to be killed. Adult drinkers to not drink to get drunk, they drink because they are accustomed to drinking. You can avoid this by drinking healthier drinks such as juice, and certain fabricated slushies that you design. It makes not sense to burn your pocket book on something that does not in any way , make you better.

Answer 8

No. a million. Iraq is meant to be alcohol unfastened using fact of their regulations and government. We liberated them yet we ought to continuously realize it. 2. ingesting and immanent risk are a undesirable mixture. Being below the effect of alcohol whilst a mortar around is withing 2 hundred meters might effect in an pointless casualty. 3. Alcohol is a depressant. We had a Soldier, durning the time i become in u . s . a ., that had ate up alcohol and drove off positioned up in a gentle sided automobile. that's difficult sufficient to handle emotions in a conflict zone.

Answer 9

I dont think so. This is coming from a Marine first hand. I have seen young miltary men and women get in trouble with alchol and typically they are underage. Sometimes the military conforms to the local laws where they are stationed. The drinking age is 20 in Japan, and sometimes the make it legal for military to drink at that age.

Answer 10

no, drinking is not a privilege it is like if you could drive at 14. Just because you serve your country does not mean you could drink. Drink has age of 21 for it not to harm your body at a young age.