why are 18 year olds allowed to go to war but not buy cigarettes/alcohol?

Question

i think it is b/s. but if there is a good reason please tell me.

Answer 1

18 year olds can buy cigarettes

Answer 2

This is an age old question that is always brought up.

Being 18, and an adult, still doesn't make you not liable to obey the law. Since when can't 18 year-olds smoke?

The reason it is against the law is because of the feds! They pulled the same crap with the speed limits when they all went down to 55 MPH! They are back up, but they were 55 for a long time!

The federal government threatened to cut off highway funds to states if they did not up their drinking age to 21! Blame the feds! My states drinking age was 18!

When I joined, it was on my birthday. I was 17 and I would be in Korea almost 1/2 year before I turned 18! Koreans could care less how old I was!

You can't run for Senator either at 18, even if you were in the military! Shall we change the Constitution as well?

Answer 3

In California, 18-yr-olds can buy cigarettes. They cannot buy or consume alcohol (legally, anyway).

These legal notions are hangovers (pardon the pun) from the days of Prohibition, where a lot would-be problem-solvers decided that a national "LAW" would be a good solution to a social problem or two. As events turned out, it simply didn't work. Worse, it made a few less-than-honorable folks extremely rich, running the now illegal stuff to a market that wasn't quite ready to go away. (for instance, "Papa Joe' Kennedy got rich running booze, drugs, and prostitution rings in New England. That's the original source of the Kennedy family wealth.)

In my heyday (the 1960's) the question was, "Why are 18-yr olds sent to a war they cannot vote on?" (The voting age then was twenty-one.) I had some personal experience with that: My first ballot was an absentee ballot from Vietnam, where I turned twenty-one.

Personally, I still think allowing the vote at less than twenty-one is a bad idea, but that's me. Today, it's a done deal, and I am once more in the minority.

The current trend is that government can and should get involved with social issues, to the point of passing laws. I happen to think that's over-stepping the bounds of the Constitution, but the Supreme Court (so far) thinks otherwise.

The alcohol question, in particular, grates me with its lack of logic. At the same time the kids are learning to drive, the public is allowing them to learn about alcohol. (Now THAT is DUMB!)

I would be inclined to follow Europe's example -- let them learn to drink (and handle) alcohol well before we give them a driver's license and turn them loose. Say, at home? -- well before their teen-aged years. Ideally, they won't be so inclined to try doing both at age sixteen or seventeen? (At that age, 'multitasking' goes without saying...)

In the meantime, we'll have to put up with archaic thinking. Unless, of course, someone wants to try putting the changes before the various legislatures?

wsulliva

Answer 4

Well, if you're talking about the USA, you actually have the right to buy cigarettes if you're 18. Laws vary by country. I know it's different when I travel to Canada or Japan.

Alcohol is different. I think if 18 year olds voted to lower the age, it could easily change. I read an article in Time magazine about the benefits of lowering the age for drinking.

Historically, the ability to buy alcohol has been influenced by voter demand, as in the prohibition era and its subsequent repeal via constitutional amendments.

18 year olds could buy whatever they wanted if they pressured the government and voted in new laws. But when was the last time an 18 year old voted on anything but American Idol?

Even the voting age was lowered to accomodate 18 year olds who had to fight in the war.

Answer 5

Because this country gives in to any organization that lobbies for anything involving saving a life. Which is what MADD did to get the drinking age raised. No one thinks they will get re-elected if they vote against a bill that might save a life. The truth is a majority of people do not want a 21 drinking age. Right now it's a battle between big tobacco and anti smoking nuts. 18 year olds can go to war because of the physical and mental qualities of an 18 year old make them good combatants and preservation of the Nation takes precedence over everything.

Answer 6

If you are 18 years old and join the Army then come and talk to me about this. Until then I don't want to hear about being 18 and being "allowed" to go to war.

You can usually buy cigarettes at age 18.

Something else to add to the post below about the responsibilities that the service puts on you. Many unit commanders are now putting out orders dealing with the drinking habits of their soldiers. Yes indeed. Even the troops old enough to drink are under orders to limit their drinking or in some cases not to drink. These orders carry severe penalties attached for insubordination if they don't follow them. I dealt with six guys from the 82nd Airborne about eight months ago. I tried to cut them a break since they were soldiers, and I try to look out for soldiers, but they kept up their disorderly conduct and gave me no choice. I wound up charging several of them and arresting them. I contacted their 1st Sergeant and the three of them were demoted because alcohol was involved in their arrest.

Answer 7

All answers here have been good, but let me hit a point that has NOT been touched on yet. Someone who is between 18-20 and are in the military still have a structure in their life that monitors their everyday activities. They still have someone that is over them, telling them what to do. By the time you reach 21, chances are that you have become established in your military life and either been promoted to a leadership rank (E-4 and up) and have become more responsible in your life or learned your lifes lessons in the civilian world and have become more mature for it. This is not saying that 18-20 years olds are not responsible or mature, but lets face facts here. I would be willing to bet that you will be more mature and responsible once you reach 21 than you would be at 18-20 and will make better decisions.

The old saying when I was in the Corps was "Old enough to take a bullet, but not take a drink" still applies today and probably will for quite some time. If you disagree with the law, write your Congressperson. Start petitions. BUt by the time anything has been done you will probably be 21.

Answer 8

There is no "good reason" for allowing 18-year-olds to "go to war" yet placing legal restrictions against them buying cigarettes and alcohol.

I don't understand why 18-year-old "children" even want to "go to war".

Answer 9

Easy fixed moved to Australia, you can buy cigarettes and alcohol when you turn 18, as for the army thing, im guessing its so they can try and get as many people in the army at age 18 before they have started drinking and smoking, so they have better health and are more likely to be able to perform well at all daily tasks.

Answer 10

at 18 you can buy cigarettes anywhere. as for alcohol, for the short period when states reduced the drinking age to 18 the increase in traffic fatalities and alcohol related deaths skyrocketed. there are some who think that 21 is too young.

Answer 11

There is no good reason, and 18 year olds should not be allowed to go to war.