Why is it that the legal drinking age is lower in many countries throughout the world?

Question

While I'm going to turn 21 next year and aware about the drinking issue that is happening in adults and underage kids with fake IDs, I'm not afraid to talk about this main issue here. Here in the United States that the legal drinking age is 21, but elsewhere in the world, it's set to a lower age. Countries such as Canada, Mexico, England, and Australia set the drinking age to 18, and most of Europe sets it to 16. But in some Muslim countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, Islamic law forbids the sale of alcohol, but the big issue I'm talking here is why many countries have a lower drinking age than America's.

Here are the questions that I'm giving you. Why is it that the legal drinking age is lower in many countries throughout the world? Is it because of cultural and/or religious differences? Is it because of safety and everything related to it? And how do the drinking age laws work from country to country?

Answer 1

The drinking age is defined by each society and culture. Here in the US, we have organizations such as MADD, that petition the government for tighter restrictions on alcohol, which includes limits on drinking age. We have many organizations that lobby Congress daily for changes in every aspect of our lives, from restrictions on alcohol, smoking, and drugs, to how the elderly are treated. In other countries there isn't the same governmental structure that allows this freedom of access to government officials. Many organizations that find easy access in the US, find a more difficult process in other countries. I imagine there are people with the same desire for restrictions in these other countries, but they do not have the same opportunities that we have in the US. So it comes down to one key difference, and that is governmental access.

Answer 2

Because America is much more conservative than European countries. For instance if a democrat stood for the UK parliament he'd probably be much more comfortable campaigning for the conservative party than labour, based on his political beliefs. America has many much stricter moral laws than European countries. I understand the age of consent in some US states is 17 or 18 - it's 15 or 16 in most European countries (France 15 UK 16 for instance).

However the age where smoking is legal/it is legal to sell/buy cigarettes is the same in most of Europe and the US - 18. The UK is rare in that you must be 16, though the age is going up. I believe the difference between the two may be due to prohibition (though I don't know what the age restrictions on alcohol were prior to it), after prohibition alcohol was still seen to be evil, though more acceptable - wheras there was never such a problem for tobacco, nor such a problem in Europe where alcohol was still acceptable.

Answer 3

we have a complex duality, in some ways we are the beacon of light and shining moral example circa- moral majority, even better civil rights, freedom etc. On the otherside we are rebels, pirates and outcasts from europe, playboys and party kids, sex drugs and rock n roll. However the moral majority got jobs in govt and the pirates didn't so pirates don't make laws.

Answer 4

its one of those things, where everyone that wants it changed, isnt in office (because they are too young), and by the time you hit 21 it doesnt matter anymore. Personally, anytime you can be commisioned by your govt to go to war and kill people, and can pollute your lungs and everyone elses, by smoking when ur 18. its kind of dumb you cant have alcohol, afterall you are legally, an adult of sound mind....