At what age should people be able to buy/drink alcohol?

Question

Where I live you can buy it when your 16 years old- but I think this should be 18.

Answer 1

If you can die for your country at 18 year you should be able to drink while your deciding whether or not to sign up for a tour.

Answer 2

I think at the age of 18 you should be able to buy and drink alcohol. I mean you are considered an adult at the age of 18 aren't you? And aren't most people under 21 drinking anyways? I don't know thats just the way i see it.

Answer 3

Mid teens, probably around 14-15. Studies have shown the best protective factors against alcoholism are things like drinking in a positive social setting, being explicitly taught healthy drinking patterns, and so on, rather than not being allowed to drink until you're "old enough" to make good decisions.

Most people in the US (where the drinking age is 21) start drinking before they reach the legal age anyway, but since they feel they have to hide it, they're a lot more likely to drink in less supervised (and less safe) settings, drive home from parties, and not ask for help when they need it. Getting a ride home from a party and leaving your car there tips off your parents you were drinking, and a lot of parents don't approve of underage drinking, but would be fine with it if their kid was old enough to drink and it was generally considered acceptable for them to do so. A lot of young people think twice about calling the parametics if their friend stops breathing if it means getting in trouble for underage drinking (particularly when they're intoxicated themselves so their judgement isn't exactly at its best), but if nothing illegal was going on there would be no reason for them to hesitate. And teenagers do die because of that - it's not just a hypothetical situation. Also, young people are a lot more likely to learn healthy drinking habits if they start drinking in social settings with adults who have more experience with alcohol and can set a good example, and keep an eye on how much the young people are drinking and so on.

Young people are going to drink whether they're "old enough" or not, and it's a lot safer for it to be legal, so I think the drinking age should be much lower than it is.

Answer 4

It doesn't matter what the age is. People are going to drink before the legal drinking age if they want to. There is no way to stop it.

That being said, the drinking age should be 18. At least high schoolers might hold off because they will legally be able to drink in college (where they will be binge drinking anyway).

PS: What does being an adult have to do with anything? It is more fun to drink when you are younger (as long as there is no driving involved).

Answer 5

21

Answer 6

21

Answer 7

21

Answer 8

You hit the problem on the head there! How do the Scottish Paqrliament phase it in! It is against BRITISH (that includes Scots) constitutional practice to introduce retrospective law, so you can bet your boots that somebody would challenge any such law in the courts! Far better that they introduce an alcohol education regime for those caught drunk and incapable, drunk driving, or drunken disturbance. Such a course, conducted on weekend evenings, with a custodial penalty for non-attendance, would be much more effective. I suggest this, because my children, when they were teenagers, started bingeing. I sat them down and we went through how to drink AND still be standing at the end of the party! They now know how to drink, enjoy themselves AND wake up without a hangover!

Answer 9

I believe that at the very least anyone over 18 should be able to purchase alcohol freely (although I really don't think government should be involved in the issue at all), and it should be up to parents whether or not their minor children can drink alcohol.

Answer 10

24