Underage drinking

Dave!

Hey guys,

just wondering, what's everyone's thoughts on underage drinking? There's a nice mix of ages on these forums, some younger people like myself might see no problem with it, and older people might be more inclined to be against it.

Just wondering! On another forum I'm on, with mainly younger people (14-18, maybe), but a mix in nationalities (mainly british, irish, and american), there's alot of judgemental...ness, and self-righteousness or something... coming mainly from the Americans. Maybe it's just the different cultures, or the higher age for drinking, I'm not sure.

So, thoughts? Is it ok? Does it encourage hooliganism or something? Is it bad for our health?

peckerhead

No, yes, and yes — to answer the last 3 questions.

That said, I've never known any other "generation-gap" question to throw up quite so much double-think/hypocrisy from the "elders-and-betters"... (speaking as an "elder-but-absolutely-no-better"!)

Kablamo!

when i see 13 year olds drinking; i'm disgusted.
but theres nothing wrong with say; responsible 16 or 17 year olds having a few drinks.

Dinner

peckerhead wrote:

No, yes, and yes — to answer the last 3 questions.

I agree with that.

If they have to get hammered and fall asleep in a pool of their own sick just to be "kewl boyez" then they have problems.

Scraggs

DaveMcG wrote:

just wondering, what's everyone's thoughts on underage drinking?

In moderation its ok and if ur 15+. Any younger is bad, you're too young and immature to deal with consequences [and side effects] It promotes unhealthy attitude to drink.

DaveMcG wrote:

On another forum I'm on, with mainly younger people (14-18, maybe), but a mix in nationalities (mainly british, irish, and american), there's alot of judgemental...ness, and self-righteousness or something... coming mainly from the Americans. Maybe it's just the different cultures, or the higher age for drinking, I'm not sure.

yeah get this alot also. Ireland does a very diff attitude to drinking than most other cultures. Getting drunk to have a good night etc. is not a healthy attitude!

Is it ok??

like with everything....its ok in moderation. Be sensible!!

Is it bad for our health?

yes, yes it is but will we ever learn!?!

Funny thing is i'm writin this while gettin ready to go out on the lash....

honru

In moderation, yes.

Think the drinking age should be dropped to 16.

Sarky

How will that help anyone but the owner of a pub?

Zebra3

All depends on the situation.

Some 17 year olds bodies would be more developed than someone 18+ and the effects of alcohol would be actually worse on the person over the legal age.

Again depends if you are talking about kids of 12 getting out of their heads or 17 year olds having a can with their folks.

Poll doesn't do the different underage scenarios justice.....

Crucifix

16+ I don't have a problem with, as long as they're responsible about it. I drank underage, but I was never in trouble over it, never blacked out, never woke up in a pool of my own vomit, etc.

Scraggs

f®eak s&#169 wrote: »

Think the drinking age should be dropped to 16.

that'll only make it even easier for underagers to get drink and abuse it!

Dave!

In my opinion, it'd be better to drop the drinking age to 16, too... It's better to have 16 year olds in a pub with their friends, sipping a pint, rather than walking around the streets or sitting in a park with their mates, with 6 dutchies.

Scraggs

DaveMcG wrote:

It's better to have 16 year olds in a pub with their friends, sipping a pint, rather than walking around the streets or sitting in a park with their mates, with 6 dutchies.

yeah i totally agree with that [but if you're 14 and look 16...]
Perhaps lowering the drinking age in pubs to 16 and leave it at 18 for alcohol purchases in off-licenses etc.

Sarky

DaveMcG wrote:

In my opinion, it'd be better to drop the drinking age to 16, too... It's better to have 16 year olds in a pub with their friends, sipping a pint, rather than walking around the streets or sitting in a park with their mates, with 6 dutchies.

The only way I can see that as being better is that you get served something a little better than Dutch Gold in most pubs, and young people sorely need to develop better taste. It won't stop kids not understanding what alcohol does to a body, and if the pathetic antics in several pubs I frequent is anything to go by, they certainly won't learn anything about drinking responsibly.

Agent Smith

DaveMcG wrote:

In my opinion, it'd be better to drop the drinking age to 16, too... It's better to have 16 year olds in a pub with their friends, sipping a pint, rather than walking around the streets or sitting in a park with their mates, with 6 dutchies.

agreed, but saying that now, i'm 20, and am partial to a few dutch ever so often

peckerhead

Funnily enough, that's exactly what I thought/said to my (amazingly responsible! ) 16-yr-old daughter, recently...

Pigman II

Depends where it's done. If its a 'free gaf' type situation then it's not to bad as the consequences of drinking for the little tykes will then usually be confined to the house. A bunch of kids knacker drinking in a bush however can sometimes lead to unnecessary aggro on the streets later on in the session.

However I do think younger people should be introduced to alcohol in one form or another prior to reaching the legal age as it 'demystifies' the experience for them.Some of the biggests dipsos and binge brinkers I've ever met were people who always did what mammy&daddy wanted never got the opportunity to touch a drop before the became legal and seem to be on a mission to 'make up for lost time' ever since.

peckerhead

Ditto to that. On "D'Continent" they've none of these problems, precisely because young people don't have this taboo/F*UCK-what-your-parents-tell-you nonsense hangin' over whatever kind of peer-pressure bollix they're also enduring...

Aisling(",)

I probably won't let my kids drink proparly till they are 16 but i'm 14 and have drank afew times since I was 13 so I guess I'm hypocritical

Royale with Cheese

16 is alright although I drank since 14. I think you'll find if you have friends who never drank before they were 18, they will behave less maturely with drink when they do turn 18. Like everyone already generally knows their limits with drink and knows how to abuse it properly by the time they turn 18 because they've drank a little bit already. Some of my friends who hadn't went a bid wild with the drink when they were finally allowed to get their hands on it.

robinph

I think you could drink at 16 though if your having a meal in a restaurant, and its younger than that at home with your parents, but I cannot remember the age for that.

Gaz25

Let a them drink a half a bottle of vodka or JD and see if they still want drink after that.

scuba steve

in some cases it is ok and others its not. 15+ plus is ok in my mind if theyre responsible but younger than that is terrible i think

patzer117

I don't see why lowering the legal age would help. You don't change a law just because it is being abused, you enforce it.
I think it's a disgrace for 14/15 year olds to go drinking in fields and get horribly drunk. The law should stand strong against this. Lowering the age would blur the sentiment behind the laws which are ultimately their to protect children and not to stop them having a good time. Allowing 16 year olds to drink legally would tell 15 year olds that it's almost time for them to start drinking and that maybe they should start experimenting. Whatever about 18 year olds being ready and 17 year olds drinking, i don't think anyone would admit to themselves that they don't mind or have any problems with 15 year olds drinking. There is a mark to cross and while 16 may be ok to experiment, 18 should be the age of the law.

Patzer

Dave!

patzer117 wrote:

I don't see why lowering the legal age would help. You don't change a law just because it is being abused, you enforce it.
I think it's a disgrace for 14/15 year olds to go drinking in fields and get horribly drunk. The law should stand strong against this. Lowering the age would blur the sentiment behind the laws which are ultimately their to protect children and not to stop them having a good time. Allowing 16 year olds to drink legally would tell 15 year olds that it's almost time for them to start drinking and that maybe they should start experimenting. Whatever about 18 year olds being ready and 17 year olds drinking, i don't think anyone would admit to themselves that they don't mind or have any problems with 15 year olds drinking. There is a mark to cross and while 16 may be ok to experiment, 18 should be the age of the law.

Getting stricter doesn't work, I'm afraid. We should try a different approach than "no, that's bad!" Of course it's disgraceful for 14/15 year olds to go out and get p*ssed in a field, that's why I think encouraging them (or rather 16 year olds) to go into a pub and drink responsibly in a mature environment is a good idea. At the very least, then if they hurt themselves there's people there to help; and if they feel like getting in a fight, there's bouncers there to kneel on their necks and call the police. I also think that a new approach should be used with regards advertising safe drinking, namely rather than showing pictures of people puking and saying "don't see a good night wasted", show a load of lads in a pub having a laugh. That's really all I want, and all I wanted when I was younger (even though I'm young as it is, lol).

BTW, I was experimenting with drink when I was 13, and chances are it's younger still now, so I don't know how much lower the age can get... Most 10 year olds aren't interested in drinking at all. In other words, 15 year olds are already experimenting and probably drinking regularly, so lowering the drinking age isn't gonna make them all of a sudden go out and buy a litre of vodka.

Aisling(",)

Gaz25 wrote:

Let a them drink a half a bottle of vodka or JD and see if they still want drink after that.

That dosen't work trust me:rolleyes:

kmart6

It should be lowered to 16 in my opinion! As it is there are 16 year olds and younger out drinking in pubs so this would just validate(sp?) it ans get rid of all the constant lies!!!

Rb

I think that the legal age should be shifted up to 21 tbh. Aswell as that, I think that the law should be enforced with worse consequences, if someones caught drinking underage they should be fined, not just a stupid JLO. Then with three fines/strikes they get charged and it's put on their criminal record.
Anyone stupid enough to repeat the same crime three times over deserves the consequences that come from having a criminal record.

Dave!

Jesus, is having a pint before you're 18 really so bloody evil?

Royale with Cheese

rb_ie wrote:

I think that the legal age should be shifted up to 21 tbh. Aswell as that, I think that the law should be enforced with worse consequences, if someones caught drinking underage they should be fined, not just a stupid JLO. Then with three fines/strikes they get charged and it's put on their criminal record.
Anyone stupid enough to repeat the same crime three times over deserves the consequences that come from having a criminal record.

There are those who argue that putting the drinking age up to 21 will see people start underage drinking later, i.e. at 18 instead of 15. However putting the drinking age up to 21 and having laws as strict as you suggest is a ridiculous concept. I just could not imagine as a 20 year old not being allowed to go down the pub, or having to drink in a field at the risk of getting a criminal record.

Rb

DaveMcG wrote:

Jesus, is having a pint before you're 18 really so bloody evil?

It's breaking the law, therefore anyone doing so should face the consequences. As should those who sold the underager the alcohol.

AdMMM

Dr J wrote:

There are those who argue that putting the drinking age up to 21 will see people start underage drinking later, i.e. at 18 instead of 15. However putting the drinking age up to 21 and having laws as strict as you suggest is a ridiculous concept. I just could not imagine as a 20 year old not being allowed to go down the pub, or having to drink in a field at the risk of getting a criminal record.

That's actually an entertaining thought, having a load of bearded men on the run from the law because they drank a can of Dutch Mould.

Personally, I think responsible underage drinking is okay for 16+ year olds.