Drinking Age

[Disco Dan]

Drinking Age.. whats your thoughts?

Should it be raised to 21 ?

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I think it should be raised to 21, drinking is an adult thing; most 18yrolds ive encountered over the years have someway to go before they show maturity that could be said to be 'adult'.

[Hitcher]

Gahhh! It's not the drinking age. It's the legal procurement age. There is no "legal drinking" age.

And yes, it should be left where it is. New Zealand has a problem with its booze culture. If people aren't "grown up" enough to consume alcohol sensibly at 18, it's unlikely they're going to be any different at 21. If people are allowed to vote, marry, fight for their country at age 18, then why shouldn't they be allowed to buy whatever they want as well?

[Coyote]

Under 21s will just find 21+ year olds to buy their drinks for them. It won't change anything

[WarlockNZ]

Gahhh! It's not the drinking age. It's the legal procurement age. There is no "legal drinking" age.

And yes, it should be left where it is. New Zealand has a problem with its booze culture. If people aren't "grown up" enough to consume alcohol sensibly at 18, it's unlikely they're going to be any different at 21. If people are allowed to vote, marry, fight for their country at age 18, then why shouldn't they be allowed to buy whatever they want as well?

Don't give me that shit .. thats the same argument about drinking ages that we have been hearing for years and from countrys all over the world ..

Here's a point .. if you fight for your country .. you are legally allowed to buy and drink alcohol (on base), funny how no one ever mentions that huh ??

Having worked in hospo for years, it was always a hassle trying to keep 18, 19 years olds out of my bar (before the age was lowered) .. once it went to 18... you switched to trying to keep the 16 year olds out.

Your right tho .. NZ has a massive problem with it's "drinking culture" and NO .. 18 year olds are NOT responsible enough to drink .. they have proven this over the last 7 years. look at the stats on teen drinking.

I could go on for hours ... but for now .. i'm

[McJim]

Well this is an old chestnut innit?

Countries with low drinking ages (legal procurement ages for some!) have low alcoholism. Countries with high drinking ages have high alcohol problems.

There's obviously no link nor correlation here - I'm just setting it out there as a fact to chew over.

[WarlockNZ]

Well this is an old chestnut innit?

Countries with low drinking ages (legal procurement ages for some!) have low alcoholism. Countries with high drinking ages have high alcohol problems.

There's obviously no link nor correlation here - I'm just setting it out there as a fact to chew over.

But the fact remains, the good ol NZ has a drinking problem regardless of the legal age. the facts in this case speak for themselves your honour .. since the reduction of the legal age of consumption, alcohol related crime, commited by those under the age of 21 has increased.

Will, increasing the age reduce this, I say yes, yes it will.

I'm sure all of us oldies remember what it was like to be 18, being 6 foot tall and bullet proof is great, now add alcohol to the mix and you are just asking for trouble ... tell you what .. i'll go and hunt down some stats shall I ?

[marc34]

I must admit, i was approaching 18 years old when they brought the age down, and i thought it was christmas come early!!

Now, a few years on, and with the wonderful benefit of hindsight, i was an idiot on the juice at 18, so was everyone i knew, in saying that, i dont think another 3 years would change much for many....

i think i find myself on the fence....

[WarlockNZ]

I must admit, i was approaching 18 years old when they brought the age down, and i thought it was christmas come early!!

Now, a few years on, and with the wonderful benefit of hindsight, i was an idiot on the juice at 18, so was everyone i knew, in saying that, i dont think another 3 years would change much for many....

i think i find myself on the fence....

Welcome to the Site Marc34 .. good to see you weighing in on your second post

[Jonny Rotten]

well if they put the age up atleast there wont be any drunk youngins in the bars.....

which means no drunk 18 to 20 year old girls..........better leave it down then

[SN4PD]

Drinking Age.. whats your thoughts?

Should it be raised to 21 ?

-----
I think it should be raised to 21, drinking is an adult thing; most 18yrolds ive encountered over the years have someway to go before they show maturity that could be said to be 'adult'.

You obviously have far too much time on your hands.......... WHO CARES! (You should be riding your bike boy).

[WarlockNZ]

ohh graphs ... i like graphs ..

[WarlockNZ]

well if they put the age up atleast there wont be any drunk youngins in the bars.....

which means no drunk 18 to 20 year old girls..........better leave it down then

ohhh .. hadn't thought about that ... can i change my opinion .. LOL .. just kidding ..

[Hitcher]

I like graphs too! (see attached)

And as for raising the "drunkung age", isn't the genie too far out of the bottle (as it were) to try and put it back?

[WarlockNZ]

I like graphs too! (see attached)

And as for raising the "drunkung age", isn't the genie too far out of the bottle (as it were) to try and put it back?

I love that graph .. lol

as for the genie being too long out of the bottle .. i dont think so .. after all genie's live in bottles .. sure there will be an outcry by the under 20/21's .. but at the end of the day, it's like letting your kids watch TV .. if they are good and don't abuse it .. you let them keep doing it .. if they fuck up .. you take it away ...

Take the recent fireworks issue .. next year you will be lucky if you can buy them, why .. because a few stupid people insist on setting fire to shit.

I'm not saying that all 18 -20 years olds are stupid or can't hold their booze . it's the stupid FEW that are fucking it up for the rest of them.

[jrandom]

I like graphs too!

All hail His Noodly Appendage.

If people aren't "grown up" enough to consume alcohol sensibly at 18, it's unlikely they're going to be any different at 21.

Incorrect, old fruit. You may have forgotten what a difference the accumulated experience of an additional sixth of one's lifespan makes between 18 and 21, but for some of us it remains a raw and painful memory.

Personally, I've always held the opinion that the drinking (sorry, procurement) age should be whatever age I am, minus any delta necessary to legalise entry for whoever I'm trying to get drunk enough to have sex with later on.