Minimum drinking age of 21 saves lives, study finds

[sidecar bob]

As a result of recommendations from multi-agency work that was presented to Cabinet last week (2 July), the Ministry of Transport has been directed to undertake a comprehensive review of s65 of the Land Transport Act 1998, and to look at the possible use of alcohol interlocks in vehicles for repeat drink drivers in New Zealand. The Ministry of Transport will be leading this work and will take a multi-agency approach to it.

The scope of the review has not yet been agreed, but it is likely to incorporate looking at the information that is given to offenders about accessing treatment, and earlier intervention for first and second time drink drivers (although this is not covered by s65).

The Ministry has been asked to report back to Cabinet on this work by the end of September 2008.

Legendary one girl.
Thats just what youve been working for!!

[firefighter]

With a voting age of 18, it's hard to mount any reasoned argument why other issues relating to legal franchise or personal liberties should be any different.

The issue is more to do with attitudes towards the consumption of alcohol, rather than any nominal age restriction.

I dunno when I was in the U.S, generally the drunk people around the place were a lot more in control of themselves- i'm not sure if that's just to a culture change or whatever but iv'e never seen drunks that well behaved (by comparison obviously)

[scumdog]

I dunno when I was in the U.S, generally the drunk people around the place were a lot more in control of themselves- i'm not sure if that's just to a culture change or whatever but iv'e never seen drunks that well behaved (by comparison obviously)

True.

NZ seems to be overloaded with youngsters that can't handle themselves, boozed or not.

[Genestho]

Legendary one girl.
Thats just what youve been working for!!

Thankyou Buddy!! Apparently this review is going through Cabinet today, Minutes from cabinet due back this arvo sometime..fingers crossed this review will be confirmed and official! This particular area is one of many that needs a good looking into - at the very least!

[Dave Lobster]

Wouldn't it be more effective to stop people driving cars until they're 21?

[Sanx]

I often found that during the few months I spent in the States, aged 20 and 21, most of them went out drinking with the sole purpose of getting as wasted as possible.

Being from the UK, I found this kinda odd, as even on student Wednesdays, you went out with your mates for a good time, and if you got pissed as a result, fine. But the intention was to have a good time, not drink yourself into oblivion. And the minimum drinking age in the UK is 18.

And then you compare it with the attitudes in France, where the minimum drinking age is, I think, 5. I certainly had no trouble buying beer aged 13 (and I looked 13). Because wine with a meal is commonplace, kids don't think alcohol is anything special, and therefore don't feel the need to 'prove' themselves later on by consuming as much of it as humanly possible.

So - don't raise the drinking age. Drop it to 12 or so. But at the same time, introduce much stricted penalties from drink driving, drunk and disorderly and other alcohol-related offences, plus enshrine parental responsibility in legislation so that, to paraphrase some old book, the sins of the children are visited on the parents. And then give the Police the teeth to enforce it.

It might take a few years, but the long-term advantages from bringing about a culture shift might well outweigh the short-term vote-winning gain of increasing the drinking age.

Oh - how stupid of me. Vote-winning. Guess what's going to happen then.

[sidecar bob]

The binge drinking culture was created by the government in the '70's with 6 o'clock closing.
The fashion was to get out of work on the dot of 5.00 & rush to the nearest pub & down as much piss in the 50 minutes you had, as you possibly could.
My guess is that France had no such ridiculous legislation & in doing so, Taught their people a different way of drinking.

[carver]

who is the government to tell us what we can do with our bodies?

[scumdog]

who is the government to tell us what we can do with our bodies?

Quite right dude - YOU tell'em: "leave out those stitches, don't DARE put a cast around my arm (leg/schlong whatever) and just LEAVE that bloody gravel embedded in my hands 'cos I had a bloody expensive bin getting it there, and as for those spinal fractures? - they're mine and well it's my body so leave them there buddy, just leave them alone ok?"

[carver]

Quite right dude - YOU tell'em: "leave out those stitches, don't DARE put a cast around my arm (leg/schlong whatever) and just LEAVE that bloody gravel embedded in my hands 'cos I had a bloody expensive bin getting it there, and as for those spinal fractures? - they're mine and well it's my body so leave them there buddy, just leave them alone ok?"

nothing wrong with medical staff dude, ever heard of medical insurance and private hospitals?

[scumdog]

nothing wrong with medical staff dude, ever heard of medical insurance and private hospitals?

So, it sems you're rich enough for those things, I bet the premiums cost level is reflected by the job/hobbies you have.

Not all can afford private medical insurance and since the 'premium' paid by most other NZ citizens only entitles them to el cheapo medical care the gubbmint doesn't want people doing TOO much dumb stuff that causes a drain said medical facilities .

[carver]

So, it sems you're rich enough for those things, I bet the premiums cost level is reflected by the job/hobbies you have.

Not all can afford private medical insurance and since the 'premium' paid by most other NZ citizens only entitles them to el cheapo medical care the gubbmint doesn't want people doing TOO much dumb stuff that causes a drain said medical facilities .

you get my drift though..

[scumdog]

you get my drift though..

Likewise.

Imagine no ACC etc - THEN how much would it cost for individual accidenr/injury insurance.??

And after the first claim imagine again how your premium would rise..

[brendonjw]

I dunno when I was in the U.S, generally the drunk people around the place were a lot more in control of themselves- i'm not sure if that's just to a culture change or whatever but iv'e never seen drunks that well behaved (by comparison obviously)

I was in the US for 5 months in 2006 (went all over the place, west and east coasts) and i have to say that the drinking culture and the attitude in the clubs was miles ahead of what it is over here. I think there are too many wannabee tough guy/girl attitudes over here, its a load of crock, how to fix it, well thats a whole new topic. As for raising the drinking age, sure, put it back up, we survived fine (if not better) when it was at 21.

[BIHB@0610]

The binge drinking culture was created by the government in the '70's with 6 o'clock closing.
The fashion was to get out of work on the dot of 5.00 & rush to the nearest pub & down as much piss in the 50 minutes you had, as you possibly could.
My guess is that France had no such ridiculous legislation & in doing so, Taught their people a different way of drinking.

Shall we all go to Paris then? Research the legislative impact ... very important before setting policy......