Drinking Age - Govt's Latest News Release

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

The Associate Minister of Health has said the drinking age will not be put back up to 20.

Damien O'Connor made the comments at an addictions conference in Wellington this morning, pre-empting a parliamentary review of the drinking age.

He says the political reality is that New Zealand is stuck with the drinking age at 18. (UM WHY??!!)

Mr O'Connor says problems around young people drinking relate more to binge drinking. (Alcoholics are binge drinkers too).

Binge drinking my arse - that equals to every weekend for many!!

My view is alcoholics no matter what age will always find alcohol. Unless they realise they have a problem and/or find Alcoholics Anonymous, little can be done for them. Alcoholism is the only disease that tells you you don't have a problem!! The illusion is astonishing!! lol. So put this group to the side in this instance.

However, these days you are now getting these 18 year olds able to access alcohol more readily with lots of lovely varieties too, yes they are drinking more (hell how can they afford it??!!) and gee whiz they are getting into trouble! I am so surprised NOT. They don't have the maturity to handle it etc -

From what I have observed I reckon it is the young women that are suffering most - being taken advantage of - I've watched these sleazeball men hone in on really drunk young women - yuk (Mind you it is the only way they would get laid - you'd never fk it sober). The women have no idea how drunk and ridiculous they look or are aware of their behaviour - all over guys as well and very little on dress wise (I never thought I'd hear myself say that lol) and man you wish they would cover up some of the hefty flesh - cos the ones I have seen in Courtenay Place lately have not been slender beings! and everything is hanging out everywhere. (And I observed this at the start of the evening!!)

An incident 2 weeks ago - a guy was very drunk - fell into the sea around the Overseas Terminal - dead! I had seen the "Missing" notices in the supermarket! (So men suffer to!!)

I certainly don't have all the answers but lowering the drinking age was a big mistake.

I know there have been threads on this topic and I don't mean to prolong it - but the above press release flabbergasted me.

[Finn]

Of course they won't raise the drinking age. Look at how much money they are making from the sale of alchohol.

[Flatcap]

Of course they won't raise the drinking age. Look at how much money they are making from the sale of alchohol.

There is no drinking age, only a purchase age. Again it all lies with personal responsibility. Lets not let the Nanny State penalise the responsible 90% of 18-20 year olds for the actions of a few.

[Deano]

Of course they won't raise the drinking age. Look at how much money they are making from the sale of alchohol.

Unfortunately the extra revenue is spent in other areas on the extra 'problems'
generated. More crime, more health issues.

That's how they supposedly work out the cost of a liquor licence - work out the cost to society then divide that by the number of licencees.

Lowering the 'purchasing' age just gave the Govt every 18 and 19 year olds vote for the election.

[Magua]

There is no drinking age, only a purchase age. Again it all lies with personal responsibility. Lets not let the Nanny State penalise the responsible 90% of 18-20 year olds for the actions of a few.

What were the figures like before they lowered the drinking age compared to today?
If they did change the law, my hard drinking mates would just get their older friends to get them their booze.

[Flatcap]

Lowering the 'purchasing' age just gave the Govt every 18 and 19 year olds vote for the election.

Lowering the age was a logical move given the number of loopholes available to allow 18s to purchase. The purchase age was 18 by default.

It is all about policing the law - increasing the age to 20 will make no difference if it is not policed.

[Flatcap]

What were the figures like before they lowered the drinking age compared to today?
If they did change the law, my hard drinking mates would just get their older friends to get them their booze.

Exactly - thats what I did as a teenager

[Deano]

Lowering the age was a logical move given the number of loopholes available to allow 18s to purchase. The purchase age was 18 by default.

I'm not aware of any loopholes that allowed a sub 20 year old to legally purchase liquor.

[cowpoos]

all this talk about drinking.....I feel like a beer now....aaah piffft....fucking ten past 3....better go milk some frickin cows!

[Str8 Jacket]

all this talk about drinking.....I feel like a beer now....aaah piffft....fucking ten past 3....better go milk some frickin cows!

Just drink WHILE you milk them...

[Lil_Byte]

What has really changed - I seem to remember a pub that I used to be able to go to in school uniform. I think I was 15 - 16 at the time.

If you want to drink - you will no matter what the rules are. Education is the only way to try and moderating drinking behaviour, but I seem to remember someting about New Zealands binge drinking culture

[marty]

Lowering the age was a logical move given the number of loopholes available to allow 18s to purchase. The purchase age was 18 by default.

It is all about policing the law - increasing the age to 20 will make no difference if it is not policed.

so by that theory, the default age is now 16?

[Lou Girardin]

Raising the drinking age would be admitting to a mistake - it'll never happen under Labour. Everyone knows they leave their cock-ups for the next Govt to fix.

[Deano]

Raising the drinking age would be admitting to a mistake - it'll never happen under Labour. Everyone knows they leave their cock-ups for the next Govt to fix.

And blame previous Governments for the existing ones.

[Patrick]

There is no drinking age, only a purchase age. Again it all lies with personal responsibility. Lets not let the Nanny State penalise the responsible 90% of 18-20 year olds for the actions of a few.

Fairly high percentile there young fella... I am picking it is more like70% of well adjusted and responsible... check out any town CBD on a Friday/Saturday to get an idea.

However, that is what laws are for... to protect the dumbarse minority who will go out and do something stupid to ruin it for everyone else...