Drug group surveys MPs on drinking age

[Hitcher]

For fuck's sake. It's not the "drinking age" or the "legal drinking age". I wish people would be more precise with their use of language. What is being discussed is the legal age at which people may procure alcohol, not the age at which they may consume it.

And New Zealanders have got a fundamental problem with their attitudes to booze that won't be solved by fannying around with the age at which people can legally procure the stuff. We've also got a problem with domestic violence and child abuse. I suspect there may be some correlation between "all of the above". Maybe we should just unilaterally make ourselves illegal.

[placidfemme]

Wonder what 'Rope head' in the Hemp suit thinks of all this?.....

I don't think he cares about the alcohol lol... just the big mean buds

[placidfemme]

For fuck's sake. It's not the "drinking age" or the "legal drinking age". I wish people would be more precise with their use of language. What is being discussed is the legal age at which people may procure alcohol, not the age at which they may consume it.

Please explain? I thought there was no difference... Can one legally drink under 18?

*still learning about NZ's laws*

[Hitcher]

Please explain? I thought there was no difference... Can one legally drink under 18?

*still learning about NZ's laws*

Of course one can. As long as one is being supervised by an "adult", and not in a "public place", one can drink as much alcohol as one's care-giver will allow.

[placidfemme]

Of course one can. As long as one is being supervised by an "adult", and not in a "public place", one can drink as much alcohol as one's care-giver will allow.

Really? I didn't realise that... And knowing that, just means that changing the drinking age (for purchasing alcohol) won't really do anything

[Ixion]

For fuck's sake. It's not the "drinking age" or the "legal drinking age". I wish people would be more precise with their use of language. What is being discussed is the legal age at which people may procure alcohol, not the age at which they may consume it.

And New Zealanders have got a fundamental problem with their attitudes to booze that won't be solved by fannying around with the age at which people can legally procure the stuff. We've also got a problem with domestic violence and child abuse. I suspect there may be some correlation between "all of the above". Maybe we should just unilaterally make ourselves illegal.

Actually , it is not even that. It is actually the legal age at which someone may sell you alcohol.

A 10 year old can buy as much booze as he can persuade you to sell, and drink it till it runs out his ears (as some of them do ), and the person who cops the fine and loss of liquor licence is the guy who sold it to him.

[Ixion]

I look forward to it going back to 20, where it should have been all the time.
The politicians will not like losing tax revenue from the sales of grog and they will also lose face and mana with the public as this will be seen as a failed law (which it is).
The problems stem from all the sherry the youths drink... Remember the tax on fortified wine and NOT on RTD's???

Don't get me started. Bloody Anderton.

[Seraph]

Raising the limit won't do jack-shit. Most of the alky we drink is bought by our parents, aunts/uncles, grandparents, family friends etc not by 18-19 year olds!
how long would the 20yo limit be beneficial? IMO, It'll just raise the demand for fake I.D's therefore making them easier and cheaper to get. One may argue that the limit used to be 20, so why would this happen? 16-18yo's have been exposed to alky(and widely) for a long time, do you think we'll just give it up?
1 way or another, teenagers will find ways to have fun, escape reality and socialize. Question is; would you rather have 18 and 19yo's in the pubs, or out on the street, making trouble, and getting totally off there faces in an almost non-controlable environment like today 13-17yo's?...

It's not the drinking, It's how we're drinking....

Education, Education, Education.

[scumdog]

Raising the 'drinking age' WILL: lessen brainless 18 year olds being dicks in pubs and stop 16 year olds sneaking in.
(And before any wanky comments are made about "I got in when I was 18 back in 1997" bet back then an 18 year old in the pub behaved themselves)

And it WILL lessen 'alcohol brave' brainless 18 year-olds swaggering down town while drinking cheap bourbon/beer etc - AND their even more brainless 'hanger-on' 16 year olds being there.

[Seraph]

Raising the 'drinking age' WILL: lessen brainless 18 year olds being dicks in pubs and stop 16 year olds sneaking in.
(And before any wanky comments are made about "I got in when I was 18 back in 1997" bet back then an 18 year old in the pub behaved themselves)

And it WILL lessen 'alcohol brave' brainless 18 year-olds swaggering down town while drinking cheap bourbon/beer etc - AND their even more brainless 'hanger-on' 16 year olds being there.

What about the 18 year olds with brains? That are sensible drinkers? Taking away their right to drink in a club or pub or buy alcohol isn't fair! Just because some are idiots doesn't mean they all are! And just because you turn 20 doesn't mean you suddenly become responsible and well-behaved. Everything else can be done when your 18 why not this?
Our lives are restricted enough as it is and i'm sure if all of you were 18, or close to you'd think the same would you not?

As for the "'alcohol brave' brainless 18 year-olds swaggering down town while drinking cheap bourbon/beer etc" by imposing a higher age for buying alcohol, the only option for below 20's will be to drink out of pubs/clubs hence putting more on the street.
"AND their even more brainless 'hanger-on' 16 year olds being there." IMO, 16 year olds have more brains when it comes to drinking than some of the older crowd! more education on the matter me thinks.

[Ixion]

What about the 18 year olds with brains? That are sensible drinkers? Taking away their right to drink in a club or pub or buy alcohol isn't fair!

'Tisn't a right. Never was, not for several hundred years, anyway. Not a right for any age.

Everything else can be done when your 18 why not this?

A review of the daily press, or of the streets on Friday and Saturday nights, might suggest a number of reasons?

Our lives are restricted enough as it is and i'm sure if all of you were 18, or close to you'd think the same would you not?

Why so? A moment ago you said that "everything else can be done at 18"?
But, yes, I probably would agree if I were 18. I knew everything then. And I was a shit fast rider too, knew all there was about riding. Then some bastard invented a bunch of new stuff (both riding and life) that noone had told me about.

As for the "'alcohol brave' brainless 18 year-olds swaggering down town while drinking cheap bourbon/beer etc" by imposing a higher age for buying alcohol, the only option for below 20's will be to drink out of pubs/clubs hence putting more on the street.
"AND their even more brainless 'hanger-on' 16 year olds being there." IMO, 16 year olds have more brains when it comes to drinking than some of the older crowd! more education on the matter me thinks.

Well, no, there is at least one other option. Got to admit it wasn't too popular when I was 18 , either, but we managed, and survived.

[Seraph]

'Tisn't a right. Never was, not for several hundred years, anyway. Not a right for any age.

It's the legal right for anyone 18 and over to buy alcohol.

A review of the daily press, or of the streets on Friday and Saturday nights, might suggest a number of reasons?

It might suggest a number of other things too, Wonder what the stats are like on drinkers and drunkness for over 20?

Why so? A moment ago you said that "everything else can be done at 18"?

Laws. We're told how to live, even though it is mean to be for our own good and the good of all society in the end evry aspect of our lives are controled in some way.

But, yes, I probably would agree if I were 18. I knew everything then. And I was a shit fast rider too, knew all there was about riding. Then some bastard invented a bunch of new stuff (both riding and life) that noone had told me about.

And as you get even older no doubt you'll get even more wise and learn/think new things?

Well, no, there is at least one other option. Got to admit it wasn't too popular when I was 18 , either, but we managed, and survived.

perhaps but how realistic is it?....that'd be like if the minimum drivers licence age went upto 17 or 18, asking all the 15's and upward to 17-18 to kindly stop driving/riding for a few years.

[Meekey_Mouse]

ARGH!! All this sort of stuff annoys me. Just because SO much of NZ's population are complete morons who haven't had a propper up-bringing... why punish the kids that are smart with alchahol?!?!?!

[Meekey_Mouse]

What about the 18 year olds with brains? That are sensible drinkers? Taking away their right to drink in a club or pub or buy alcohol isn't fair! Just because some are idiots doesn't mean they all are! And just because you turn 20 doesn't mean you suddenly become responsible and well-behaved. Everything else can be done when your 18 why not this?
Our lives are restricted enough as it is and i'm sure if all of you were 18, or close to you'd think the same would you not?

As for the "'alcohol brave' brainless 18 year-olds swaggering down town while drinking cheap bourbon/beer etc" by imposing a higher age for buying alcohol, the only option for below 20's will be to drink out of pubs/clubs hence putting more on the street.
"AND their even more brainless 'hanger-on' 16 year olds being there." IMO, 16 year olds have more brains when it comes to drinking than some of the older crowd! more education on the matter me thinks.

Sorry... didn't see your post before Seraph. But yeah, I agree... aslong as it isn't "government education" to me.. that is a major oxymoron.

[Karma]

Raise the drinking age, do it now now, instantly, without delay!!

It's a scientific fact the those below 20 have ferk-all common sense or proper brain function!!

I'm with him!
its also scientific fact with this age group, that the group IQ is measured by the lowest IQ divided by the number in the group... and we all know how yoof like to congregate and drink in groups...

I look forward to it going back to 20, where it should have been all the time.

I agree that they should raise the drinking age... It will make it harder for the underage drinkers to get the booze... but won't eliminate the problem... just reduce it for a few weeks until the underagers figure out a new way to get the stuff...

All very good points, but tell me this...

If kids are not responsible enough to drink at 18 by the governments own admission, how can they be trusted to operate over a ton of machinery capable of doing in excess of 100kph at only 15?