Drinking age

[amylevan]

With suburban sprawl already well established, we will never be anything but a primarily private car dependent country. That's a huge consideration in this discussion and why comparisons with Europe are not valid.

This. And in a lot of states, 18 year olds have barely had their license and are still very new to driving.

I have mixed feelings, because I feel if you can vote and serve in our military, the country is considering you an adult. As an adult you should be able to make your own decisions.

But there are 18 year olds in high school, hanging out and partying with other high schoolers. It just doesn’t seem like a great idea to mix them.

 

[tony67]

When I was in Austria there was no age as far as I know. I guess its actually 16 or 18 and varies.
I recall my son 11 being asked if we wanted a beer, he looked 16.

Similar in Slovakia - but I guess the legal age is 18 now.

In general I don't think its all that enforced, especially if you are with parents.
I'm sure if a couple of under 16s showed up on their own in a bar and wanted a drink it might be different.

I do think part of the reason its not a big deal in Europe is they don't make a big deal about it.
Even when there is a limit its not all that enforced, at least in the past.

Regardless if the age is 18 or 21 here - kinds younger than that will get alcohol one way or another and overindulge.
I am ok with it being 18 and 16 if you are with you parents at a meal etc..

It was always ridiculous that you could be in the Army, jumping out of planes, driving a tank, firing a tow missile, but you cant have a beer.

I also find it ridiculous that places are punished because someone had a fake ID and used it and that state takes the time to send people in with fake ids to test places and punish them.

Some places are so paranoid they ID everyone, including myself, still does not mean they can recognize a fake ID, especially when people from DMV have been caught selling them..

 

[Moliphino]

I can believe that the France one is true. I went there when I was 16 and one night when I was at a restaurant with my family, the waiter asked me if I wanted a glass of wine. I told him I was too young as I was only 16 and he says to me, "In France, you just have to be born."

Wine was served to all ages in French schools until 1956.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/french-children-wine-at-school/

 

[leahgoogle]

21 is good IMO.

 

[Minnesota!]

21 for tobacco became federal law in 2019.
In Wisconsin, a parent may give their child under 18 alcohol at any establishment that has a liquor license. So I could take my 8 year old to the bar and give him a beer. He can't buy it himself but can be given it.

Which is how I developed my love for bloody marys and beer at a very young age. God love Wisconsin!

I never had issue affording my liquor when I was 18.

And I have no issues with taxes on luxury items like alcohol and tobacco to help fund things like our healthcare system

Agreed - sin taxes can be very beneficial to the community. I wish the USA would get on board. Legalize everything, tax the hell out of it, provide some perks-to-living-here for the citizens. This is why I will NEVER complain about taxes in MN - I reap the benefits of our roads, schools, policies that come from us paying more in taxes.

 

[jimmymc]

I think that you may have misinterpreted the local regulations or mistyped 18.
What country are you referring to?

ford family

In Germany, you can drink alcohol below a certain percentage with your parents present at 14 and buy beer and cider yourself at 16. Some other countries, like Italy, don't technically have drinking ages, just purchasing ages. So if your parents buy you alcohol and you drink it in your own home, it's legal.

 

[jimmymc]

In my opinion, we need laws that allow slower introduction to alcohol. Something like beer at 16 with parent's permission, wine at 18 when with a meal, and liquor at 21. The current system of going from 0 to 100 overnight, either when you turn 21 or go to your first college party, can't be in the best interest of young adults. I'd also be ok with keeping the driving limits at .01 for under 21 and .08 for 21+, to keep discouraging drunk driving.

 

[maxaroni]

Yes we were too After all the drinking ages went up, crossing borders continued for the latest closing time.

Absolutely. I am from Ridgewood and my DH from Paramus, we both still crossed the state line for the same reason. A number of times my DH was “escorted” to the state line by a cop who was being kind.
We were close to the Rockland County border, as well as NYC, it was awesome.

 

[robinb]

The BAC is another interesting piece to throw into the mix. In the US, the drinking age is 21 (presumably to curb youth drinking) but the legal limit is .08 for driving purposes. Yet, in Western Europe where the drinking age is lower, the threshold for being impaired is also lower. In much of Western Europe it's .05 and in Central and Eastern Europe, it can range from 0.0 to .03 BAC depending on country. I also notice that there is a plethora of options for non-alcoholic beer here and they actually taste good, whereas I don't see as many brands in America. Very interesting.

When was the last time you looked for non-A beer here in the US? There are now many of them available. Many of the larger “craft” brands have N.A. options that taste good.

 

[Karin1984]

Just to add about the whole discussion about driving in Europe. In the Netherlands you can start your lessons as of 16.5 years old and get your license as of 17 year old. Till 18 you always have to drive with an 18+ driver next to you.

 

[robinb]

21 for tobacco became federal law in 2019.
In Wisconsin, a parent may give their child under 18 alcohol at any establishment that has a liquor license. So I could take my 8 year old to the bar and give him a beer. He can't buy it himself but can be given it.

It also depends on the establishment. They can choose not to serve minors even with parents. I live in Wisconsin I was out to dinner with my daughter when she was in college and she ordered a drink but they refused to serve it to me for her.

On the other hand, her sorority knew all the places to go on mom’s and dad’s weekends lol.

 

[mjkacmom]

The change in the US was primarily made to reduce drunk driving accidents.

Yes, MADD. The states mandate the 21 drinking age, they can lower it, but they will lose federal funding. I think it should be 18 (it switched to 21right before I turned 18).

 

[mjkacmom]

Just to add about the whole discussion about driving in Europe. In the Netherlands you can start your lessons as of 16.5 years old and get your license as of 17 year old. Till 18 you always have to drive with an 18+ driver next to you.

Here in NJ you can get your permit at 16, get your license at 17, but you are only allowed to have one unlicensed passenger in the car until 18 (a law ignored by most).

 

[mjkacmom]

In my opinion, we need laws that allow slower introduction to alcohol. Something like beer at 16 with parent's permission, wine at 18 when with a meal, and liquor at 21. The current system of going from 0 to 100 overnight, either when you turn 21 or go to your first college party, can't be in the best interest of young adults. I'd also be ok with keeping the driving limits at .01 for under 21 and .08 for 21+, to keep discouraging drunk driving.

My 5 kids are in their 20’s, drunk driving amongst their peers is taboo, Uber and Lyft have a huge presence here. They are way less likely to drink and drive than those in my age bracket.

 

[jimmymc]

My 5 kids are in their 20’s, drunk driving amongst their peers is taboo, Uber and Lyft have a huge presence here. They are way less likely to drink and drive than those in my age bracket.

That is great to hear. I was lucky to go to a college where you could walk or take public transit around town, but for other people my age, driving drunk was almost the norm.

 

[prairie_girl]

Ironically, it’s legal to buy tobacco in most states at 18. I guess the human lungs don’t matter as much

Not the human brain either if an 18 year old is sent to war and is shot in the head.

 

[mjkacmom]

Ironically, it’s legal to buy tobacco in most states at 18. I guess the human lungs don’t matter as much

I thought it was 21?

 

[soccerdad72]

I thought it was 21?

As someone pointed out upthread, I forgot that it was changed to 21 by federal law a few years ago. My mistake.

 

[leebee]

I am currently in Europe where they have a much lower drinking age than in the USA, 13 in fact. I find this interesting considering our drinking age used to be 18, and is now 21. I’ve always found this absurd that you can vote or serve the country (and die for it) at 18 but
cannot legally have a beer. What are your thoughts? I wonder what would happen if we lowered the drinking age in America.

Totally agree. It makes no sense that at 18 you can buy property, own a gun, get married, enter into any number of legal contracts, and lay down your life for your country, but you can't have a beer. Ludicrous. We either have an age of legal majority, or we don't.

 

[tony67]

Not the human brain either if an 18 year old is sent to war and is shot in the head.

Yeah - unfortunately a large percentage of those killed are in the 18-21 range in the recent wars - probably all wars.

In the olden days they allowed a lower alcohol beer on base for under 21s - I think it was Hamms beer.