I have to say that I have mixed feelings about underage drinking. Part of it probably comes from the fact that most of my drinking was done while underage, and while I made some rather dumb choices, they didn't include drunk driving. No amount of education is going to change the fact that, at least in my country, children live in a culture in which the media glorifies drinking. I strongly believe that my nieces and nephews should be taught the dangers of alcohol and how it minimizes or removes their ability to protect themselves. I feel just as strongly that if their parents allow them to taste beer or wine or have a rare can of beer or glass of wine while they're at home, that's not the end of the world. If they had a kegger and invited their underage friends over, that's a different matter, as the purpose of a kegger is to get as drunk as humanly possible. Raising the drinking age, on the other hand, simply raises the potential pool of underage drinking.
In fact unruly youth punched a man to death because they threw a chocolate bar in his sisters car and he challenged them. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6953671.stm
You only need to turn a few pages of the BBC to see people being knifed or fatally attacked by teenagers and in most of these cases alcohol was involved.
Originally posted by z00tWell here's the thing, I used to drink underage, almost everyone I know did too. None of them knifed anyone or beat anyone to death or anything like that. I definitely think that the buck stops with the parents. Alcohol isn't the only thing that could bring kids to perform such actions, an upbringing where such things are conceivable are bound to be a factor, moreso than alcohol I would say.
In fact unruly youth punched a man to death because they threw a chocolate bar in his sisters car and he challenged them. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6953671.stm
You only need to turn a few pages of the BBC to see people being knifed or fatally attacked by teenagers and in most of these cases alcohol was involved.
A responsible attitude to drink should be fostered from a young age, a bit of watered down wine with dinner from the age of 12, or maybe a glass of beer with dinner at a little older. Kids will get tanked no matter what their upbringing, but are less likely to do so habitually if they are used to the concept of drink, which a draconian "No, nay, never (til you're 18)" attitude does not help.
Look at Britain and Ireland where it's 18, and compare to Fracne and Belgium where it's 16, I think the liberal attitudes to underage drink have to have something to do with it.
I say, let a kid get a hangover when they're young enough not to be stealing cars. My personal policy is no less than one hangover a year, keeps me on my toes.
Originally posted by z00tEveryone keeps telling me how only the US has violence. Surely with no legalized weapons (or rather, firearms) there should be no killings or violence!?
In fact unruly youth punched a man to death because they threw a chocolate bar in his sisters car and he challenged them. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6953671.stm
You only need to turn a few pages of the BBC to see people being knifed or fatally attacked by teenagers and in most of these cases alcohol was involved.
Originally posted by z00tyou calling other people arrogant? that's a good one. 😵
You didn't actually read the link and are just yapping nonsensically. See what happened here on Mr Newlove's death - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6947440.stm What drink and driving are you talking about? If you are going to be that arrogant you might as well change your name to Wormwood Scrubs.
let me rephrase so even you can get the point: did drinking force those kids to attack their oh so pure and innocent victim of a beloved daddy? of course it didn't, and it would be stupid to think otherwise.
furthermore, kids don't attack their father just for the fun of it. without knowing any details, I'm willing to bet the whole tragedy was the outcome of years of parental abuse. and when the kids finally got big enough to fight back, they did. that I've seen happen pretty much in every family with an abusive father, but attacking without a reason I've never even heard of.
the logic in how raising legal age for drinking would make any difference conserning underaged drinking leaves me speechless.
Originally posted by z00tI bet shoes were involved as well.
In fact unruly youth punched a man to death because they threw a chocolate bar in his sisters car and he challenged them. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6953671.stm
You only need to turn a few pages of the BBC to see people being knifed or fatally attacked by teenagers and in most of these cases alcohol was involved.
damn shoes, killing innocent people! ðŸ˜
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Originally posted by WheelyQuite. It's one of the things I will never understand about the UK, much as I like that country otherwise. This booze culture, to me, clashes with my experiences with most Britons. Nice people, civilised, courteous, make good beer... and then slosh themselves rigid on cheap foreign lager. I just don't get it.
Undersage drinking is not a cause of problems, it is a symptom of other problems.
Many cultures allow there kids to have the odd drink at meal times but they are generally able to do that without thinking it makes them big.
Richard
Originally posted by agrysonThe 16-limit in Belgium is only for buying alcohol in public. There is no rule about alcohol consumption in private.
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Look at Britain and Ireland where it's 18, and compare to Fracne and Belgium where it's 16 ..... .
But your point is well taken. Forbidding alcohol only makes it more attractive (like most forbidden stuff).