Why can't adults drink?

[Furah]

The longer we wait the harder it will be to get rid of.

 

What we need to get rid of is the ads for alcohol, especially the ones where the it has a positive effect that you don't really get from the alcohol, or have it shown as a needed thing for parties. Banning alcohol isn't something that would be possible, but have it seen as something to have in moderation, e.g. when you take your wife out to a restaurant you drink wine, but not drink it on the weekend at a party to get smashed.

[Laura]

The longer we wait the harder it will be to get rid of.

People aren't too fond of the eighteenth amendment, just look how that worked out 90 year ago. My family is filled with bootleggers from the 1920s.

 

 

 

True Laura, though it I don't believe it needs to be. Many other countries set a fine example of alcohal safely being a part of society.

But the issue has already manifested itself. Take alcohol out of the picture, or even tax how it is sold and economically the country would suffer. The majority of profit from bars and restaurants that sell alcoholic beverages are those beverages. If these places where to close, many would lose their jobs.

[gauper_kid]

Alcohol ruins peoples' lives and the lives of their families.

 

People don't get addicted to knives.

[Dexek]

I suppose it's the belief that people aged under 21 won't make resposible decisions as often as someone aged 21 would. It really depends on the person, but it's just easier to bump up the age than rely on most people to be resposible.

 

 

 

It's kind of funny to see how this turned into an argument of what items could kill a person, and why alcohol is bad. :lol:

[Kiriyama]

Alcohol ruins peoples' lives and the lives of their families.

 

People don't get addicted to knives.

 

 

 

What the [bleep]?

 

 

 

Alcohol does no ruin lives. A lack of [bleep]ing self control does.

[Zierro]

Oh my goodness. :lol: Where to start...

 

 

 

If you're going to use this as your arguement we might as well get rid of every rock, tree, or anything else that has the potential to kill...

 

 

 

That's exactly my point. I'm not the one arguing that "because something has a negative side effect, we should ban it completely". I'm the one arguing against that line of reasoning. You can't hide from death forever - it's inevitable. There are always going to be things that cause death. The proper way of minimizing them is to ensure the proper usage of these things, not to get rid of them completely.

 

 

 

For example, a lot of people have died from car accidents. We didn't make cars illegal though. Instead, we introduced seat belts and now it has lessened the death rate from car accidents. There are ways to minimize deaths without denying people the right to use something for its practical uses.

 

 

 

Because knives don't impair your vision and thought process, slur your speech and lessen motor functions; a knife isn't a depressant. Knives rely on user control rather than weakening those controls. They have a use in society other than economical and recreational. Children aren't allowed to buy knives under the age of eighteen anyways, in the US.

 

 

 

Sports are purely recreational and they cause many injuries and deaths. And they might not be able to buy knives, but they can buy other things that are dangerous if they "fall into the wrong hands", such as scissors, metal cans, baseball bats, etc. etc.

 

 

 

They enjoy the side effects of alcohol or simply enjoy its taste. In this case, you must rely on the civility of people to use an item responsibly; alcohol diminishes this civility.

 

 

 

You always need to rely on the civility of people. They can do something bad with their bare hands without even being intoxicated. And alcohol doesn't always cause people to go out and do crazy things. There are many types of stimuli which do the same exact thing - such as violent television and video games. But these things don't always diminish someone's civility. It comes down to the person - not the stimulus.

 

 

 

Knives and machinery are needed. Alcohol is not.

 

 

 

Knives and machinery aren't needed anymore than alcohol. There has been a point in humanity where we didn't have any of those, but yet we still survived and now we're here. You can rip meat with your hands, you can walk instead of using cars, and you can have a good time without alcohol. These inventions just make it easier for us.

 

 

 

PS: Somebody said that there was a party where some kid hit his head and nobody called the cops. You know why nobody called the cops? Because they probably didn't want to get in trouble. Authorities coming to party to save boy = authorities finding out teens are drinking alcohol.

 

 

 

If it were to be legalized, kids would have no problem with being around responsible adults. But when you make it illegal, you're doing nothing but isolating them and making them have to be on their own because they don't want to get in trouble for it. Underage drinking will always happen and making it illegal is only causing more problems than there already are. Would you rather have kids drink and be too afraid to tell adults when something bad happens, or would you rather have kids drink and not be afraid to tell adults when something bad happens?

[Furah]

Alcohol ruins peoples' lives and the lives of their families.

 

People don't get addicted to knives.

 

No, but they get addicted to the feeling they have when they have knives/use them. In the same way, people are addicted to the feeling they have when they drink.

[Racheya]

Now the issue that I have with alcohol is that some people HAVE to use it when they're in a social setting.

 

 

 

Take my dad for example. He goes out to the pub for several hours 5 out of 7 nights a week. He seems to lack the capacity to be social with anybody and not be drinking. And that's when it becomes an addiction and becomes a problem.

 

 

 

If you drink moderately then it's fine. My mum is happy to go out once a week on a Saturday night, get drunk then that's it. But when alcohol is just being consumed and consumed it screws up the family. You can't say that alcohol doesn't do any harm because I know first hand that it does. Not just to the person drinking it but to the people around them too.

[Giordano]

Are people so ignorant? 95% aren't responsible? It ruins your life? Christ, I don't see ANY of my family or friends and their families and their friends hurting themselves or others while drinking. I'm sure that is true for most of the world, so saying 95% really makes you look stupid.

 

 

 

If people are going to look the number of deaths related to drinking we also MUST look at the numbers of responsible drinkers. How many people drink a couple glasses and are safe as well as everybody around them? A [cabbage]load more than those not I can guantee that. That alone should be the primary cause of not banning alcohol period.

 

 

 

And to lower it to 18 is only logical. We can go out and kill people with a M16 but not drink a glass of wine? Who thought of that up? We get all the rights we could possibly have, but not one drop of alcohol? Seriously, what the hell.

 

 

 

It depends on the person, not thier age.

 

 

 

But ulitmately the problem is our society is trying so hard to not let teenagers try drinking but at the same time we WANT our people to drink. What the hell.

 

 

 

If people had more balls and give their kids a drink once in a while, they'll know its not that great as society glorifies it. I know in Italy it's normal for a five year old drink some wine with his dinner. First-world country and no servere damaging effects by it.

 

 

 

 

 

There's always going to be drunkards and injury/death to alcohol. But this "above the influence" [cabbage] isn't working. If America wants to improve their teenage-drinking problem, make their parents grow a pair, give their kids beer once in a while, and don't be a [bleep] about them drinking. Teenagers love rebelling, and if their parents don't want them drinking, it only makes them do it more for the "lulz". My parents have never been strict about drinking, they actually let me drink some once in a while. I'm not looking foward to my 21th birthday to drink beer, maybe only to buy it legally. But to drink it, I could care less. I can already do it. It's not something special, I dont' need it to have a good time, but it gives me a wider range of my opitions. I'm not gonna say "No" to a group of friends offering me a glass at a party because "beer will ruin my life." No that's stupid, and these fundamentalists thinknig beer is the anti-christ's blood are stupider still.

[Zierro]

If you drink moderately then it's fine. My mum is happy to go out once a week on a Saturday night, get drunk then that's it. But when alcohol is just being consumed and consumed it screws up the family. You can't say that alcohol doesn't do any harm because I know first hand that it does. Not just to the person drinking it but to the people around them too.

 

 

 

Too much of anything is a bad thing. In fact, I think your mom probably has more fun than your dad. She's not as accustomed to being drunk as he is so it probably gives her a nicer feeling.

[obfuscator]

I've always found it ridiculous that the drinking age isn't 18. I'm not sure how it works in the states or elsewhere, but here (Canada):

 

 

 

The charter of rights and freedoms only allows discrimination based on age if it's the difference between a child and adult. Hence it's ok to say: "Because you are this old you can't do this, but only if you are a child". Basically as soon as you turn 18, you can't be discriminated upon by age because all adults have the same rights. However, isn't the drinking age discriminatory that way? I've often wondered whether there is enough merit in that argument to take it to court. (not personally though :P)

[Racheya]

Are people so ignorant? 95% aren't responsible? It ruins your life? Christ, I don't see ANY of my family or friends and their families and their friends hurting themselves or others while drinking. I'm sure that is true for most of the world, so saying 95% really makes you look stupid.

 

Perhaps not 95%, but MY family has been screwed up by my dad drinking. He's not like hit any of us, but he's done very very stupid things and his drinking sometimes really hurts our family.

 

 

 

So don't say that it doesn't do anything at all.

 

If you drink moderately then it's fine. My mum is happy to go out once a week on a Saturday night, get drunk then that's it. But when alcohol is just being consumed and consumed it screws up the family. You can't say that alcohol doesn't do any harm because I know first hand that it does. Not just to the person drinking it but to the people around them too.

 

 

 

Too much of anything is a bad thing. In fact, I think your mom probably has more fun than your dad. She's not as accustomed to being drunk as he is so it probably gives her a nicer feeling.

 

I agree :)

[psvstef]

heh its 16+ here :)

 

 

 

18+ if high alcohol %.

[Dexek]

I've always found it ridiculous that the drinking age isn't 18. I'm not sure how it works in the states or elsewhere, but here (Canada):

 

 

 

The charter of rights and freedoms only allows discrimination based on age if it's the difference between a child and adult. Hence it's ok to say: "Because you are this old you can't do this, but only if you are a child". Basically as soon as you turn 18, you can't be discriminated upon by age because all adults have the same rights. However, isn't the drinking age discriminatory that way? I've often wondered whether there is enough merit in that argument to take it to court. (not personally though :P)

 

 

 

Cruise on over to Manitoba. It's 18 here. :

[Sam]

 

 

 

Alcohol is fantastic and everyone should be allowed it.

 

 

 

Indeed, if it's use is moderated and kept under control.

[OwnagePie]

Because being 18 is still part of adolescence, while 21 is a couple years into young adulthood. And most likely you'll be less likely to give into peer pressure since 21 is after high school and most likely college.

[Barihawk]

Seeing how people who ARE above 21 act and behave while intoxicated is proof enough that the drinking age is too low.

[Dizzle229]

I don't think AGE enters into it. It's just a matter of responsibility, and from what I've seen Americans are not responsible enough to drink. The few ruin it for the many, and there needs to be much harder coonsequences for breaking these laws.

[Laura]

Americans are not responsible enough to drink.

Please explain.

[Dizzle229]

Americans are not responsible enough to drink.

Please explain.

 

 

 

Because it seems for every person that DOES drink responsibly, there's 10 screaming idiots that are just an accident waiting to happen.

 

 

 

An example is the fireworks outside right now. It's good that they're getting into the spirit of the holiday, honoring their great nation, but half of these people have no idea what they're doing, and I wouldnt be surprised if by the end of the day I hear screaming and find that someone lost a hand.

 

 

 

P.S. I wonder if they know that you can't see fireworks during the day :wall:

[unkn0wnwarrior]

Are people so ignorant? 95% aren't responsible? It ruins your life? Christ, I don't see ANY of my family or friends and their families and their friends hurting themselves or others while drinking. I'm sure that is true for most of the world, so saying 95% really makes you look stupid.

 

Perhaps not 95%, but MY family has been screwed up by my dad drinking. He's not like hit any of us, but he's done very very stupid things and his drinking sometimes really hurts our family.

 

 

 

So don't say that it doesn't do anything at all.

 

Likewise with my family. He never hit us or anything, but his mouth caused a lot of emotional pain.

[Laura]

Americans are not responsible enough to drink.

Please explain.

 

 

 

Because it seems for every person that DOES drink responsibly, there's 10 screaming idiots that are just an accident waiting to happen.

 

 

 

An example is the fireworks outside right now. It's good that they're getting into the spirit of the holiday, honoring their great nation, but half of these people have no idea what they're doing, and I wouldnt be surprised if by the end of the day I hear screaming and find that someone lost a hand.

No, could you please elucidate your statement which I quoted.

[Dizzle229]

I'm not even worried about the drinker, if you want to ruin your life then you deserve it. I'm worried about the people besides themselves that are frequently hurt.

 

 

 

And when I said 95%, I wasn't just talking about alcohol. I was saying that 95% are idiots.

[l0l0lpur34]

Yes, it is a bit backwards how in America the drinking age is 21.

 

 

 

Also, no offense to the people who aren't but some people on here are absolutely clueless, e.g.:

 

Americans are not responsible enough to drink.

Please explain.

 

 

 

Because it seems for every person that DOES drink responsibly, there's 10 screaming idiots that are just an accident waiting to happen.

 

 

 

An example is the fireworks outside right now. It's good that they're getting into the spirit of the holiday, honoring their great nation, but half of these people have no idea what they're doing, and I wouldnt be surprised if by the end of the day I hear screaming and find that someone lost a hand.

 

 

 

P.S. I wonder if they know that you can't see fireworks during the day :wall:

 

How old are you? Have you ever got drunk or being in a situation where alcohol is involved?

[gauper_kid]

Alcohol ruins peoples' lives and the lives of their families.

 

People don't get addicted to knives.

 

No, but they get addicted to the feeling they have when they have knives/use them. In the same way, people are addicted to the feeling they have when they drink.

 

What the.....? So is there some 12-step programs for knifeaholics? Do people waste all their money so they can get wasted off of KNIVES?? This knife argument is ridiculous.

 

 

 

Alcohol does no ruin lives. A lack of [bleep] self control does.

 

So when someone gets hit by a drunk driver, its because they had no self control?