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A sensible British law? Never! [I Drank Alcohol Before I Was 21]

Throughout the civilised world - and America - it's seen as reasonable in most cases to have some sort of restriction on who can buy alcohol, given its interesting effects on people.

But 21, which is the law in the USA, is from a European perspective utterly insane.

My mother gave me/my siblings teaspoons of calvados to settle upset stomachs when we were little - probably my first experience of alcohol. I vividly remember having a sherry glass of wine at Christmas when I was 5 years old, I was probably 15 or so when, at a restaurant, I would have wine with my parents. Although obviously I couldn't (and didn't *coughs loudly*) buy it before I was 18.

This approach seems a little more sensible than demand people run like a terrific puritan from the stuff until one is in one's 3rd decade.
MrAverage1965 · 61-69, M
I agree, treat alcohol with respect and learn to drink sensibly.
When this is not done and people are let if the leash at an older age they go crazy and you get binge drinking which is common among young people in both the UK and US.
Yeah they think they are free over there. But they aren’t free to by alcohol when they leave school, aren’t free to be taught the creation of the universe without a Bible being present, aren’t free to have abortions in some states and employment law over there is crazy, you can be dismissed for no reason whatsoever.
LifeIsGoood · 26-30, F
@SirenCalledLuce Free to get get all the coronavirus and gun-violence you could ever want. Unfortunately for most of us, that amount is zero...
REMsleep · 41-45, F
@SirenCalledLuce Bible is not taught in public school unless its briefly meantioned in sociology or the school has a religions course which is usually private school. Not sure why you believe that.

Abortion is legal by Supreme Court Law in every state but there are restrictions. Religious based institutions can refuse to offer it and many other restrictions state by state.( month of fetus and such)
Over 40,000 people are successfully attacked by sharpe objects mostly knives in England and Wales alone each year.(2019 data)
The USA has many more people than England and Wales.
In the USA about 39 000 died by gun violence by end of 2019 and about 25K were suicide and not violent attack so I think the only difference is the access to weapon not the penchant towards violence.
LifeIsGoood · 26-30, F
The same country founded by "Puritans" and had made alcohol illegal from 1920 to 1933...
REMsleep · 41-45, F
In the USA don't forget that 1/3 of the founding Euro people came seeking freedom from religious persecution.
1/3 of the founding Euro people came seeking freedom from tyranny by the monarchy. Then about 1/3 came to make money, morals be damned.

I meantioned white founders only because they were the largest group and their reasons were different than founding natives( already here), founding blacks( 99% as slaves).

So the USA is a juxtaposition between super puritanical religious people and money hungry morally bankrupt people and we all value " freedom" at any cost.
Persephonee · 22-25, F
@REMsleep A good number of those settlers coming for religious reasons did so because they weren't allowed to do the persecuting themselves, of course! (But do take your point!)
senghenydd · M
Driving licence at sixteen I agree providing you can demonstrate you can drive safely why not have a licence at sixteen, it's all swings and roundabouts heavy drinking bought in those laws in the States you can live a good life without alcohol what's so good about alcohol. I've seen some lives destroyed by alcohol.
Elessar · 26-30, M
I find it funny how you need to be 21 to drink a beer over there, but you can literally join the army and get deployed in a warzone at, what, 17?
bookerdana · M
It was 18 in the early seventies b/c of the Viet Nam draft
Window tax was always my favourite
Persephonee · 22-25, F
@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout No surely hair powder tax!
Alexsw · 70-79, M
reasonable application of mind is ideal
MethDozer · M
It's dumb, we agree. However somebof those circumstances you mention are technically legal. In most states it is legal for a minor to drink alcohol if provided by and supervised by a parent or legal guardian.
This message was deleted by its author.
Persephonee · 22-25, F
@Harriet03 I'm not suggesting that no ;) read the 1st line again!
Harriet03 · 41-45, F
@Persephonee Apologies

 
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