legal drinking ages vary from country to country....is it a little extreme that it's 21 in the united states?

in canada it's 18/19 depending what province you live in. what's the legal age in your country?

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I wonder if the reason in the U.S is due to drink driving deaths ?
Maybe more disproportionate deaths on the road caused by younger people who may have been drinking.....

Still makes no sense if you can legally buy firearms or join the army and train to kill people at 18

LordShadowfire · 46-50, M

@Picklebobble2 Fireworks, I beg to differ on, but joining the army shouldn't be allowed until 21, either.

swirlie · 31-35, F

@LordShadowfire
To become an enlisted soldier during the time of the Vietnam war, one had to be at least 19 years of age. But as soon as the US government imposed the draft after it became apparent that the US was losing the war, the minimum age one could be drafted was 18. Of particular note, at the height of the Vietnam war, 60% of all US military forces were comprised of draftees, not enlisted soldiers!

LordShadowfire · 46-50, M

@swirlie I'm aware of the history. I still say it's wrong. An 18-year-old doesn't know shit about war. But then again, if they only relied on adults who fully understood the horrors of war, they wouldn't have anyone fighting.

swirlie · 31-35, F

@LordShadowfire
Oh, I fully agree that sending an 18 year old to war is wrong, only because war is a fool's game anyway! The reason they don't recruit older, wiser adults into the army is because older adults know better than to say 'yes' in the first place!