Are age restrictions an effective way of protecting young people? [ENDS 07/03/2010]

Are age restrictions an effective way of protecting young people?

Ends 07 / 03 / 2010

Age restrictions are used for a number of things - films, games, piercings, tattoos, sexual intercourse, the consumption of alcohol as well as much more. Nevertheless, some argue that they are essentially pointless and are generally disregarded - people are drinking illegally and engaging in sexual intercourse illegally regularly. It could be argued that they may as well be abolished altogether. Others suggest that a fixed age (normally 16) should apply to all age restrictions, rather than several different ages for several different things.

The question that you are asked to debate is relatively broad, you may debate the question as a whole or go into more detail when it comes to a certain age restricted activity. The question overall is, however, are age restrictions an effective way of protecting young people and how might they be improved?

Yes they should remain in place, while not that effective they are still effective to a point and are the most effective thing you could get. The thing that annoys me though is the way people are defined as Adults at the age of 18 yet have to pay adult train fares - legislation should be brought in to stop companies such as Merseryrail doing that.

I think that they should remain in place, like Undertaker said, they are largely ineffective but there is not really any alternative. What I do think should be done is that they are re-thought.

I find it absurd that you can get married at 16, have sex at 16 and join the army at 16 and yet you cannot vote for who is in charge of this country until 18. I think the earlier should be raised to 18. I would say that an adult is 18, so why the legal age limit for marriage, sex and joining the army is below that is beyond me in my mind.

I think they should stay in effect like all the above have said, also I don't believe enforcing them more would be an effective use of taxes as if someone underage wanted alcohol they would still be able to get it like they did before, be it from a friend or family.

I know first hand that in my area spray paints, alcohol, tobacco and games can be freely bought by underage consumers, as I participate in helping the council to provide eduction to retailers who sell to these underage consumers. It is unbelievable how many place don't ask any questions to a pretty face (the girl I was with was pretty hot :)) Overall I don't think there is any need for any increase in policing or enforcing this rule, but it should definitely say in place.

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Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-

Yes they should remain in place, while not that effective they are still effective to a point and are the most effective thing you could get. The thing that annoys me though is the way people are defined as Adults at the age of 18 yet have to pay adult train fares - legislation should be brought in to stop companies such as Merseryrail doing that.

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Do you mean adult fairs have to paid from the age of 16? I agree totally that it shouldn't be allowed. The same applies for cinema tickets and things like that.

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Originally Posted by Tash.

I think that they should remain in place, like Undertaker said, they are largely ineffective but there is not really any alternative. What I do think should be done is that they are re-thought.

I find it absurd that you can get married at 16, have sex at 16 and join the army at 16 and yet you cannot vote for who is in charge of this country until 18. I think the earlier should be raised to 18. I would say that an adult is 18, so why the legal age limit for marriage, sex and joining the army is below that is beyond me in my mind.

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I also agree with this. There isn't many things left that become legal at 16, so I reckon everything should just be 18. Although the sex one doesn't make a difference because how do you enforce it? And the army is there as an option for when kids leave school. Maybe that means that compulsory education should be extended to 18 as well?

I'm fairly sure the legal age for marriage is 18 (as before that you aren't legally responsible for yourself in most cases) or 17 if the one or both of this age have parental consent.

That technicality aside, of course age restrictions are a good idea. It's obvious that many of them get disregarded constantly such as with drinking and smoking (although really there's no legal age restriction on smoking, only on the purchase of tobacco products) but they're still enough to deter people in the main. I think for those who do illegally take part in age restricted acts it's still important to consider the fact that most do so within a couple of years of the restriction anyway, so they at least serve to bring up the barriers of when it's socially acceptable (or even encouraged in peer groups as you've probably all experienced) rather than having everything as a free for all from birth.

I agree that some things should remain the same for example driving and the age of consent should, as increasing it would cause so many problems and wouldn't stop people.

You can only marry at 16 with parental consent can you not?

You need parental consent if you wish to get married aged 16/17.

I think we should just leave them. Nothing really wrong with them

No point fixing something that isn't broken/can't be fixed.

Not all of them should be there really.

Films
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12A films are fair enough as their not mild its all like piss off you B**** etc.
Where as 18 isn't that bad either uless it contains sexual stuff

Games
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No way, I play GTA all the time really and stuff it's not that bad at least a 15 would suit Grand theft Auto

Peircings
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Depends where your trying to get a pericing really.

Sex in other words
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I don't even see the point in putting an age on it as most people get laid before 16, the youngest I know of is a friend who got laid @ 8 ... These are pointless, if you're ready you're ready no more to say.

Drinking
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Really it should be there okay but most people still / have drink/drank even if it was the odd WKD

Smoking
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There should be a law on this and there is - no arguments on it but people should get fined if underage Eg. the back of the bus smokes after school every day as young as 11 are at the back theres at least 10 so if you get what I mean the driver should stop them and not keep driving until they put them out, the drivers don't even care and stuff so really they aren't caring enough about the people at the front of the bus suffering.

Aha,
Shazzy.

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Originally Posted by Shazehh

Not all of them should be there really.

Films
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12A films are fair enough as their not mild its all like piss off you B**** etc.
Where as 18 isn't that bad either uless it contains sexual stuff

Games
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No way, I play GTA all the time really and stuff it's not that bad at least a 15 would suit Grand theft Auto

Peircings
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Depends where your trying to get a pericing really.

Sex in other words
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I don't even see the point in putting an age on it as most people get laid before 16, the youngest I know of is a friend who got laid @ 8 ... These are pointless, if you're ready you're ready no more to say.

Drinking
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Really it should be there okay but most people still / have drink/drank even if it was the odd WKD

Smoking
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There should be a law on this and there is - no arguments on it but people should get fined if underage Eg. the back of the bus smokes after school every day as young as 11 are at the back theres at least 10 so if you get what I mean the driver should stop them and not keep driving until they put them out, the drivers don't even care and stuff so really they aren't caring enough about the people at the front of the bus suffering.

Aha,
Shazzy.

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I don't agree with this one as it has been proven alcohol is more harmful than some illegal drugs and tobacco so...

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Originally Posted by Cheryl

I don't agree with this one as it has been proven alcohol is more harmful than some illegal drugs and tobacco so...

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That if you drink huge amounts of it :S.


A pint of beer is not going to kill you, but a puff of a ciggie could cause cancer first time.

Why should people smoke at the back of the buses when people have to suffer of breathing in the smoke?

Oh, and its against the law in the UK to smoke anywhere inside a public building and public transport.

Hence, i believe the law should be more tight. Fair enough if they want to smoke, I dont care, but **** sake, consider other people.

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Originally Posted by lazerman

That if you drink huge amounts of it :S.


A pint of beer is not going to kill you, but a puff of a ciggie could cause cancer first time.

Why should people smoke at the back of the buses when people have to suffer of breathing in the smoke?

Oh, and its against the law in the UK to smoke anywhere inside a public building and public transport.

Hence, i believe the law should be more tight. Fair enough if they want to smoke, I dont care, but **** sake, consider other people.

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well why don't bus drivers do **** all about it...

I Think they shoudl remain
Because like with Alcohol say you are having a Meal with your parents
You are Allowed a Small Glass of Wine, Perrys Or Something else. [I Do Hospitality and Catering at colelge so i know ] xD
But with Sexual Intercourse nearly most people underage do it now. but i spose they can't help it. Some people will follow the 16 Or Over though, Personally Im waiting till the right time.
Games are Stupid because everyone plays all games now days. i used to live near like a 6 year old and He Played GTA.
Piercings. Depends where like others have said. i Mean Under clothes in parts of the body they should have to be over 18 for them
Films. Depends why it is 18. Say its for sexual Things then good law
But say its for a Bit of Blood/Gore its kinda Pointless

The small glass of wine part is that any age?

omg that should be removed @ last years wedding i had like x8 wines with sprite ;l

They should all be 16.

Depends what sort of thing you mean, if it was a ride I say no, it should depend on height so they don't fall out, but with other stuff I suppose it's to protect me, cos I'm a kid :D

some places are trying to combat the age limits and stuff. at several places in my area we now have teen prices which is anyone between 13 and 18. its more expensive than child but less than student. nice and fair.

the increase of the smoking ban has had to make several stop smoking because they cant get the access to the cigarettes. i think the driving and the drinking bans however are all appropriate.

not many of them are that effective because most people like the sayin rules are there to be broken.
i think alot of the laws are that to stop the youth making stupid decisions with there life such as a tattoo that they later regret.
piercings shud all just be with parents permission up untill say 16/18. they can heal so arnt as much as a problem as tattoos

you can get tatoos lazerly removed though

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Originally Posted by Shazehh

you can get tatoos lazerly removed though

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You can piss out alcohol, still don't see how it's relevant to the debate though :P

I think they should remain.
Its basically:

If you keep them then it does reduce violence as I know some peoples parents wont let them play 18+ games if they aren't 18+.

If you remove them, it means 10 year olds will be exposed to more violence.

Mmmm I think they should be moved around, this generation has seen kids young as 11 getting pregnant and starting families, somethings gotta give way. The sexual intercourse law should be a guideline not a law, because tbh whos gonna report illegal sexual intercourse? :S police cant really enforce it lest its in a public place, drinking should stay 18 because well yeah, this is the UK we're talking about why bother changing it they're gonna get drink somehow. The rest can stay the same too tbh, no point.

They are effective to a cetain extent when it comes to movies and games etc. People may not be happy with this but in a lot of places you will get away with it which just isn't acceptable. They were made to be broken.

Some clash with each other as pointed out quite funnily on what I think was mock the week

The age for legal sex is 16 but to watch porn is 18

So you can have sex at 16 but can't look down when you're doing it

They definitely shouldn't be scrapped though, although they are disregarded sometimes, they're also adhered to a lot, most places won't sell alcohol to under 18's so therefore cutting that down, under age kids drunk in a pub is just annoying when they can't handle it :P

They're the only two I think there's a definite need for, maybe films as well.

What with the internet, I believe age restrictions have lost the power they once had. Anyone can be a 18+ DVD from Amazon... with no form of ID.
That and the fact there is a loophole in the law, that prevents shops being prosecuted for selling DVDs and games to underage people.

If they want to make them effective, they need to do it universally.

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Originally Posted by Sangreal

What with the internet, I believe age restrictions have lost the power they once had. Anyone can be a 18+ DVD from Amazon... with no form of ID.
That and the fact there is a loophole in the law, that prevents shops being prosecuted for selling DVDs and games to underage people.

If they want to make them effective, they need to do it universally.

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Or, they could invent a new parental control system, which runs alongside a web browser that scans the content of pages (or online stores can put an image/sign that the scanner can understand on the webpage) which immediately blocks you from making a sale if the image indicates something like an 18 game. It won't work for the obvious reason that shops just want to make money, and that it isn't really their business to turn away customers, so your example and my example are both flawed, but both decent ideas :)

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Originally Posted by GommeInc

Or, they could invent a new parental control system, which runs alongside a web browser that scans the content of pages (or online stores can put an image/sign that the scanner can understand on the webpage) which immediately blocks you from making a sale if the image indicates something like an 18 game. It won't work for the obvious reason that shops just want to make money, and that it isn't really their business to turn away customers, so your example and my example are both flawed, but both decent ideas :)

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The thing with all these parental controls is that most parents don't know how to use them...
They need something simple, and to show parents what effects they have etc...

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Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-

Yes they should remain in place, while not that effective they are still effective to a point and are the most effective thing you could get. The thing that annoys me though is the way people are defined as Adults at the age of 18 yet have to pay adult train fares - legislation should be brought in to stop companies such as Merseryrail doing that.

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Agreed, stagecoach (try to) charge me an adult ticket yet if I walk into a shop and try to buy alcohol they will refuse me service.

Also, at the risk of being facetious, why can you have sex at 16 but not watch pornography until you are 18? :S

No matter what they try and actually do- the trend will still continue. Raise it to 21, people will find a way. Lowering it is not a solution for sure, as all these things are different in terms of how ready ones organism is to intake such things in a way that will not be that bad. Sure you may argue what is the difference between a 16 year old or an 18 year old drinking? I would say quite a significant one, as the 16 year old is still developing and is also mentally not the same to an 18 year old, thus being drunk on a regular basis is not good.

The brain stops developing at a very young age ( im sure its under 10, will get back to you on that) and then starts developing agan at ~21 until ~25, unless you meant maturity etc of which there isn't a huge gap between an 18 yr old university student and a 16 year old college student in my opinion, they can both be exceptionally naughty!

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