*DEBATE* Should The Legal Drinking Age Be Increased To 21? Winner = 01101101entor

[Rosie]

No way, lower it please.

Its not going to stop anyone..

Uh yeah if anything it should be lowered cause if you think about it you can get married at 16? and not have any alcohol at your wedding and blahh.

[Tash.]

No it should stay at 18. The law expects us to take responsibility for a crime at the age of 10. To take a job from 16, get married and a lot more. Why shouldn't we be allowed to drink at 18? Those who do end up causing trouble at 18 years of age arent likely to mature that much in 2 years anyway, therefore just keep it as it is. We already can't buy alcohol in most shops until 21 - which is ridiculous because its likely to cause less harm if u consume it away from busy clubs + pubs.

[Ree]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO
It should be lowered. :]

Edit by Baving (Super Moderator) - Please try and back up pointes with evidence / reasons.

[Science]

Well did you know:
A 1 Year Old Child Is Allowed To Drink In Its Home If The Parent Says Yes? Also Your Allowed To Smoke.... So Really There Is No Point In Lowering The Age Limit. Infact Increasing it Will Probs Have A Negative Effect As People Mostly Do The Opposite..

[Rou]

No increasing the age limit to 21 will incourage more children to go out and drink

[Rosie]

I thinks you should be aloud to smoke cause like parents think its worse than drinking well why is it smoking is at age 16 and drinking 18 its pure wrong!

[BLuweesH]

Well did you know:
A 1 Year Old Child Is Allowed To Drink In Its Home If The Parent Says Yes? Also Your Allowed To Smoke.... So Really There Is No Point In Lowering The Age Limit. Infact Increasing it Will Probs Have A Negative Effect As People Mostly Do The Opposite..

Not true. You're allowed to smoke, but not allowed to purchase them if you're 18. But you gotta be 18 to drink, as if a 1 year old would drink anyway or a parent would feed them alcohol. But you gotta be 18.

So? People drink it anyway. If people binge drink and the age limit is 18 and over, what's 21 gonna do to stop it? It's only a number. Rather than trying to fear youths by law enforcements, they should fear them by crackdowns. That way even though they might want to binge drink, they would at least would contemplate over the risk, maybe even penalties should increase.

[Science]

its true though, if a 1 year old's parents allow the child to drink, it can... Check the U.K Goverment In Drinking Laws..

[GommeInc]

Something I noticed at Tesco's the other day was that the age for buying alcoholic drinks has gone up. It is now 21 rather than 18 which I think it used to be.

[8Freak8]

I think it is the UK's culture that makes people binge drink, not the legal age.

Although, at 18 it is very easy for teenagers with 18+ year old brothers and sisters to get alcohol. If the age was raised to 21, not so many underage teens would have a brother or sister old enough to by alcohol for them.

And the guy is wrong above. If you give alcohol to a child under 5 it can be considered child abuse (just thought I should point that out before you have kids mate ). I think your right about smoking. It is illegal for the shops to sell it to udner 16 but not illegal for an under 16 to smoke normal ciggarettes.

Also, Gomme you are wrong too. Most big shops have been advised by the police to ask for ID if you look under 21. The idea is that a 17 year old might look 18, so they would get sold alcohol illegally. But it is unlikely that a 17 year old will look 21, so they look to see if you look 21, then if you only look like a 20 year old they ask for ID to see if you are over 18. I think that is quite a good way to do it. The signs about it in Tesco is so that people don't get offended when they get asked for ID and they are like "WTH I'M 20 YEARS OLD!!" :d.

The law

Under 5 - It is illegal to give an alcoholic drink to a child under 5 except in certain circumstances e.g under medical supervision.

Under 14 - A person under 14 can't go into a bar or pub unless the pub has a 'children's certificate'. If it doesn't they can only go into parts othat aren't licensed where alcohol is either sold but not drunk (e.g a sales point away from the pub), OR drunk but not sold (e.g a beer garden or family room).

14 or 15 - 14 and 15 year olds can go anywhere in a pub but can't drink alcohol.

16 or 17 - 16 and 17 year olds can buy (or be bought) beer or cider so long as it's bought to eat with a meal, but not in a bar (i.e only in a place specifically set aside for meals).

Under 18 - Except for 16 and 17 year olds having a meal in a pub, it's against the law for anyone under 18 to buy alcohol in a pub, off-licence or supermarket. It's also illegal to buy alcohol in a pub for someone who's not 18.

Anyone over 18 can buy and drink alcohol legally in licensed premises in Britain.

The law

It's illegal for shopkeepers to sell tobacco or tobacco products to anyone under 16.