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

[Nixt]

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?

[-: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.

[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.

[Cheryl]

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.

[Black_Apalachi]

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.

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.

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 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?

[FlyingJesus]

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.

[Yoshimitsui]

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?

[lazerman]

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

[Japan]

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

[Sharon]

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.