Should the drinking age be raised to 19? Farmer Ed's people thinks so.

[troutman]

Europeans let children drink wine at home from an earlier age. IMO, by the time they are adults, alcohol is not such a big deal for them, and they tend to abuse it less.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by troutman

Europeans let children drink wine at home from an earlier age. IMO, by the time they are adults, alcohol is not such a big deal for them, and they tend to abuse it less.

This is a very good point. Rather than it being some illicit substance that they rarely experience they make it a common thing that is no big deal.

[transplant99]

I have a friend in the US and if you are caught entering a bar underage the pentaly is way siffer than Canada, she tells me.

You get kicked out of the bar...not so harsh. The age is 21 across the US.

Now if a club/restaurant gets caught SELLING to a minor, then it is a nasty fine on the establishment.

If a minor gets caught driving with alcohol in their system, they will routinely be dealt a suspension of license until age 25 and some community service.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by transplant99

You get kicked out of the bar...not so harsh. The age is 21 across the US.

Now if a club/restaurant gets caught SELLING to a minor, then it is a nasty fine on the establishment.

If a minor gets caught driving with alcohol in their system, they will routinely be dealt a suspension of license until age 25 and some community service.

Perhaps because she is in a college town the police force is more strict about that stuff. But she has several friends who have had to go to court and community service and all that. They call it "getting a minor." Some get caught by the police in the bars, other times the bouncers call the police when they catch them. Something that I've never heard of happening here.

Another weird thing she told me about, is when you get pulled over in South Dakota, you get out of your car and go sit in the passenger seat of the police car. She didn't know that until she got pulled over. Needless to say she was more than a little worried.

[Cowperson]

If you can die for your country and vote . . . . you should be able to handle the equally weighty decision of whether or not to drink at 18.

And kids will generally secure the hooch anyway . . . . as my mother and father used to tell me about their days when the drinking age was also 21.

This whole thing reminds me of the scene in American Graffiti where the underaged kid is trying to get some booze.

Cowperson

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by troutman

Europeans let children drink wine at home from an earlier age. IMO, by the time they are adults, alcohol is not such a big deal for them, and they tend to abuse it less.

Exactly, that's how how I was raised, and by the time I got to 18 it really wasnt a big deal. In my experience, the more parents tried to hide things lke this from their kids, the more it will come back to bite them in the ass.

But no, let's shield them even more... that always works.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by Cube Inmate

I'm under the impression that it's legal, as long as it's not allowing the child to be harmed. Feeding alcohol to an infant...certainly illegal. To a 15-yo? I'm not so sure...but I don't feel like looking that kind of thing up.

I made only a rudimentary search, but it seems that it varies, depending on the province, from not allowed at all, to under parental supervision at home only and in Manitoba it's even allowed in licensed premises under parental supervision. Typical Canadian hodge-podge.

Having it legal at home under parental supervision certainly makes sense, but I'd never heard of it being legal anywhere in Canada in a licensed establihsment if a parent consents. Is there anyone here from Manitoba who can confirm this? The info I got was from Wikipedia, so not necessarily reliable.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

Is there anyone here from Manitoba who can confirm this? The info I got was from Wikipedia, so not necessarily reliable.

I was going to post something- then you posted your link.

Growing up in Winnipeg I can confirm this. Many places won't do it, but some will.

The reason my parents would buy me booze at a restaurant; my dad's birthday is right around Christmas, and there were a few times we would be out and everybody would be having some wine. I was allowed because my parents were there.

I never realized it was different elsewhere until I moved here.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I was going to post something- then you posted your link.

Growing up in Winnipeg I can confirm this. Many places won't do it, but some will.

The reason my parents would buy me booze at a restaurant; my dad's birthday is right around Christmas, and there were a few times we would be out and everybody would be having some wine. I was allowed because my parents were there.

I never realized it was different elsewhere until I moved here.

Wow, I never knew that. That's pretty civilized, and in keeping with teaching kids about moderate and responsible drinking before they reach the legal drinking age. That would be a better legal change for Stelmach to consider than raising the age in an effort to curb pub brawls.

[MarchHare]

If you can die for your country and vote . . . . you should be able to handle the equally weighty decision of whether or not to drink at 18.

I was going to post basically the same thing.

At 18, Canadians are considered to be legally an adult. They can vote, join the military, and are no longer under the protection of the Young Offenders Act. Something Alberta and Quebec got right that the rest of the country got wrong is allowing all adults to drink legally.

[Sample00]

I believe that they should leave the drinking age thing alone.
if you can fight for your country, then you should be allowed to drink. it may be a wrong way of thinking, but it works for me.
and not to derail the threat, but what I wouldnt mind our government having a look at is the age of consent for driving.
I personally would like to see a learners permit at the age of 16 and drivers license at the age of 18.
I believe that this might reduce some of the drinking and driving amongst our youth. And personally, I dont know if a 16 year old is mature enough to handle a vehicle and the responsibiliites that go with it.
just MHO

[J pold]

Originally Posted by SeeGeeWhy

Maybe the gov't should issue copies of Neil Strauss' "The Game" to all 18 year old guys so they can get better at picking up. No energy left to fight after you've spent it on lovin'.

Hahha so true…although I don’t want all those guys knowing about that books…the less the better!

But on the flip side of that…if you pick up someone’s girlfriend thing can get a little ugly…

[JiriHrdina]

Here is my question - who is paying for this "Cage the Rage" campaign? Taxpayers right?

What a monumental waste of my money. What on earth makes anyone think that someone is going to see a poster that says "Cage the Rage" and then later on in the bar, in a heated moment, think to themselves "Boy I sure wanna slug this guy but that poster in the pisser said I shoudln't.".

I hate stuff like this. Violence in our society is not going to be solved by some lame campaign or decreasing the age limit. All-too-easy answers from a government that has nothing else.

Lame.

[Thunderball]

God... and I actually supported Morton... stupidest thing I ever heard.

If anything, they should be lowering the importance of a drinking age, because all having a defined limit does is put alcohol on a pedestal, leading to raging stupidity and alcoholism AT ANY AGE. I'd say lets bring in a "graduated" limit at 14 for minors accompanied by a parent/legal guardian. Lets teach responsible drinking, and let it sink in early.

While Europeans drink more, the instances of alcoholism and alcohol related crime are a faint echo of what we have here. Why? Its cultural.

I was one of those people troutman is talking about... there was always wine at the table, beer in the fridge, liquor in unlocked cabinets... it was always available in responsible amounts from the age of 10 onwards. I never abused it, why would I? There was always a glass of wine with dinner or a cold beer after some physical labor on a hot day. When I turned 18, nothing changed, I could drink "legally"... big deal.

On a different note... lets look at it this way... I can consent to sex at 14, learn to drive at 14, freely drive at 16, be conscripted at 16, vote and smoke at 18, but drink at 19??? Wow, talk about f***ed up priorities....

Farmer Ed and his gaggle of morons have to go. Why oh why isn't there an intelligent, urban, centre to centre right alternative to the rural bible parties?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by fotze

Althought I agree with that philosophy fully I think problem drinking is more complicated than that.
]

well, of course it is, so why do people think that raising the age limit will change things.

btw, my family is from two of the top 4 countries on your list....we'll get you next time, luxembourg!

[Flash Walken]

I don't like the idea of there being less 18 year old girls at the bar.

[J pold]

^^ Ha so true!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by fotze

Althought I agree with that philosophy fully I think problem drinking is more complicated than that.

Woohoo, go Europe!

Good point, but my guess is Euros drink more often, but not as much at one time. We seem to go more for the binge drinking.

[Locke]

Wow. Life in Luxembourg must suck. They seem to keep themselves fairly heavily medicated.....

[Cube Inmate]

Originally Posted by Locke

Wow. Life in Luxembourg must suck. They seem to keep themselves fairly heavily medicated.....

On average, their 12 L / year is the equivalent of less than 2 Canadian brewskies per day. I couldn't imagine averaging that little consumption!