The reason is that they're brains aren't ready! Just the fact that they are always argue with the whole war thing is stupid. They are likely to suffer from brain damage, and are more vulnerable to becoming addicted, and are able to become drunk way more easily. Plus alcohol is a drug. Drinking is age 21 because that's when they're brains wouldn't cause them to become so sick, but war is fighting for your country... I guess if you want the high risk of brain damage JUST because you're able to go to war then I guess fine...
In Belgium the legal drinking age for beer and alcopops is 16, for stronger drinks it's 18. Yeah sure there are people that are not responsible and often drink too much. But if the drinking age was higher, they would still drink anyway so that doesn't make any difference. Besides, if drinking under 21 is illegal, when teens get the chance to drink they will be more likely to drink way too much. While when it's perfectly legal, it becomes less "exciting" so they'll have only a couple of drinks.
Besides, the legal driving age here is 18. So we have two years to get to know our boundaries when it comes to alcohol and to do whatever crazy stuff we wanna do and we won't do it when we can get behind the steering wheel.
For the longest time in the military, the 21 drinking age went away as soon as you set foot in another country that allowed younger drinkers. In the Navy, this was part of the hooplah that you craved during a port call, and it made for some great memories. As of last year, the Navy mandated that all sailors sign an agreement that they would not drink in those countries if they were not 21. Violation of this agreement was a UCMJ offense and could get you kicked out, star-lit record or not. Morale at that point went pretty far south, and the already undermanned submarine force became even more undermanned as people got kicked out left and right. When your under water for 48 out of 52 weeks, and two of those 4 weeks off are spent in the states where an 18-20 year old can't drink if they want, the magic is lost during the other two weeks that are spread out into five 2-3 day liberty ports with some work going on during all of them, when you watch all your 21+ buddies go out and blow off some steam! Give the bubble heads a break at least, and especially the ground pounders who are in combat zones where they might die legally, but can't drink a cold brew legally!
If they can give their life for our country, why not?
When I was 18, women could buy alcohol, but men couldn't, so my 18 year old wife bought it for me.
In the immortal words of Mojo Nixon:
When Regan gets the war he's looking for, you think he's gonna be drafting 21 year olds? No, man he's gonna be drafting 18 and 19 year-olds! - but you can't buy beer.
You can get married and screw yourself real good! - but you can't buy beer.
You can charge 8 million dollars on a Mastercharge- but you can't buy beer.
You can vote for one fool or another- but you can't buy beer.
If an 18 year old young man or woman can fight for this country than they should be able to sit down and have a drink with everyone else that has served this country. This speech coming from my own mother and military family.
although I think most 18 year olds are not mature enough i also think that if they can go to war they should be able to drink,who knows it could be their last
In my country they can, in most countries in the world they can, America is quite an exception to this rule.
I can't actually believe that American young adults can be that much less mature than elsewhere. I think the baby treatments of these adults should be stopped in America, it's only causing them to act less mature.
I think it's because in many European countries, alcohol is taught to be respected at an early age, not forbidden and called "evil". My father was from Hungary ( a big wine country), and we always had wine around the house, even as young as 10-12 years old. we thought nothing of it. And I am happy to report that no, I have no alcohol problem- in fact, I rarely drink at all.
That is true, in Middle Europe and Western Europe. I think it's a lot more of a respectful attitude toward alcohol and it raises kids to be responsible with it.
Here in the North East though, we've had trouble with alcoholism as much as Russia, but we're one of the few European countries that had a Prohibition on alcohol at some point (Like they did in the states). After the ban on alcohol, alcoholism only increased, proving that when you ban something, people won't be able to handle it responsibly.
A study conducted some time ago showed that 10% of our population at some point in their life will be alcoholics or suffer from alcohol abuse.
Even though adults at 18 can drink here, we have rather strict laws on how alcohol can be sold, liqueur can only be sold in special "alcohol stores" which aren't open on Sundays and close on the weekends at 6pm (Open at 10am) and on the weekdays at 8pm.
Beer can only be sold from 9am to 9pm, and no longer after that. Alcohol also has a very high tax on it.
I'd think if they stopped being so strict with these laws, alcohol abuse might very well lessen after a few decades.
We tried this in New Jersey. I was a Police Officer at the time. When we went back to 21 a short time later...the bar room fight calls just stopped coming in.
They are not mature enough to know when to stop. Even if an 18-year old becomes a so called adult at 18, they do not anything about life and need adult guidance.
IF they are enlisted then they SHOULD be able to do whatever. If they are not then leave it as is. As they say if you are willing to die for your country then you should be able to relax with a beer or whatever they desire.
YES, if you are old enough to fight for your country, then you are damn old enough to belly up to the bar! If the government doesnt think 18 yr olds can handle alchohol responsibly, why in the world would they expect them to handle weapons responsibly...they can handle it! Let 'em drink!
The fact of the matter is that at 18 you reach what I believed is called the age of majority. Your parents are no longer responsible directly for you, you're responsible for yourself. If you do something wrong, you get into trouble and you are penalized for it. At age 18, you can now get a job, vote, go to war, rent an apartment, most if not all states you can stay in a hotel, get a car, have a credit card, etc. I haven't been 18 for quite some time, so it doesn't matter much to me; but it does seem like there's some inconsistency.
Yep, 18 is legal age in UK. It does seem crazy an 18 yr old can serve, and possibly die, for their country but not have a drink. On the down side there has been an increase in binge drinking and public drunkenness in recent years here, esp among young women, but that is due more to price wars reducing the cost of alcohol to almost the same as soft drinks in some supermarkets.
but be prepared to face the consequences if you're caught driving drunk or have an accident that causes injury and or death.It's not easy being a young adult.
It should be 25.
I'm 13, just if you are wondering my age.
Besides, the legal driving age here is 18. So we have two years to get to know our boundaries when it comes to alcohol and to do whatever crazy stuff we wanna do and we won't do it when we can get behind the steering wheel.
When I was 18, women could buy alcohol, but men couldn't, so my 18 year old wife bought it for me.
When Regan gets the war he's looking for, you think he's gonna be drafting 21 year olds? No, man he's gonna be drafting 18 and 19 year-olds! - but you can't buy beer.
You can get married and screw yourself real good! - but you can't buy beer.
You can charge 8 million dollars on a Mastercharge- but you can't buy beer.
You can vote for one fool or another- but you can't buy beer.
I can't actually believe that American young adults can be that much less mature than elsewhere. I think the baby treatments of these adults should be stopped in America, it's only causing them to act less mature.
My father was from Hungary ( a big wine country), and we always had wine around the house, even as young as 10-12 years old. we thought nothing of it. And I am happy to report that no, I have no alcohol problem- in fact, I rarely drink at all.
Here in the North East though, we've had trouble with alcoholism as much as Russia, but we're one of the few European countries that had a Prohibition on alcohol at some point (Like they did in the states). After the ban on alcohol, alcoholism only increased, proving that when you ban something, people won't be able to handle it responsibly.
A study conducted some time ago showed that 10% of our population at some point in their life will be alcoholics or suffer from alcohol abuse.
Even though adults at 18 can drink here, we have rather strict laws on how alcohol can be sold, liqueur can only be sold in special "alcohol stores" which aren't open on Sundays and close on the weekends at 6pm (Open at 10am) and on the weekdays at 8pm.
Beer can only be sold from 9am to 9pm, and no longer after that. Alcohol also has a very high tax on it.
I'd think if they stopped being so strict with these laws, alcohol abuse might very well lessen after a few decades.