Halie
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
Posts: 982
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Alcohol
Aug 21, 2009 19:59:33 GMT -5
Post by Halie on Aug 21, 2009 19:59:33 GMT -5
I thought I'd start this thread based on some conversations I saw over on the 'Military' thread and was wondering what you all thought about drinking, the drinking age in your country, etc. Something Michelle wrote over on the other thread that I wanted to respond to: The higher drinking age helps keep it out of high schools as best you can (I know that it's there. I was in high school once, too. But it could be worse.) I'm currently a senior in high school and I know people who drive down to Mexico to drink, people who raid their parents' liquor cabinets and people who started bringing water bottles full of vodka to school in the 8th grade. Granted, I'm not really friends with these people nor do I really drink myself (my parents do pour me a glass of wine with dinner occasionally, which I appreciate as I really think it's taught me to drink responsibly and appreciate good wine.) Drinking is a huge problem where I live and I think the high drinking age (21 in the US) only makes it worse. It's like someone on the other thread was saying, if you are old enough to shoot a gun at someone in a war, why can't you drink alcohol? Anyways, these are my thoughts and I'd love to hear yours... let the debate begin.
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Alcohol
Aug 22, 2009 0:24:26 GMT -5
Post by Dominique on Aug 22, 2009 0:24:26 GMT -5
As I said in the other thread the drinking age is 18 here. I probably started drinking at parties when I was nearly 17 so that's not too far below the legal limit at least. Most of my friends and most people I know started at about the same age. There were a few kids drinking at younger ages in other social groups but not many. Because of my experiences here I doubt that having the legal limit at 18 has brought anymore alcohol into the lives of high school students than countries like America where it's 21, where from what I've heard it sounds pretty similar. Like everything, it depends on your experience, your peer group and school but I guess it's like that in all countries too. I can't say whether I agree with the legal age being what it is here or anywhere else, but I can make a few observances about what it's like having the age set at 18 here, good or bad. - Because they can go clubbing at 18, most people have outgrown going out, dancing, getting drunk and partying every single weekend by the time they're 21/22.
- People who are going into the military or college or wherever have generally already been exposed to alcohol before they get there.
- 18-year-olds seem to be usually drinking anyway so it could be argued they're better off drinking on the licensed premises of pubs where they have to order it from someone trained in not serving grossly intoxicated people than swigging heavily handed mixed drinks in someone's backyard.
Also just as a note we're always told Australia has a pretty big drinking culture compared to other nations, but I have no clue if that's actually true or not having only lived here. Oooh and just a side anecdote, a year or so an American exchange student told me about how surprised she was that Australian men rarely buy women drinks. She said that most of the time when she goes out in America men buy all the drinks. I thought that was interesting.
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bookworm
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
"Everything you can imagine is real" - Pablo Picasso
Posts: 973
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Alcohol
Aug 22, 2009 1:24:01 GMT -5
Post by bookworm on Aug 22, 2009 1:24:01 GMT -5
I agree with Dominique's observances... Here, the legal drinking age is 17 and even though there are people in high school who start drinking at a younger age I don't think it's a huge problem. Also, the majority of the parents will pour a glass of wine or beer to teenagers at family dinners. So, I think because alcohol is not so strictly forbidden and hard to get for teens, most of them are not obsessed with drinking... I've never been at a party where people are delirious because someone managed to get a keg or a bottle of vodka!
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Alcohol
Aug 22, 2009 3:05:02 GMT -5
Post by Pilleriin on Aug 22, 2009 3:05:02 GMT -5
In Estonia, the legal drinking age is also 18, but almost everyone start with it earlier than that. I personally don't like alcohol or cigarettes, because some of my family members have had a problem with them in the past and I've seen, what they can do to you. I live in the country, where the problem seems a bit bigger, than in the bigger cities. Most of the students start drinking in the 6th grade at the age of 13, so I think that it's quite a big problem here. Actually, about half of my former class were and still are regular drinkers. I don't think they're ever going to stop, it's really sad, but I guess that's life.
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Alcohol
Aug 22, 2009 6:31:08 GMT -5
Post by Hanna on Aug 22, 2009 6:31:08 GMT -5
It sounds like Estonia and Norway are pretty much alike when it comes to drinking. I remember most people started drinking when we were 12 or 13, and it just goes on. But it does not seem to improve though, I mean, other places it seems like when people grow up, so does their drinking habits, but it isn't like that here. Most people in their 20s and 30s still go out and get pissed drunk Thursday to Sunday, which is bad. I wished the Scandinavian drinking culture were different.
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Alcohol
Aug 22, 2009 6:43:59 GMT -5
Post by Isa on Aug 22, 2009 6:43:59 GMT -5
I pretty much agree with everything everyone has said so far. The drinking age in Quebec is 18 (though most people start drinking when they're about 16) - in Ontario, the province right next to us, it's 19 and when I lived there I could already tell there was a difference in mentality. It's like having to wait that extra year made alcohol so much more appealing! Groups of Ontario students often come to Quebec and get in/create trouble because they'll be binge drinking - some of them have even died because of it! Pushing back the legal drinking age does nothing to help solve problems related to alcohol, I think the sooner you come in contact with it and learn how to drink with moderation, the better.
Dom, I guess I do see Australia as having a drinking culture, though not necessarily a heavy drinking one. It's just that all the Australian guys I've met sure know how to put away a few pints pretty fast! Oh, and in Canada it's pretty rare that guys will buy drinks for girls in bars. It happens, but girls usually find it really cheesy - definitely not the best flirting technique!
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Michelle
First novel published
Posts: 2,563
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Alcohol
Aug 22, 2009 9:07:17 GMT -5
Post by Michelle on Aug 22, 2009 9:07:17 GMT -5
Isa, it's funny that you say people from Ontario used to go to Quebec to drink at 18 because we all used to go from Michigan to Ontario on the weekends to drink at 19. I agree that in cultures where drinking at a younger age is socially accepted, alcohol does not have such a negative effect on teenagers or people in their early 20s. But that's the culture and not just a product of the drinking age. If you lowered the drinking age in the US now (which states are free to do if they want to give up federal highway funding) I don't think you would get that desired effect. instead, you would just have more teenagers drinking. As I get older, I understand the higher drinking age more. I did drink in high school and I did drink in college before I was 21, But the challenge of getting alcohol prevented us from drinking all the time (at least in high school). I used to think 19 (like Ontario) was a good age because then you do legally keep it out of high school. But now that I'm 26 (and probably forgetting how frustrating being 20 was) I like the higher drinking age.
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Alcohol
Aug 23, 2009 7:32:39 GMT -5
Post by Carma on Aug 23, 2009 7:32:39 GMT -5
Here in Holland you are allowed to drink when you turn 16. I'm not a drinker myself, because I just don't like the taste, so I'm not too familiar with all the drinking. But I remember when i was in year 2 of highschool (I was 12.. or 13..) and we had a school party, at school (where no drinking is allowed). And a guy snuck in a bottle of Bacardi Breezer (lol) and they thought it was soo cool. Also when I worked at the supermarket I noticed a lot of guys and girls trying to buy alcohol. Usually they were 14 or 15. And sometimes they'd just ask someone older to buy it for them. But I usually didn't bother asking for ID (even though we were supposed to) cos I always think that if they want to drink, well, thats their problem. I know that is probably a bad view. But I just don't care... When I was little and my parents were drinking wine, I always wanted to try it, cos it looked just like fruit juice and I thought it looked good. So my parents let me try a sip and I never liked it. My parents still ask me if I want to have wine at dinner, but I still don't like it. But I think it helped me to see how to be responsible with drinking. I think though, maybe if I liked it, it would be different...
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Alcohol
Aug 23, 2009 15:51:42 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2009 15:51:42 GMT -5
I also tasted various alcohols when I was little from my parents glass. And everything tasted really bad I still think almost every drink tastes bad. I agree with Hanna that the Scandinavian drinking culture is not the best. Most of the teenage drinking is about peer pressure and rebellion. And just to have fun. And apparently the only way is to get wasted. One of my schoolmates just said that there is no point in getting just few drinks, it is just waste of money if you are not wasted. Everything is going to excess. (Sometimes I feel sad when my friends are having fun at bars and I am at home reading. But I remind myshelf that that is their fun, this is mine.) I don't think the age issue matters, if underage wants to get alcohol, he'll get it somehow.
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Alcohol
Aug 23, 2009 15:56:53 GMT -5
Post by gilmoreandbasketball on Aug 23, 2009 15:56:53 GMT -5
where i live drinking among children (yes children, most kids start around 10sih) is everywhere. its hard to find someone who hasnt been drinking since their preteen years. I am one of the few who does not do this, but its taken a toll on who will be my friends and who will not. I have come to accept teenage drinking i think because of where i live, but i dont think its right, i just think it is what it is and to be totally honest there is nothing anyone can do about it. People are going to do what they want reguardless of what others have to say.
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