Is is true 18-20 year olds can drink alcohol?

[Mark_K]

We were in England last year and the drinking age there was 21. Each European country had a different policy.

Not sure where you got that, but the minimum age to purchase alcohol in the UK is 18. Perhaps you saw a Challenge 21 sign, but that's just a statement that the establishment will check ID if you look under 21.

[andrzej5914]

We were in England last year and the drinking age there was 21. Each European country had a different policy.

 

UK drinking laws:

 

Children under 5 must not be given alcohol unless under medical supervision or in an emergency (Children and Young Persons Act 1933, Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937). However, children aged 5 and over may legally consume alcohol in their own or someone else's home as long as they are under the supervision of an adult, but Social Services are intolerant of this occurring with children under the age of 14.

The minimum age for the purchase of alcohol is 18. People aged 16 or 17 may consume wine, beer or cider on licensed premises (pubs/bars/restaurants) with a table meal. In England & Wales, an adult must order. In Scotland, no adult is required to be present. The legal age for the purchase of alcohol from an off-licence (store/supermarket) is 18 (The legal age to buy liquor chocolates is 16 (however this is rarely enforced)).

Under the BBPA's Challenge 21 scheme, customers attempting to buy alcoholic beverages are asked to prove their age if in the retailer's opinion they look under 21, even though they are only 18. Many supermarket and off-licence chains display Challenge 21 notices stating that they will not serve persons who look under 21 without ID.

Purchasing alcohol on behalf of a minor is illegal in Scotland, England and Wales. This means acting as the young person's agent.

[fubarsbabe]

Hi Gina, its most definately 18 to drink and buy cigarettes in UK, however most places do have a challenge if look under 21 to make sure they get i.d for the buyer and to avoid serving under age consumers.

[CPT Trips]

In many countries and cultures, younger people can and do drink wine with dinner. Some start as young as their stomachs can handle it.

 

Interestingly, these same countries have fewer problems with teen drinking. Withholding social alcohol use early seems to lead to binge drinking later. There's a lesson there but we American's have trouble learning sometimes.

 

Ray

 

Had a Dutch friend ask me, "doesn't it make more sense to allow kids to drink, and get over the 'thrill' before you allow them to drive?"

 

Absolutely not. They swore to uphold the laws of the US, did they not? That is all that matters, is the law, whether you like it or not, and I'm not saying I always like it, but to argue is fruitless on any board, but if you want to change something, do it where it will matter, with your politicians!:D

I can't get past how ironic the screenname is compared to the post.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Couldn't agree with you more.

 

Binge drinking amongst teens in the UK is out of control and we're not a country that has traditionally included wine at the majority of dinner tables. Frankly I'm not all that sure whether the majority of French families do these days...well my family in France didn't that's for sure. Nevertheless, the availability of what we call 'alco-pops' and the cheapness of beer through supermarkets (cheaper than bottled water) has led to a tremendous amount of anti-social behaviour, criminal damage as well as personal injury and other disturbances which is eroding at the way of life in many town centres and communities throughout the UK.

 

 

 

Yes, I am in agreement with this too, big time, coming from a seaside town where the young drinking culture is way out of hand. I have been to the USA many times and different areas and never seen the same behaviour not once. Yes I have seen a few older ones drunk but not out of hand. In the UK its the same in most towns now. Not good!

[land lover]

Thanks everyone for the tongue in cheek............

CHEERS!!!!!!!!!

[land lover]

Oh and BTW and someone correct me if I am wrong....The waiver must be signed by a legal guardian or parent that is sailing with the "child"...

[nrdsb4]

Yes, I am in agreement with this too, big time, coming from a seaside town where the young drinking culture is way out of hand. I have been to the USA many times and different areas and never seen the same behaviour not once. Yes I have seen a few older ones drunk but not out of hand. In the UK its the same in most towns now. Not good!

 

You can and will see the behavior you describe in U.S. college environments. Since the drinking age has been lowered, the drunk driving deaths have decreased. Unfortunately, incidences of death by alcohol poisoning have increased. Binge drinking at colleges and universities has gotten worse with each decade. Ask various experts what the answer to this problem is, and you get no agreement. Everyone seems to be at a loss.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

You can and will see the behavior you describe in U.S. college environments. Since the drinking age has been lowered, the drunk driving deaths have decreased. Unfortunately, incidences of death by alcohol poisoning have increased. Binge drinking at colleges and universities has gotten worse with each decade. Ask various experts what the answer to this problem is, and you get no agreement. Everyone seems to be at a loss.

 

 

Yes we get it at University and college here too but its the younger ones, like 15,16,17 year olds that are a big problem and its in the towns on the streets, we are at a loss how to control it too. The hospitals on a Friday and Saturday night are over run with young drunk people, who are either just totally drunk or drugs or have been fighting, I had to take my DD to hospital one Sat night and it was scarey,young stab victims, blood everywhere and violence, its a nightmare.

Anyway, off soap box and totally off topic. :)

[Bobal]

The hospitals on a Friday and Saturday night are over run with young drunk people, who are either just totally drunk or drugs or have been fighting, I had to take my DD to hospital one Sat night and it was scarey,young stab victims, blood everywhere and violence, its a nightmare.

 

Just to confirm - it's not like that in every town in England ;)

[Bobal]

You can and will see the behavior you describe in U.S. college environments.

 

The phenomenon you call 'Spring Break' doesn't happen in the UK. Yes, there is a drinking culture at colleges but they don't go crazy in the way we hear about in places like Cancun at spring break. It seems to happen with UK kids earlier - i.e they will take themselves off to seaside towns in the UK or the Med whilst they're still teens and get stupid drunk. I have 2 teenage sons and it scares me when I see the amount that teens drink today, and how easy it seems to be to get hold of drink. Whenever there's a party the girls all arrive with bottles of vodka in their bags, even as young as 14.

 

All we can do is hope to educate them ourselves, because no amount of TV advertising or newspaper articles seem to have any effect at all :(