What should the drinking age be in the UK?

Poll

What should the drinking age be in the UK?

The minimum legal drinking age varies from country to country, with a large range of ages spanning from no minimum legal age, to as young as 10, and then leaping to 21 as the maximum.

That being said, 61% have the age set at 18/19, and 12 have it set to 21, so there does seem to be a general consensus about the minimum age range. But what do you think the UK's should be? Is 18 too high/low? Or would you consider it to be the correct limit?

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Reply 1

Pigster

Alcohol should be banned to all ages. The health and societal damage is unarguable.

18 is fine to me

Original post by Pigster

Alcohol should be banned to all ages. The health and societal damage is unarguable.

thats not possible though

Fine as it is.

Original post by Pigster

Alcohol should be banned to all ages. The health and societal damage is unarguable.

Do you propose something similar to the US prohibition?

Reply 6

Tubbz

I like the way it is. Teaching a 5 year old a healthy relationship with alcohol isn't a bad thing.

Reply 7

Dheorl

I think the age to buy it in a shop is fine, could possibly even go up a tiny bit, but I think the age to buy in a pub etc should be lowered to 16. I feel when I was in 6th form I was mature enough to enjoy a pint with my mates after school. I mean we did anyway, just would have been good it is was legal.

Reply 8

maximokmo

Drinking age for beer should be 16 in pubs or still 18 but with a FAR more relaxed attitude to mature 16 and 17 year olds that want to socialise and have a drink, like in the old days. Such a joke that I can't enjoy a pint with my mates, especially after sport, when we are easily mature enough. What you see nowadays is all our generation drinking spirits from a young age at parks or parties irresponsibly, because they haven't created a like for lower risk drinks like beer and they don't understand responsible social drinking. Everyone just can't wait to get smashed when they're able to get their hands on alcohol.

(edited 6 years ago)

16.

Either no age requirement or 16. Many 18 year olds are not responsible and get very drunk/vomit. Many under-18s can obtain alcohol very easily, should they want it.

Reply 11

Tubbz

There definitely needs to be a relaxation in the age for pub drinking.

I'd be happy to see supervised 15+ year olds in pubs, maybe even only at certain times before 8pm, Sunday-Thursday etc. just to teach kids how to drink properly. The issue isn't age, it's the relationship with alcohol that needs addressing. In countries where small quantities are normalised, they have a better relationship than we do as brits, whereby drink as much as possible in secret is the norm.

Reply 12

jkls92

Original post by Pigster

Alcohol should be banned to all ages. The health and societal damage is unarguable.

You won't take my suggestion to enjoy your life and learn to appreciate wine, but at least you could read Mill and stop being an authoritarian extremist.

The reasoning is that under 18 you are a minor, not fully capable in regards to your mental capacity, so you must be protected from things that damage you. It's liberalism's only exception to the fact that the state shouldn't impose on the individual what is good for him. I think it makes sense more or less, and even if I'm not fully convinced, the fact that it's not a total ban makes it very acceptable.

Reply 13

Trapz99

Personally I think it should be illegal but if it’s legal the age requirement should be 18

Reply 14

username2324315

Original post by maximokmo

This is so true - in European countries that are way more relaxed with alcohol rules you don't see the same binge drinking culture at a young age that you see in the U.K. I think a huge reason for why we have this in our country is because you can't *legally* buy alcohol until you're 18.

Reply 15

Doones

18 in a pub is fine.

16 with food in a restaurant accompanied by an adult (and that would exclude pubs serving food).

Reply 16

Pigster

I guess my use of italics didn't have the effect I was hoping.

It should be banned, but I both know it won't and hopefully should never be attempted. I'm down to my last 30 litres of red from my holiday in France this summer.

Original post by usualsuspects

so you must be protected from things that damage you.

The state does protect us from so many things, but not this.

Everyone loves a good chart, here's one that Professor Nutt dun:

http://thebackbencher.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/drugs-chart-professor-nutt.jpg

Reply 17

Alevelsxxsxx