In the America why cant you drink till you are over 21??

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azohawk

Prior to the1970's (I don't recall the exact date) one was considered a minor until they were 21. While they could drive at 16, be drafted at 18, they could not enter into a contract, get married (w/o parental Signature), drink or vote until age 21. Someone made the argument that if an 18 year old could be drafted, they should be able to vote for who is in government. At that time the laws were changed to lower that age of majority (adulthood) to age 18. Which included drinking.
Apparently there was a sharp increase in underage drinking at that time. Older highschoolers (18, 19 and even some 20 year olds) were buying alcohol and bringing it to parties and even to school and sharing with their younger friends. In an effort to get alcohol out of the HS ages the age for drinking was returned to 21. Historically, this was a hotly debated issue at the time.

taraloti

The difference would be three years .

Eugene

I know, and it does not make sense.

If Americans think that you should not drink under 21 because you could do yourself harm or harm others, why, I wonder, can you drive a car with the age of 16 or in some states even with 14?

Certainly you are a much bigger danger to you and others driving a car than drinking a beer.

Many laws all over the world are weird and need urgent make-over, I agree.

veito da costa

But they can join the armed forces and get killed at 18.....

Good question for our 'friendly cousins' in the usa....

Kickback

Prohibition laws.

NutstersChick

3 years?
it's the Law we're different countries hence different laws.

i wish they'd adopt the 21 years b4 u can legally consume alcohol, here in the UK.
but i doubt they will!

NOLA guy

Some of it is the Puritan influence on our society, even hundreds of years later. There are elements of American society that wish for the return of Prohibition.

Most of it is due to an objective evaluation of traffic accident statistics. Like the fact or not, younger people (under age 25) are more likely to become involved in serious accidents - and especially fatal accidents involving alcohol.

A drinking age of 21 is actually a compromise between the two views, and is partly because someone who has reached the age of 21 is considered a "full" adult. That doesn't stop car rental companies from refusing to rent to people who are under the age of 25....

m434u

in england and europe the drunks out number the nondrinker two or is it ten to one.
Might it be that we do not want as many drunks here..
Too bad it dose not work out that way. Kids just get adults to buy the alcohol for them

waycar111

it was 19 for beer and wine and 21 for liquor when i was growing up. i was one of the last of the 19 year olds that were allowed to drink when they changed it in the late 1980's. I think drunk driving was the main concern.

flipchick10377

well they don't want people 2 b drinking if there not responsible 4 there aktions adn they don't want kids well teens getting drunk

prajwal

in india even a10 year old drinks

rickster18778

cos they dont need to drink in america, they are too busy shooting each other and sleeping with their sisters!!

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