Should the drinking age in Scotland be raised to 21?

your 19!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

good *, it thought you were in your 30's

 

I don't know if I think this specifically is the answer but I do believe that the fact that we make it a taboo for under eighteens makes it more appealing for them. I do agree though it would be sensible to introduce them to alcohol in a more controlled way.

I would be happy to allow my kid to have some wine with a meal when they are 13/14. That way you have a chance of teaching them how to use alcohol rather than abuse it.

 

It's a problem all over the world, raising minimum ages won't do anything. Kids get to an age where a few friends start drinking then everyone else is to; anyone who isn't is some kind of freak. Parents think they are following the continental approach by allowing it but it has no effect. Tougher punishments on underage drinkers would be a lot more effective than raising the minimum age.

 

What should those tougher punishments be?

 

after the smoking ban, this would be the last thing the pub industry would need. you'd be as well closing down 70% of the pubs in Glasgow centre for a start.

 

Hard to answer that one as it could be the first time out drinking for someone and they get caught while others are out every weekend. You can't punish at the moment because everbody is doing it. Like I said alcohol abuse is a problem everywhere and there doesn't seem to be a solution.

 

im gonna say no on this one! like angie says you can join the army,drive, have * etc but not alowed to drink is shambolic tbh....so nah for me.
what you need to do is capture the folk getting drink for enderage drinkers and sorting them out or .......my idea after you finish primary school get the government to take fingerprints of the child and put it on an electronic card and give machines to all of sales and pubs and clubs and when they have this card they need to show it to them and they swipe the card and itl tell them their age right there and now? thats gotta be worth a shout no?

 

In theory that could work. But it would be expensive to implement and most people over the age of 25 wouldn't be too happy about having to carry something like that around with them every time they wanted to have a drink. People get offended enough if you ask them for ID in a pub.

 

thats a load of crap!they are doing this cos they arent getting more of a cut from the tax on drink thats why theyre doing this to the supermarkets,and besides thats a big * you to everyone who works their * aff to enjoy a drink and now its gonna cost more?

 

I'm 16, been getting drink since i was about 11 by simply asking someone for it (not the folks tho). If the government think they can stop drinking simply by lifting the age limit, it'll get teenagers even more determined for it.

 

Yeah unfortunately, the price of alcohol (and most other things tbh) will rise over the next couple of years. It might get to the point where people can't afford to drink.

 

Is there really that little to do up there?

 

have to say no to this one as I use to drink on the streets all the time till I was 18 but from the age of 15 you always managed to find a way of getting bevvy, it would work the same now if it was put up again, I would need to et ma da to go to the shop and get me a bottle just like I had to when I was 16 lol

 

so expensive eh? so to me thats the government careing more about money rather than the problem with under age drinkers!!!

 

There is no way it should be risen to 21. If anything it should be lowered, 16 to get sold in the pubs and clubs and 18 to be sold at the shops.
Im 18 in 2 months today (actually counting down the days) and if this was to happen i would not be happy. Not only because it would affect me but it would be taking 1 big step backwards instead of forwards, what would it solve?
If the age to buy a drink in the pub was 16 like i said, the next generation would not be out on the streets drinking. And by the time they were 18 and could be sold in the off license they wouldnt even think drinking in a park would be a good thing to do.

 

The US State that has the highest rate of alcohol abuse and suicide rates, by far, is Alaska. I think Canada has the same problem with its three northern territories.

And money isn't a factor, because all of them average a higher GDP per person than the national average of the US and Canada, respectively.

 

Do you think that the drinking age in the USA should be lowered to 18?

 

raising the age won't help anything i don't think

the culture must be changed, the drinking culture in spain is now changing to ours and they are having problems like the rise of el botellon

 

19, probably. I think in general American high schoolers are too immature to handle being able to go to the store and buy beer. One situation I thought would work is if all graduating seniors could buy beer starting like July 1st or something... and just have their graduating year printed on their ID card.