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Alcohol and 'the law'

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posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:24 PM
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Walking home just now I was approached by two young foreign students asking me to buy alcohol. We have thousands of English language students here every year so it is not uncommon to be asked.
"Hi, would you please buy alcohol for us, I'm 18 next month"
"Sorry no, it's a potential £20,000 fine for me if I do that"
"There are no police around"
"I know, but I can't take the risk sorry"

I went on my way but genuinely was sorry I had to say no. In the UK it is legal to drink alcohol from age 16 if served with a meal, just a plate of fries will suffice at the pub. These young lads just wanted a few beers at the beach, but being 17 and 11 months it is illegal so I had to say no.
Crazy laws though, my son came out with me regularly aged 16, we'd just order food as well so it was totally legal.
Anyway, I'm troubled that I seemed a meanie saying no, but if it had been simply store policy not a 20 grand fine I would probably have bought them the beers. They seemed sensible lads who just wanted to chill with a pint.

So what's the age limit where you are? 21 seems ridiculous to me, unless of course there is evidence that the 21 rule actually stops young people from drinking. Personally I don't believe it and I suspect it merely pushes the drinking into secret unregulated environments like house parties.
Still gutted for the two foreign students, I remember being turned down trying to get served when I was 17 lol.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:28 PM
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a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

18 as well here in Brazil.

And don't be so hard on yourself, alcohol is overrated anyways.




posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:31 PM
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a reply to: vinifalou

Haha cheers
There are other substances I would say are far superior in effect to alcohol, for sure.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:38 PM
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a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

21 here in the US, but an hour away in Montreal it is 18



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:42 PM
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originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

21 here in the US, but an hour away in Montreal it is 18

Crazy how a line in the sand makes such a difference.
The lads who asked me this evening were outside a pub across the street from the supermarket, and this is where the law gets nuts, I could have legally bought them alcohol if they'd come into the pub with me and had a plate of fries from age 16, but 4 beers from the store to drink at the beach is illegal.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:43 PM
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Yeah, I used to do that when I was 16. We'd sit outside our favorite bar and wait for a likely looking character to come out, approach him and ask him to buy us a case of beer, give him $5.00 and tell him to keep the change (Yes, it was awhile ago.) Believe me when I say I was a "nice young man" and well-spoken. Then, like you said, we'd "go to the beach and have a pint" or maybe a dozen, then drive with an alcohol level that was probably triple the legal limit, thus endangering ourselves, our passengers, and anyone else around us. We never got caught with a DUI, and fortunately never hurt anyone. We were just extremely lucky. But yeah, alcohol laws are so unfair.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:47 PM
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originally posted by: schuyler
But yeah, alcohol laws are so unfair.

I just think UK legislation is odd. Did you know that it is legal for a parent to allow their child to drink alcohol from age 5?
Why 5? 4 years and 11 months illegal, but 5 is cool lol.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:47 PM
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That line in the sand is the difference between 18 or 21- and stateside buying a drink for a 20 year old can net you a year in prison, plus fines.
Even if the poor fellow just got back from two years of service in the marines, experiencing things no man should have to experience.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:48 PM
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originally posted by: lordcomac
Even if the poor fellow just got back from two years of service in the marines, experiencing things no man should have to experience.

Gosh that's insane isn't it. Can die for your country but can't buy a pint.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:56 PM
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a reply to: CornishCeltGuy
At least our limit is related mainly to purchase, and doesn't stop drinking at home with parental permission.
I could have sworn the minimum UK age was 17, when I was growing up. is this a recent change?
Also, traditionally, enforcement was more worried about "out of hours" drinking than underage, since there was no age-based ID. Hence the sketch in "Goodness Gracious Me", where the two youngsters are celebrating being sixteen, I think, and being "old enough to drink illegally".


No, here it is. They're 15, and "legally cool enough to order your first underage drink".


edit on 28-3-2018 by DISRAELI because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 02:59 PM
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a reply to: DISRAELI
www.drinkaware.co.uk...


It is not illegal:
For someone over 18 to buy a child over 16 beer, wine or cider if they are eating a table meal together in licensed premises.
For a child aged five to 16 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises.


Why 5? lol, can a 4 year old not handle it?!
UK law is nuts sometimes



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:04 PM
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a reply to: CornishCeltGuy
21 and up in most US states. It easily is responsible for up to double or more fatalities in the USA every year than firearms. The CDC estimates say 31,000 people die from alcohol induced death not including accidents and homicides. That means you still need to add in DUI fatalities and murders under the influence.

In any case, one should never break the law to purchase alcohol for minors. It is simply ethically improper and unnecessary. Let the kids pursue the age old tradition of approaching the homeless for such favors and paying them with a bottle or can or two.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:10 PM
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originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: CornishCeltGuy
21 and up in most US states. It easily is responsible for up to double or more fatalities in the USA every year than firearms. The CDC estimates say 31,000 people die from alcohol induced death not including accidents and homicides. That means you still need to add in DUI fatalities and murders under the influence.

I agree, nearly lost my child through rolling a car drunk aged 17.


In any case, one should never break the law to purchase alcohol for minors. It is simply ethically improper and unnecessary. Let the kids pursue the age old tradition of approaching the homeless for such favors and paying them with a bottle or can or two.
If the law was 21 in the UK I'd ignore it as silly. I'd purposfully flaunt it because I think 21 is so ridiculous. Law is guidance to me. Morality is inherrent.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:11 PM
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a reply to: CornishCeltGuy
That paradox follows necessarily from having any kind of age limit. It's unavoidable. If the legal age was 65, there would still be a sudden change from 64. It's like traffic lights, where only a few seconds separate red from green. Or as a bar customer once said to me; "That change you gave me is right- but only just!"
The reasoning here will be that the body of a younger child is too small to cope.


edit on 28-3-2018 by DISRAELI because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:13 PM
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messed up meant to edit, now the thread is a mess

edit on 28-3-2018 by CornishCeltGuy because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:18 PM
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a reply to: DISRAELI

5 though? Who do you reckon sat down and said "Hmm, 4 year olds shouldn't be drinking booze, one must be age 5 minimum" genuinely makes me chuckle that I couldn't buy those two big 17 year old lads a few beers earlier, but I could legally give vodka to my 5 year old child at home.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:22 PM
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Here in the US it's all about the money. I had a DUI 25 years ago and found out people with good jobs pay everyone's bill. I was last in line of 10 people for sentencing and had a DUI and that was that. My fine was as much as the 9 in front of me together and I was the only one to do jail time. Dang lawyer could have warned me



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:27 PM
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originally posted by: mikell
Here in the US it's all about the money. I had a DUI 25 years ago and found out people with good jobs pay everyone's bill. I was last in line of 10 people for sentencing and had a DUI and that was that. My fine was as much as the 9 in front of me together and I was the only one to do jail time. Dang lawyer could have warned me

Wow sounds harsh!
My 17 year old took a telegraph pole out and flipped multiple times. Refused to give a sample knowing it would be way over so went with "refusal to supply" charge instead. Wise move, £200 fine and 9 month ban.



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:32 PM
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a reply to: CornishCeltGuy
So what limit would you choose, and how would you justify it, given that the "one day you can't, next day you can" paradox is inescapable?
I think the point is that the "parental permission" criterion should prevent binge drinking, and permits a small sip of something at a family celebration. The parents won't be hauled off to prison for allowing a small glass of champagne at a wedding. The question then becomes "At what age does even a small sip become unhealthy, and something which parents should not be allowed to permit?" Five years is the school age, and medical opinion might accept that as a convenient limit.



edit on 28-3-2018 by DISRAELI because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 28 2018 @ 03:39 PM
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a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Alcohol is responsible for something like three million deaths a year worldwide. It removes inhibitions that normally stop us from stupid behavior. Teenagers are already prone to bad decisions due to the part of their brains that allow for critical thinking skills not maturing until they are older.

What sane person would suggest that kids getting drunk is a good thing? Kids might believe that, but no mature adult would.

I know, I made all the mistakes when I was young and stupid and I've watched many lives ruined or snuffed out as a direct result of kids drinking. I'm lucky I survived.




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