Should under age drinking be un-banned?

[admin]

I think it should be un-banned unless there are certain individuals that are abusing it. It should only be banned for people that abuse it.

I would like to make it clear that civil law does not ban alcohol to people under age if it is for religious reasons. You could say that any kosher wine is for religious reasons. Even if it is not for kiddush, drinkling at a simcha can count as a religious reason according to me.

[Sarah]

How can there be a select law for the the very few?

I think under age drinking should stay illegal. There are already enough alcohol related crimes, by young people, that harm others......especially in the case of drink driving.....and allowing it to be legal will lead to more abuse.

[דוד בן זאב אריה]

Within a home there really shouldn't be an age limit. But if someone abbuses it then ban it from them and them only

[Daniel]

How can there be a select law for the the very few?

I think under age drinking should stay illegal. There are already enough alcohol related crimes, by young people, that harm others......especially in the case of drink driving.....and allowing it to be legal will lead to more abuse.

I agree with the first statement Sarah states. You can't just select a law for the very few. If you're going to legislate something, it needs to be applied equally without discrimination. The only exception being is if a judge revokes that privilege.

However, I disagree with the second part of the statement. I don't think it's practical to have the drinking age at 21. First off, we're saying that someone who is old enough to go to war isn't old enough to drink? I barely think that's reasonable or fair. Secondly, there are loads of college students under the age of 21 who drink illegally. The laws against underage drinking and even the rules of so called "dry campuses" are barely ever enforced. So I think the drinking itself shouldn't be banned. But any unlawful or destructive behavior that might result from irresponsible drinking should be the focus of enforcement rather than the drinking itself.

[Sarah]

How can there be a select law for the the very few?

I think under age drinking should stay illegal. There are already enough alcohol related crimes, by young people, that harm others......especially in the case of drink driving.....and allowing it to be legal will lead to more abuse.

So you claim to be a Muslim and Muslims ban it even for adults.

What do Muslims think about infidels drinking alcohol? I ask because Jews don't require Gentiles to keep kosher so what do Muslims think about Non-Muslims eating non-halal and drinking alcohol?

Yes but you're talking about a non-muslim country, they have their own rules and should leave islamic laws to their people not others.

Muslims don't mind non-muslims eating non-halal food or even drinking alcohol because it hasn't been prescribed for them not to do so. However i'm sure many are disgusted when they see people doing crazy and immoral things after getting drunk. As long as they don't do it themselves, they don't really care.

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

No. Im almost 21 I had to wait to be legally recognized, let the others wait 2. But anyway not that many people follow that law anyhow.

[Ehud]

No way.  I really think that kids who are 18-20 (or whatever the legal age would be 16 and on up) are too irresponsible to drink.  Sure, they drink illegally, but if you let them get it and get into bars, it makes the problem even worse.  When I was younger I wanted to be able to drink legally, but now that I look back I'm glad that I wasn't able to purchase alcohol until I was 21. 

[Dr. Dan]

alcohol shoudl not be sold to minors. I think 21 years is too high of an age. I think 18 shoudl be the age to allow it to be sold, but whatever.

For those younger..under teh supervision of the parents it should be fine.

but a sip of manshevitz doesn't count...

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

No I believe the underage drinking laws should remain. I believe they need to be increased here from 18 back to 21.

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

No I believe the underage drinking laws should remain. I believe they need to be increased here from 18 back to 21.

Here they used to be 18 and they put them at 21.

That was a great move in the US.

[Raulmarrio2000]

I think it should be un-banned unless there are certain individuals that are abusing it. It should only be banned for people that abuse it.

I would like to make it clear that civil law does not ban alcohol to people under age if it is for religious reasons. You could say that any kosher wine is for religious reasons. Even if it is not for kiddush, drinkling at a simcha can count as a religious reason according to me.

Well, perhaps they should lower the age for drinking alcohol at home with parent's permission.
Now, I don't think that wine for simcha can be considered a religious reason. It's not a mandatory mitzva in Judaism, with the possible exception of Purim. Jews are required to enjoy any non-sinfull thing they like during Shabat. So, we should unban everything Torah allows to do with moderation, and Gentiles who don't follow Torah will abuse it.

Now, for practical reasons, we must see if a law is being fulfilled, and what is the fate of those who break it. If a teen who illegally takes alcohol, is just fined, and can keep a normal life, then better keep it banned. Some teens are eager to break the law just to be rebels. Then better have a lees harmfull thing banned, so that in case they purposedly wish to break the law, they don't turn to something worse.

But if the offender is persecuted, treated as a crimnal, and rejected by society, just of that offense, then better unban it, lest he seeks the companion of other offenders and criminals and gets ruined.

BTW, here in Argentina it's forbidden to sell cigarettes to under aged, but no law against them smoking. They can esasily send an adult to buy it, and it's no offense. I think the Govt. should ban it. How is it in USA?

[cjd]

alcohol shoudl not be sold to minors. I think 21 years is too high of an age. I think 18 shoudl be the age to allow it to be sold, but whatever.

For those younger..under teh supervision of the parents it should be fine.

but a sip of manshevitz doesn't count...

I agree 18 is old enough to be able to buy alcohol. If people old enough to vote and go into the service buying booze should also be permitted. When I was a teen the age was 18 to drink in a bar or be able to buy booze in a store. In the group of friends I had back then I don't recall anyone ever having a problem with the law because of drinking and driving. What should be done however is to make drunk driving laws today even more strict on drivers under 21 that are caught at the wheel under the influence. Anyone under 21 caught drunk behind the wheel  looses their license until they are 25.

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

Technically it all depends on the person. Someone can be 30 and irresponsible in drinking. While someone younger can drink sometimes and not go wild. You mentioning bloody marryies reminded me when I first had it when I was 12. But I dont really drink except wine on Shabb-t + occasional vodka when with a few people. Anyway I remember in the past I went to non-kosher resturants, I wouldn't eat but they would give me a drink if I ordered it without asking id. I didn't look 21, neither do I now. But that was only a couple of times.

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

For once I make a poll not to ban things and people actually want them banned.

  Such is life Yacov 

[JR-Obilic]

It shouldn't be banned to begin with.  We live in a society where kids can get cocaine and other drugs as soon as they get to high school, but it's against the law for them to go out with their friends and have a few beers?  Give me a break.

[Ulli]

Yes it should be unbanned. This is only a decision of the parents and not of the bolshewik gouvernment.

If you have no red wine, you can use for exeption grape juice for "Last Supper", but this is the exception and not the rule.

Jews use red wine too for religious needs.

No gouvernment has the right to ban this for us.

[Daniel]

For once I make a poll not to ban things and people actually want them banned.

And for once, you make a poll that is not preposterous or offensive Kudos to you for that!

[newman]

Underage drinking or drug taking  should NOT be permitted.

I'm now a convert to the idea of decriminalising drugs for adults. The 'war on drugs' is a horrendously expensive failure. Let losers OD and kill themselves.

[Sarah]

Underage drinking or drug taking  should NOT be permitted.

I'm now a convert to the idea of decriminalising drugs for adults. The 'war on drugs' is a horrendously expensive failure. Let losers OD and kill themselves.

Yeah but those losers just bring bereavement and problems to the rest of society.

[Nic Brookes]

Why should it be banned? Being irresponsible will lead righteous people to not repeat mistakes. Others will drink illegally in any case. I am for there being no alcohol laws whatsoever.

[JTFFan]

Why should it be banned? Being irresponsible will lead righteous people to not repeat mistakes. Others will drink illegally in any case. I am for there being no alcohol laws whatsoever.

Yes, there are some people that just drink irresponsibly regardless of how old they are.

[Ehud]

Yes it should be unbanned. This is only a decision of the parents and not of the bolshewik gouvernment.

If you have no red wine, you can use for exeption grape juice for "Last Supper", but this is the exception and not the rule.

Jews use red wine too for religious needs.

No gouvernment has the right to ban this for us.

The US government effectively doesn't ban red wine for Christians and Jews.  There are Christian and Jewish kids under 21 who drink wine every week, and nothing is done about it.  There isn't even a way to charge under-21 kids who are drunk unless they are driving a car or are drunk in public. 

All this talk of the US banning alcohol for religious purposes is nonsense.  I doubt that a single Christian or Jew has EVER been arrested and charged with drinking wine during communion or drinking wine on Friday night for Shabbat. 

If anyone was charged with drinking alcohol for a religious reason, he would have an automatic 1st amendment defense.  There already is an exception for drinking alcohol for religious purposes. 

[Raulmarrio2000]

I agree 18 is old enough to be able to buy alcohol. If people old enough to vote and go into the service buying booze should also be permitted

Good point! Dan. Just lower the age to 18.

Technically it all depends on the person. Someone can be 30 and irresponsible in drinking. While someone younger can drink sometimes and not go wild.

Yes, Tzwi. But the Govt. does the best it can. No Govt. can decide who is more irresponsible. They just fix an average age for all.

Yes it should be unbanned. This is only a decision of the parents and not of the bolshewik gouvernment.

Golden, I dislike US policies, but I don't agree the Govt is communist. And I think the State is more authoritative to ban something than parents (in some cases). What about a group of teens having a party. They all drinking beer, but one having only orange juice because his parents forbid alcohol? Not good

I'm now a convert to the idea of decriminalising drugs for adults. The 'war on drugs' is a horrendously expensive failure. Let losers OD and kill themselves.

Newman, I agree with decrimilalising it. But not to let them kill themselves. Here, in Argentina, many people don't seek a treatment just because of fear of the prosecution!

[newman]

The drinking age is 18 down here and it's a disaster. The inner city entertainment districts are a war zone every Friday & Saturday night. We want it raised to 21 again.

[Angry Panther]

The reason you have to be 21 to drink in the US is because too many 18 year olds were buying beer for there younger friends (16,17 year olds), so they passed a federal law raising the age to 21 and those states that did not comply got federal tax dollars taken away from them to build new roads and maintain roads. The law passed in 1984.

The only exception I would make is for our military, If you fight for this country than your old enough to have a drink. My father told me that during World War 2 some of the Army Air Corp pilots were 16 years of age and even though they were officers they were to young to drink. The officers club had a sign saying you had to be 18 years of age or older to drink. If your willing to risk your life for your country than you deserve to have a beer.