18 Year Old Drinking Age

[Smith0806]

“Federal law (United States Code) requires military installation commanders to adopt the same drinking age as the state in which the military base is located. The only exception to this rule is if the base is located within 50 miles of Canada or Mexico, or a state with a lower drinking age, the installation commander may adopt the lower drinking age for military personnel on base.”

The Department of Defense (DoD) codification of this legislation specifies that on bases within 50 miles of

“Mexico or Canada, the minimum drinking age on that DoD installation shall be the lowest applicable age of the State in which the DoD installation is located or the State or jurisdiction of Mexico or Canada that is within 50 miles of such DoD installation.

 

The minimum drinking age on a DoD installation located outside the United States shall be 18 years of age. Higher minimum drinking age will be based on international treaties and agreements and on the local situation as determined by the local installation commander.”

Reference: Powers, Rod. U.S. Military: Military Drinking Age. (http://usmilitary.about.com/library/polls/blmildrinkingage.htm

[Ehpride]

If that changed I am appalled and disgusted.

Especially in the light that it is legal at 18 in some states.

I am not correcting you, this was how it was, and to my mind how it should be.

 

What states? I don't know of any U.S. states where the current legal drinking age is 18.

[Astronomer]

On military instalations ( not off of them ) it certainy was true back then.

 

I am really disapointed they changed that, I know for a fact it was true back then.

 

What happend to the land of the free?

[cheshyrkat]

What happend to the land of the free?

 

Highway funding.

[Astronomer]

All I can say is that when I was in the service 1975-1979 I know for a fact that was true across all 50 states, but you folks have convinced me that it changed somewhere along the line, how sad.

 

Really unfair of them

 

good grief, this is pathetic.

[Jasonsterling]

Just to help keep this thread off topic-LOL. It's not unusual for Italian families to serve wine to the entire family during dinner. I have several friends in Italy and they do it all the time and none of the chlidren appear to be on a path to alcoholism nor are their parents. In fact their parents drink a good deal less than most Americans I know. As well, I can remember having wine with special occassion dinners around the age of ten and older and of course have no ill effects from it. In fact I'm not much of a drinker at all as an adult. Of course, if I had slipped a bottle of wine from the shelf at home or if a bottle of champange had gone missing when I was a teenager I would have found myself in a load of trouble, so the punishment just would not have been worth it.

[nrdsb4]

Cotton,

 

Actually, I didn't "attribute" that quote to you, I simply pushed the quote button at the bottom of the Smith's post to respond to his comments. Apologies for the mistake, not sure how that happened but will be more watchful next time. It was an honest mistake...

[Astronomer]

I served wine to my young teenaged children when we did a fancy dinner on special occasions. Not a lot mind you, by the time they were 21 they did not go out of drinking binges. There was no mystery of alcohol to them, they are all very responsible adults now.

I am the one you have to watch out for :eek:

[Cotton]

Cotton,Actually, I didn't "attribute" that quote to you, I simply pushed the quote button at the bottom of the Smith's post to respond to his comments. Apologies for the mistake, not sure how that happened but will be more watchful next time. It was an honest mistake...

 

Honest mistakes happen.;) I just wanted to make sure nobody thought that quote was from me, since it was the opposite of what I had been saying.

[wwakla]

My opinion was that I don't feel a 10 year old should be allowed to consume alcohol.

We as parents are here to guide our children in following the laws set forth. I understand the Italian way. Doesn't mean I agree with it. I wouldn't agree with any customs if they are against the law. And hopefully by me teaching my own children to follow the laws I will have law abiding ones.

[Astronomer]

I do obey the law, it was not illegal in any way for me to serve a small glass of wine to my teenaged children in my home.

[BlueHerons]

All I can say is that when I was in the service 1975-1979 I know for a fact that was true across all 50 states, but you folks have convinced me that it changed somewhere along the line, how sad.

 

Really unfair of them

 

good grief, this is pathetic.

 

Astronomer, the drinking age went to 19 across the board in 1983 and grandfathered to 21 in 1984. States that didn't adopt this had federal roads and highway funding withheld.

 

That 'old enough to fight and die for your country but not have a drink' argument was worn out when the above legislation was mandated.

[Jasonsterling]

One other thing to keep in mind when considering the direction this thread has taken is that the laws of the U.S. do not apply in Mexico or out at sea. If you should give your underage off spring alcohol in those areas it's of course ok by the legal argument, maybe not by the moral argument in some opinions though. Here in the U.S. I doubt anyone would find themselves in much legal trouble over serving a single glass of wine or beer (which has a lower alcohol content than wine) to their child in the privacy of their own home.

[bucket_O_beer4john]

 

Yes, but the poster in question didn't give his 10 y.o a few sips. He said he gave him a bottle of beer. The kid happened to take only a few sips on his own.

 

Please read my second post.

 

 

My opinion was that I don't feel a 10 year old should be allowed to consume alcohol.

We as parents are here to guide our children in following the laws set forth. I understand the Italian way. Doesn't mean I agree with it. I wouldn't agree with any customs if they are against the law. And hopefully by me teaching my own children to follow the laws I will have law abiding ones.

 

We were in Mexico - U.S. laws meant squat.

 

I certainly did not mean to get people fired up. How about if we agree to disagree on how we raise our own individual children. Deal?

[ottmar]

You may find this anecdote fitting (or not). We were skiing in Switzerland with an American couple (we are German imigrants but Americans now) and stopped at a mountain restaurant to eat and at the next table sat a young skier, about 13 or 14 and when he got his meal he waiter poured him a galss of red wine.

 

The woman with us was upset about that and we called the waiter over. The woman asked why the boy was served wine and the waiter said he ordered it.

 

The woman asked if there was no fear he would abuse the wine and the waiter looked over to the boy and said:"He doesn't seem to abuse his meat and potatoes, why would he abuse his wine?" He went on to explain that wine or beer served with a meal is considered food, not dringk.

 

....Ott

[Smith0806]

 

Please read my second post.

 

 

 

 

We were in Mexico - U.S. laws meant squat.

 

I certainly did not mean to get people fired up. How about if we agree to disagree on how we raise our own individual children. Deal?

 

I agreed with you, that is not my quote! It happened earlier to when my quote got associated with the person who said that.

[ILov2cruise]

The Italian way in my family, there was no more than a sip of wine in any childs glass.

[glrounds]

Year ago (many years ago) starting when I was probably 12 years old, every Sunday after church, my Dad always popped a beer and poured me a little juice glass full of it. :)

Now, with the exception of a half glass of wine offered while a dinner guest in someone's home, I don't drink EXCEPT on cruise ships. Then I have a few Coronas a day . . . . sometimes I go berserk, pull out all the stops, get wild & crazy and pour down 5 or 6 in a 24 hour period. :D

[bucket_O_beer4john]

 

I agreed with you, that is not my quote! It happened earlier to when my quote got associated with the person who said that.

 

 

Smith - My apologies! I just tried to do a quote for this reply, and it threw another quote within the quote. I think that screwed things up. If you don't do a preview (which I didn't) it doesn't show up.

[Cornhogio]

That 'old enough to fight and die for your country but not have a drink' argument was worn out when the above legislation was mandated.

 

Why is it worn out? It may be an old argument, but it's still true.

[nrdsb4]

Yes, and now there are quotes showing my name that I didn't say(post number 41 just to name one)!!! What the heck is going on here with the quote function?!!!!!:confused: :confused:

[bucket_O_beer4john]

Certainly does seem like something weird is going on here. I haven't seen any problems on other threads....

[Cotton]

I use the quote option often, and I've never hit the preview button. I don't have any problems with quoting.