17 replies to this topic

[Libains]

So I was reading this article (or sorts) on the BBC about underage drinking in the UK. Whilst the problem may not be the same for the rest of the world, I for one, feel disgraced by the amount of drinking, underage or not, in this country. It is slowly polluting the minds of anyone, and is seriously damaging them for life. The UK government is now trying to implement some new laws that are supposed to prevent such drinking, specifically targeted at underage drinking. I really cannot understand as to why the country persists in drinking itself into a stupor. I for one feel no need to drink myself silly to have a good time, and yet it is the prevailing comment amongst all of my friends that drinking is 'cool' - and some of them are not over-age yet (or a few at least).

So - a few links: BBC News on the new laws introduced
The Discussions area at BBC News
The new adverts used in the UK to prevent drinking <-- I personally think these are abysmal - it shows unit content and then says you may be at risk. So what - people should know what risks there are for a start - this is quite pathetic.
Just one of the many cases of kids that can't be controlled.

And my Foxytunes has taken over (see below!)

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Now playing: Trevor Hall - Other Ways
via FoxyTunes

[Dauth]

Preventing something makes it more appealing, we should decriminalise the aspect of drinking, let kids have a bit of alcohol. Those who get addicted would do so in later life and thus are useless and can be safely left to die of liver failure, while not breeding. Those who can understand social drinking survive and breed.

Now it's a cruel summation, but I really think letting children try it from the age of 10 or so would be better. I know I did and I also know when to stop drinking.

[Chyros]

Dauth, on 2 Jun 2008, 14:51, said:

Preventing something makes it more appealing, we should decriminalise the aspect of drinking, let kids have a bit of alcohol.
[...]
I really think letting children try it from the age of 10 or so would be better.

Pretty much summarizes my opinion. 10 may be a bit young but at 15 it should definitely be possible.

[CodeCat]

I think it shouldn't be a problem giving kids alcohol, as long as their parents are there and act responsibly. Most kids that age lack real responsibility when it comes to something as potentially dangerous as alcohol. Maybe there should be a law that the parent is responsible for giving a child alcohol or other entoxicating substance. Then if a parent wants the child to have it, it's fine, but if the child causes problems while under influence, it's the parent's fault. That might help in keeping parents responsible for their kids: make them responsible.

[Libains]

I personally, was given alcohol from an early age, about 15 - onwards, whenever I really wanted any. Not long after that, I was reasonably ill and decided to drink in moderation - I have done ever since. There is to a degree, a taboo on drinking alcohol in some areas of society, and that is why some people succumb to drink as much as they do. Putting responsibilities on parents is all well and good, and could prevent some things - but there are a lot of teenagers/the like that just don't bother to listen to their parents, or do anything that they ask. see here again:
Parents have failed
Surely in cases such as these there is a far greater degree of lack of respect and general discord in the society, and hence there are severe problems with getting a parent to do something when they have no control.

[CodeCat]

AjPOD, on 2 Jun 2008, 15:55, said:

Putting responsibilities on parents is all well and good, and could prevent some things - but there are a lot of teenagers/the like that just don't bother to listen to their parents, or do anything that they ask.

That's exactly why you put the responsibility partially with the parents. That way, if the child breaks the law under influence, the parent can be charged as an accomplice.

[Shirou]

CodeCat, on 2 Jun 2008, 16:03, said:

AjPOD, on 2 Jun 2008, 15:55, said:

Putting responsibilities on parents is all well and good, and could prevent some things - but there are a lot of teenagers/the like that just don't bother to listen to their parents, or do anything that they ask.

That's exactly why you put the responsibility partially with the parents. That way, if the child breaks the law under influence, the parent can be charged as an accomplice.

And what would you manage with that, give the parents a hard time, but the kid doesn't care really and don't expect it will help the parents to 'try harder' to influence their children.. I'm sure they are trying hard enough, it's their child going down the drain after all.

[Libains]

Aftershock, on 2 Jun 2008, 15:56, said:

CodeCat, on 2 Jun 2008, 16:03, said:

AjPOD, on 2 Jun 2008, 15:55, said:

Putting responsibilities on parents is all well and good, and could prevent some things - but there are a lot of teenagers/the like that just don't bother to listen to their parents, or do anything that they ask.

That's exactly why you put the responsibility partially with the parents. That way, if the child breaks the law under influence, the parent can be charged as an accomplice.

And what would you manage with that, give the parents a hard time, but the kid doesn't care really and don't expect it will help the parents to 'try harder' to influence their children.. I'm sure they are trying hard enough, it's their child going down the drain after all.

I agree with AfterShcok on this one - a parent held as an accomplice to something stupid their kid did? I think not. Plus, most of the louts that you see on Britain's Streets nowadays probably couldn't give a damn about their parents or what happens to them - no matter what the parents do/don't do. In all honesty chance are this will lead to more parents disowning their children - what with the current state of certain areas of British society.

[Chyros]

CodeCat, on 2 Jun 2008, 15:40, said:

I think it shouldn't be a problem giving kids alcohol, as long as their parents are there and act responsibly. Most kids that age lack real responsibility when it comes to something as potentially dangerous as alcohol. Maybe there should be a law that the parent is responsible for giving a child alcohol or other entoxicating substance. Then if a parent wants the child to have it, it's fine, but if the child causes problems while under influence, it's the parent's fault. That might help in keeping parents responsible for their kids: make them responsible.

They are responsible for all their children's actions under drinking age .

[Libains]

Chyros, on 2 Jun 2008, 17:41, said:

They are responsible for all their children's actions under drinking age .

But only to a degree and a certain age - if a child commits a crime away from his parent's supervision then she/he surely gets prosecuted by themselves and the parents aren't involved. Most kids go to young offenders institutions and then on to jail whilst the parents stay at home. Maybe have the parents be culpable of allowing such things to happen - fine them or short spells in jail. However, it remains the child's fault if he goes out, gets pissed and then ends up vandalising something.

[Pav:3d]

If people wanna go out and get drunk, let em, theyll get bored of it eventually (like myself)

Its "the cool thing" to underage drink, its been like that for pretty much every generation...

And dont believe the media hype about it either, sure alot of people get drunk, but its not like the entire UK goes out at 6am to start drinking every friday like its some goddamn religion

Edited by Pav3d, 02 June 2008 - 17:04.

[BeefJeRKy]

Here in Lebanon most families let their kids drink small bits of alcohol just to let them taste including Arak which is a sort of Aniseed flavoured distilled drink. I myself regularly order beer in restaurants unless I know they ask for ID. In any case there is a difference between regular drinking and binge drinking. I've never been drunk though I have felt tipsy and even then it was at a celebration last week for ending the school year at a hotel. I don't know myself but I've heard that drunk British people are quite disruptive.

[Shirou]

Alcohol is booming business. The fancy beer advertisements and it's given image is way more effective than men in grey suits shouting it's bad for you.

[Wizard]

The problem here is not drinking at all. Drinking underage is a symptom of a much wider social problem. Kids!! Kids, teenagers, children, rugrats, chavs, hoodies, yobs, oiks, sh*theads, or whatever you want to call them, they are the problem not the drinking. And the ulitmate problem with them is their parents. And they are now prevented from being better parents by not being able to discipline their chavved up hoodied yobs because it is now called "child abuse" be some soft lefties.

Here is a picture of how it should work

Parents lay down rules > opportunity to break rules arises > kids think "sh*t if I do that I am screwed" > rules are not broken

Kids will not drink underage if they fear the consequences of breaking our drinking laws. In fact it's the people that serve them the alcohol that suffer more than the drinkers themselves, which is crap as the kids are the ones deliberately breaking the laws in the first place.

I am swinging far more towards a complete and utter totalitarian ban on anyone under 18 being allowed on the street after 6pm. They can't drink outside then, can't vandalise and maim, and they should be doing their bloody homework anyway!!!

/hijack

Edited by Wizard, 10 June 2008 - 12:09.

[Sharpnessism]

Parent's rules aren't going to stop a drinking teenager with his/her friends out on a night. If a kid tries hard enough to try and take a few drinks, there's not much working parents can do. It's pretty easy to peer pressure some people into drinking too.

[Wizard]

My post is more a commentary on the piss poor lack of social responsibility that leads to the sort of underage drinking that Ajpod is talking about which starts at home with parents who can't control their kids! Kids will drink underage, but the sorts of reports we see are due to a large picture derived from my above.

[Houdini]

Drinking has never had an age limit untill recently. Up untill drinking water was safe, beer was the safest thing to drink, and kids, as soon as they could, would start to drink several pints of beer instead of water. Remember, water used to be filled with diseases such as cholera

[Wizard]

Houdini, we have rules about posting in old topics. This is clearly over 2 weeks old and was not on the first page. Please do not necro old topics again.