[Mr Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Dorothy I agree. It always amazed me that kids in America can drive, get married, vote, smoke and join the military at 18 but they can't have a drink for another 3 years. In Canada the drinking age is 19, but really North America doesn't have near the drinking culture I've seen here or what I'm told is in UK. I think especially in Canada teens are much more into marijuana than drinking. Maybe it's because the sale of alcohol is much more regulated? I don't know. What I do know is that drinking in Australia is much more accepted than in North America.

Its 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec.

[bingobob777]

Originally Posted by Amazulu Let's get f**king mongied! Shit yeah!

I agree, this thread is full of old farts.

Started drinking at 14, was doing it regular by 15. I'm now 36 and when I go out I usually stay out until I'm sh*tfaced. However in that 20 years of drinking I've never assaulted anyone, fallen asleep in a ditch or any of that nonsense.

If my kids aren't trying to do it when they're 16 I'll think they're a bit weird

[Zen10]

Originally Posted by bingobob777 I agree, this thread is full of old farts. Started drinking at 14, was doing it regular by 15. I'm now 36 and when I go out I usually stay out until I'm sh*tfaced. However in that 20 years of drinking I've never assaulted anyone, fallen asleep in a ditch or any of that nonsense. If my kids aren't trying to do it when they're 16 I'll think they're a bit weird

We were given small amounts of alcohol growing up, but I didn't start drinking in earnest until I was 16 and then it was either cider or gin for some reason. Drank right the way through to late 30s and then stopped totally to lose weight and it really worked. I'm not sure I'll start again now because I have forgotten what the point of it is, it's been so long.

I read about Griff Rhys Jones - he had hepatitis and had to stop drinking for a year and at the end of it he just thought "why start again?" and I can understand that now.

[Dreamy]

Originally Posted by bingobob777 If my kids aren't trying to do it when they're 16 I'll think they're a bit weird

Definitely.

We have one child who doesn't like the taste of alcohol - I'm fairly sure they gave me the wrong baby at the hospital.

[Amazulu]

Originally Posted by bingobob777 I agree, this thread is full of old farts. Started drinking at 14, was doing it regular by 15. I'm now 36 and when I go out I usually stay out until I'm sh*tfaced. However in that 20 years of drinking I've never assaulted anyone, fallen asleep in a ditch or any of that nonsense. If my kids aren't trying to do it when they're 16 I'll think they're a bit weird

Exactly - and we are in rare agreement! To a certain degree, I miss those days. You know, meet your mates at the pub at lunchtime, roll out of there at 8pm, something to eat and then to a club, home at 4am. I miss the all day sessions and I'm not a big fan of a 'few beers after work'. I enjoy drinking and the feeling of getting drunk - good friends, good times, good memories.

I have woken up in a ditch though.........

And been arrested..........

[Amazulu]

Originally Posted by Loch Lomond Ah well, 5.08PM and Zulu is off his face. Another normal day?

Every day is normal.

You've forgotten what it's like to be young you old fart.

[JoeBloggs80]

Originally Posted by Amazulu Exactly - and we are in rare agreement! To a certain degree, I miss those days. You know, meet your mates at the pub at lunchtime, roll out of there at 8pm, something to eat and then to a club, home at 4am. I miss the all day sessions and I'm not a big fan of a 'few beers after work'. I enjoy drinking and the feeling of getting drunk - good friends, good times, good memories. I have woken up in a ditch though......... And been arrested..........

Exactly. For most people, getting drunk is a lot of fun. Thats what a lot of the pious articles on teenage drinking often fail to point out.

[roaringmouse]

Originally Posted by Mr Grumpy Its 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec.

Post 10.

[carolinephillips]

Getting drunk might be "fun" for you, but if you make it a regular habit, then you are on the road to trouble, whether it is healthwise or with the police. The attitude that you are going out to get "sh*t faced", as you so nicely put it, is precisely what needs to change.

My uncle drank from an early age. He ended up an alcoholic. It might not happen to you, but it will to a certain portion of the young people who choose to follow your example.

[Zen10]

Originally Posted by carolinephillips Getting drunk might be "fun" for you, but if you make it a regular habit, then you are on the road to trouble, whether it is healthwise or with the police. The attitude that you are going out to get "sh*t faced", as you so nicely put it, is precisely what needs to change. My uncle drank from an early age. He ended up an alcoholic. It might not happen to you, but it will to a certain portion of the young people who choose to follow your example.

I think a lot of people are alcoholics without knowing it. They think alcoholics are people who drink four bottles of gin a week and hide the empties in the toilet tank but in fact there are degrees of alcoholism and people who can't relax or really let go without a drink are certainly in one of those degrees.

I stopped drinking to lose weight and I'm really not sure I will ever drink again - not sure. I want to, but I'm starting to ask myself -- why?