Now isn't it curious that NZ has lowered the age from 20 to 18, while a few years ago the U.S. made all states raise the age to 21 ? (Possible violation of 10th amendment notwithstanding.)
http://www.nzdf.org.nz/sol/minimum.htm

I don't know whether there's a direct correlation between alcohol problems and the minmum legal age. I think it might be down to other social issues.

In the U.K. the minimum age is 18, although apparently the law says that 16-year-olds can be served beer or cider in a pub if it accompanies a meal. Yes, drunken teenagers can be seen in any major town practically any night, but there are a lot of people 21+ to be found in the same condition. [Linked Image]

France, on the other hand, has a minimum age of 16 for all alcohol, and the law seems to be widely ignored most places. You'll see kids with parents drinking wine with their meals in practically any French restaurant, and nobody bats an eyelid. Yet in my experience, you don't seem to see half as many drunks on the streets there as in England.

I wonder whether introducing young people to a responsible approach to booze at an earlier age might not be better than telling them "not until you're 16/18/21".

I don't know the answer. [Linked Image]

And yes, there have been reports on the news of ambulance crews being turned on by drunken idiots when they're only trying to help. [Linked Image]