Legal ages

[Kerry]

For drinking, smoking, sex (etc). Do you think the UK/your country has it right? Or would you wish them higher/lower and if so, what? (Not that most follow them I know but in theory)

[Jessica.]

I think they are okay at the moment really.

[Lee.]

I think the driving age should be raised to 21 instead of 17..

Smoking/drink/sex is kind of irrelevant as nobody pays any attention to the laws anyway!

[Kerry]

I think they are okay at the moment really.

Same for me. Just watching Worlds Strictest Parents though and some USA ones are prehistoric

[Jessica.]

Same for me. Just watching Worlds Strictest Parents though and some USA ones are prehistoric

Yeah some of the laws in the US are really weird. :shocked:

[Grimnir]

If It was upto me.....

Drinking age would be raised to 25. This would be attempt to eliminate the booze and binge culture. The reason so many people get drunk out of their faces is because society is in such a depressing state. Fix society and people will not feel need to drink themselves into oblivion.

Smoking would be banned and made a class A drug. It is the most harmful drug on the planet yet it is legal. Why? Tobacco companies and tax. I am a 20 a day smoker myself.

I would make driver's license only available to families and specialised professions. Improve public transport. Help the environment and cut down on traffic congestion.

For age of consent having a set age is stupid. 20yo guy with 15yo girl is illegal, yet a 55yo man with a 17yo girl is legal? Which do you think is the more morally wrong? It should be a sliding scale based on age difference, as you get older the scale increases exponentially.

[Stacey.]

Driving should be put up to 18.

[Z]

I think the driving age should go up, too many teenagers die because they get stupidly cocky because they've passed their driving test before they've turned 18; I nearly lost three friends in one fell swoop due to the driver being cocky. I think 18 is a bit of a stupid age to have the drinking and smoking age set at: I know people who were addicted to smoking when they were 14, although granted this was back when the smoking age was set at 16 so I don't know what it's like for 14 year olds nowadays but still; if people are going to smoke/drink, they will find a way to do it.

All things considered though, what I find most ridiculous is that one can be married and start having children at 16 but not be able to vote, buy alcohol, watch an 18 rated film, smoke, learn to drive etc and have none of the rights available to adults despite being able to take that extremely adult step in life. Madness. If anything, that law needs to be revised. Stick marriage up to 18, or older.

[arista]

I think the driving age should go up, too many teenagers die because they get stupidly cocky because they've passed their driving test before they've turned 18; I nearly lost three friends in one fell swoop due to the driver being cocky. I think 18 is a bit of a stupid age to have the drinking and smoking age set at: I know people who were addicted to smoking when they were 14, although granted this was back when the smoking age was set at 16 so I don't know what it's like for 14 year olds nowadays but still; if people are going to smoke/drink, they will find a way to do it.

All things considered though, what I find most ridiculous is that one can be married and start having children at 16 but not be able to vote, buy alcohol, watch an 18 rated film, smoke, learn to drive etc and have none of the rights available to adults despite being able to take that extremely adult step in life. Madness. If anything, that law needs to be revised. Stick marriage up to 18, or older.



Yes a Mess put in that way
Zee.

[Omah]

Voting - 21
Driving - 25
Drinking - 21
Smoking - Banned
Sex - 18
Marriage/Partnerships - 21

[InOne]

Don't really get why they raised Smoking

[Twilight]

Why should they just ban smoking? drinking is just has bad. if you're banning one of them, you might as well ban both, at least that's my opinion.

[Niamh.]

If It was upto me.....

Drinking age would be raised to 25. This would be attempt to eliminate the booze and binge culture. The reason so many people get drunk out of their faces is because society is in such a depressing state. Fix society and people will not feel need to drink themselves into oblivion.

Smoking would be banned and made a class A drug. It is the most harmful drug on the planet yet it is legal. Why? Tobacco companies and tax. I am a 20 a day smoker myself.

I would make driver's license only available to families and specialised professions. Improve public transport. Help the environment and cut down on traffic congestion.

For age of consent having a set age is stupid. 20yo guy with 15yo girl is illegal, yet a 55yo man with a 17yo girl is legal? Which do you think is the more morally wrong? It should be a sliding scale based on age difference, as you get older the scale increases exponentially.

I think that the binge drinking culture (which is also the case here in Ireland) has less to do with the age limit though and more to do with our culture in general and the way adults also drink both here and in the UK. If you look at say Spain and France for example, they have a lower drinking age (16 I think but not 100% sure) and they don't seem to have any where near the problems we have with binge drinking. I think this is because of the way they are taught to drink by their parents etc, it's a social thing, it's to be enjoyed with food etc. and the age limit seems to work fine there even better than here and in the UK. So basically what I'm trying to say is that it seems to be our attitude in general rather than the age limit.

[joeysteele]

Why should they just ban smoking? drinking is just has bad. if you're banning one of them, you might as well ban both, at least that's my opinion.

I agree.The effects of over drinking cause far more deaths to the individuals themselves both as to health and injuries from recklessness, also to others once someone drunk or with a lot of alcohol gets behind the wheel of a car,also though once the inhibitions go and tempers rise and then fights break out,people get seriously injured or killed then too because of the influence of alcohol.

I neither drink to excess,despite being at UNI; I don't smoke either but I would rather be around someone smoking than someone with too much alcohol and all the negative actions that follow from drinking it.

Age of consent is okay at 16, however for me if you are considered an adult at 18 then all should be open to you,if someone at 18, can be married, have a career, have a child etc then they should have no restrictions placed on them that others also considered adult do not have.

[30stone]

Put up the driving age, and people who are 21 will just drive like 17/18 year olds... lol

[Patrick]

They're fine.

I love how in America it's so strict and they can't even drink until they're 21, must be why they're so uptight about things.

Where as here, you can basically drink when your 16 [obviously not get served though or anything until your 18] but you know.

And the age for Sex is fine for me aswell really.

Yeah, nothing wrong with it.

I just love laughing at other countries who's way OTT about their laws.

[Twilight]

I agree.The effects of over drinking cause far more deaths to the individuals themselves both as to health and injuries from recklessness, also to others once someone drunk or with a lot of alcohol gets behind the wheel of a car,also though once the inhibitions go and tempers rise and then fights break out,people get seriously injured or killed then too because of the influence of alcohol.

I neither drink to excess,despite being at UNI; I don't smoke either but I would rather be around someone smoking than someone with too much alcohol and all the negative actions that follow from drinking it.

Age of consent is okay at 16, however for me if you are considered an adult at 18 then all should be open to you,if someone at 18, can be married, have a career, have a child etc then they should have no restrictions placed on them that others also considered adult do not have.

I'm happy someone agrees, i've seen the effects alcohol as on people, and its worse than smoking.

[Niamh.]

Put up the driving age, and people who are 21 will just drive like 17/18 year olds... lol

Not necessarily, you would hope at 21 that you'd be a bit more mature and less likely to drive like an idiot in order to show off to your friends and act cool!

[Crimson Dynamo]

driving should be 21

sex should be 18 and enforced

[Vicky.]

They will never ban smoking. The government makes too much money off it.

They make out as if they care and want everyone to stop, but if we all did they would be pretty ****ed.

[30stone]

Not necessarily, you would hope at 21 that you'd be a bit more mature and less likely to drive like an idiot in order to show off to your friends and act cool!

I disagree, when you first get the power of driving on your own you think you own the road..

My brothers friend was 23 or 24 when he got his lisence and he didnt drive safely far from it.

18 Maybe but 21 would be far too much.

[Crimson Dynamo]

They will never ban smoking. The government makes too much money off it.

They make out as if they care and want everyone to stop, but if we all did they would be pretty ****ed.

they will and the ban will come soon

followed eventually by an oil ban

money gets you so far but people get you further

[Niamh.]

I disagree, when you first get the power of driving on your own you think you own the road..

My brothers friend was 23 or 24 when he got his lisence and he didnt drive safely far from it.

18 Maybe but 21 would be far too much.

I didn't start driving till I was 24 and I certainly didn't feel like I owned the road. Most people who start driving later are alot more cautious and aware that they're not actually invincible.

[bananarama]

Voting - 16

Driving - 18 But restiction on car size until age 25

Drinking - 21...Binge drinking 10 year jail

Smoking - Banned

Sex - 18

Marriage/Partnerships - 25

Recreational drugs...Banned. Life imprisonment for offenders

Abortion on demand for social reasons not medical ..Banned. Life imprisonment for offenders

Back street abortionists.......Death penalty

Faith schools of any religion. Banned. Life imprisonment for offenders

[Captain.Remy]

voting - 16

driving - 18 but restiction on car size until age 25

drinking - 21...binge drinking 10 year jail

smoking - banned

sex - 18

marriage/partnerships - 25

recreational drugs...banned. Life imprisonment for offenders

abortion on demand for social reasons not medical ..banned. Life imprisonment for offenders

back street abortionists.......death penalty

faith schools of any religion. Banned. Life imprisonment for offenders

l
m
a
o

[Boothy]

Drinking - 18
Driving - 18
Smoking - 18
Marriage - 18
Cannabis - 18
Voting - 18

As someone else said, the sex age is a bit weird. It would be illegal for me, being 17, to have sex with a 15 year old yet Hugh Hefner is currently engaged to someone 60 years his junior. Which is worse? Something needs to be done about that.

[MTVN]

The ages should be low as realistically possible. To say that people shouldnt be allowed responsiblity for their own life and actions until they're 21 is ridiculous.

[Harry!]

The driving age has already been moved up to 18 years. People who are born from 1st september 1993 will have to wait till they are 18 to get a drivers licence.

[Ramsay]

Meh its grand as it is
I never really understand how smoking is legal and weed isnt
Yeh i know its cus the goverment makes **** loads but smoking kills..weed has never killed anyone and never can
but meh whatever

[MTVN]

The driving age has already been moved up to 18 years. People who are born from 1st september 1993 will have to wait till they are 18 to get a drivers licence.

That's rubbish.

[BB_Eye]

Voting - fine the way it is
Age of consent - ditto
Driving - 16
Smoking - 18
Cannabis - 16
Most recreational drugs - 18
Opioids (including heroin) - medical only
Alcohol - 21

[Kerry]

Don't really get why they raised Smoking

Is it 18 now? I can remember it being 16. No idea what it is now

[InOne]

Is it 18 now? I can remember it being 16. No idea what it is now

Yeah 18 now D:

[Kerry]

Yeah 18 now D:

Crikey, I'm behind the times :joker:

[Grimnir]

voting age should be raised to 30

[Beastie]

Drinking - 18
Driving - 18
Smoking - 18
Marriage - 18
Cannabis - 18
Voting - 18

As someone else said, the sex age is a bit weird. It would be illegal for me, being 17, to have sex with a 15 year old yet Hugh Hefner is currently engaged to someone 60 years his junior. Which is worse? Something needs to be done about that.

Also..

Sex - 18.

You are not allowed to watch porn at the age of 16 but allowed to have sex?? Stupid.

Also I think it's a good idea that education will be made compulsory up to the age of 18. It will give students more direction. However most students have the same education up to GCSE level. When the compulsory education raises to 18.. not every student should be forced to do A levels because not all are clever enough. They should be forced to go down a route though and do something! At least education up to the age of 18 will give the younger generation more direction. It is harder to get a job nowadays. Well infact actually.. I think 16 year olds could possibly find a full time job at Mcdonalds or a shop easier than an 18 year old.. why?? Because the company pays less for 16/17 year olds.