# Things you can do at age 18 but not before **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338 "2002-12-12T21:27:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![coolguy230](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aca169/32.png) [@coolguy230](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coolguy230)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/1 "2002-12-12T21:27:12Z")
I just recently turned 18 and i was wondering what are all the things i can do now that i could not previously do when i was 17. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/2 "2002-12-12T21:30:58Z")
you can vote! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/3 "2002-12-12T21:37:39Z")
Where are you? Most places in the US, this means you can have sex and get drafted. Join the military, pay income taxes, vote, be on a jury, get tried as an adult, get a loan, and be out past teenager’s curfew in some towns spring to mind. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/4 "2002-12-12T21:40:06Z")
Yep, you can do all that but you still can’t drink till you’re 21. ---
**Author:** ![coolguy230](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aca169/32.png) [@coolguy230](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coolguy230)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/5 "2002-12-12T21:41:53Z")
i’m in oregon ---
**Author:** ![Dilbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58f4c7/32.png) [@Dilbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilbert)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/6 "2002-12-12T22:16:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\*Most places in the US, this means you can have sex and get drafted. Join the military, pay income taxes, vote, be on a jury, get tried as an adult, get a loan, and be out past teenager’s curfew in some towns spring to mind. \*\* Can’t you have sex, pay income taxes, and get tried as an adult before you are 18? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/7 "2002-12-12T22:36:33Z")
**coolguy230** , I changed your thread title from “things to do???” to “Things you can do at age 18 but not before”. In the future, please try to choose more descriptive thread titles. Additionally, I closed the extra copy of this thread. I’m not sure if you submitted twice , but it is usually only necessary to hit the submit button once. Sometimes it will seem as if the post hasn’t gone through when it actually has. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/8 "2002-12-12T22:39:06Z")
Minors most certainly pay income taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/9 "2002-12-12T22:47:33Z")
I think that in 47 states you can buy cigarettes and pornography, and gamble. ---
**Author:** ![stypticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@stypticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stypticus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/10 "2002-12-12T23:11:15Z")
You can purchase and drink alcoholic beverages in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec. You aren’t really attached to America, are you? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/11 "2002-12-12T23:17:20Z")
Get a credit card! ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/12 "2002-12-12T23:24:30Z")
In the US, you can be sodomized on film or video for pay. You’ll have to wait three more years to have a beer though. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/13 "2002-12-12T23:29:26Z")
You can buy a rifle or shotgun from a federally licensed dealer. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/14 "2002-12-12T23:30:24Z")
You can definitely get a credit card before you turn 18. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/15 "2002-12-12T23:32:10Z")
Stuff your parents don’t want you to do. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/16 "2002-12-12T23:37:58Z")
buy a lottery ticket? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/17 "2002-12-12T23:38:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by coolguy230 \* > \*\*I just recently turned 18 and i was wondering what are all the things i can do now that i could not previously do when i was 17. \*\* Now might be a good time to start capitalising the personal pronoun. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/18 "2002-12-12T23:43:35Z")
Since I turned 18 while halfway through the 12th grade, I was able to write my own excuse notes. But remember, with power comes responsibility. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/19 "2002-12-13T01:36:36Z")
Prohibitions on sex with minors just got a lot clearer. ---
**Author:** ![wedgerat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@wedgerat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgerat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/20 "2002-12-13T02:17:50Z")
Happy belated birthday! (just felt someone had to say it…) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338.md?page=2)