# Turned 18 Today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 31, 2003, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817 "2003-01-31T05:03:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817/21 "2003-02-16T02:59:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Homer J \* > \*\*at least in the UK drinking is 18, i seriously think 21 is far too high. In France and Germany etc its 16, and i think thats pretty ok too. \*\* How old are you? ---
**Author:** ![manx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@manx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manx)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817/22 "2003-02-16T04:09:52Z")
My 18th birthday fell on the last day of school in my 7th form year, so, obviously I had a huge party. Rolled up to the local bottle shop, still in my school uniform _and they didn’t ID me._ I even bought cigarettes (I don’t smoke) so that some one might demmand that I prove my age. Not at all… …dam their trusting eyes… ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c37758/32.png) [@Homer\_J](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817/23 "2003-02-16T10:33:04Z")
17 ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817/24 "2003-02-16T16:51:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lucki Chaarms \* > \*\*So anyway, after dropping a friend off this evening, I stopped to refuel at a combination convenience store/smokeshop/liquor store, and while inside I figured I would go ahead and treat myself to celebrate, and bought myself a couple of ultra-premium cigarillos to enjoy with a friend tomorrow, seeing as how we both enjoy them, and I could legally purchase them. Didn’t even get carded! I could have done it yesterday, or the day before… or the day before… and so on. Dang. \*\* That’s what I was thinking on my 21st b-day. I had never (no, really!) tried to sneak any alcohol by a cashier with a fake ID, my winning personality, etc. So, there I was on the morning of my 21st-and not a blink or pause did I get. “Here you go, sir, have a nice day!” And I’m thinking, “Crap. Do I really look that old _already_?” 🙂 The one and only time I seriously considered shaving off my beard … (My parents had been whining about that for three years, which is probably why I never did it. My minister wanted me to go for the ‘classic Brethren look’ and shave just the mustache. Smart-aleck. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817/25 "2003-02-16T17:37:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Homer J \* > \*\*17 \*\* OK that explains your point of view re drinking age. When your 23 or 33 you’ll _prolly_ see thing differently. We (buddies) used to get minor consuming alcohol charges at least a coupla times a month when we were under-age, so you can damn well _believe_ I thought 21 was far high for legal age. I even spent time in the pokey for MCA, (20 days), _however_ as I got older I looked back and realized “man I didn’t really need to be drinking at that age anyhow” and “what a waste of time” Now I realized that at 16,17,18,19, even 20 I coulda/shoulda been doing better things other than partying. Not that thats what _your_ doing. I look at my younger cousins and their friends (15-20) who are headed down the same road and I am concerned,but I dont say anything because it would be a wast of breath. Ok I’m done preaching, now I feel old… ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c37758/32.png) [@Homer\_J](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817/26 "2003-02-16T18:32:42Z")
yes i agree with you and from your story i see your point, but your drinking was only getting you in trouble because it was under the age limit, not because you couldn’t handle it. If the age limit was 16 or 18 the ‘thrill’ of breaking the law would have gone and you’d have learnt to drink sensibly(im sure you do btw!) but you ended up in prison. this is a waste of valuable police/jail time etc that should be used on far more serious crimes. BY the time a human is roughly 16-18 their metabolism is enough to deal with alcohol and once the age limit is passed the thrill of binge drinking, particularly of hardcore alcohol like vodka/whiskey will have passed. ---
**Author:** ![Sanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sanders)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817/27 "2003-02-16T20:35:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lucki Chaarms \***On the plus side are porn, guns, strip clubs, many dance clubs, tobacco(?), drug paraphenelia (sp?), gambling in some places, and not needing to renew my damn driver’s license so often.** Vote! Don’t forget vote! At 21 (in PA, anyway) you can get a License to Carry a Concealed Weapon. That’s fun to use as ID. 🙂 > [@](#): > > **So anyway, after dropping a friend off this evening, I stopped to refuel at a combination convenience store/smokeshop/liquor store, and while inside I figured I would go ahead and treat myself to celebrate, and bought myself a couple of ultra-premium cigarillos to enjoy with a friend tomorrow, seeing as how we both enjoy them, and I could legally purchase them. Didn’t even get carded! I could have done it yesterday, or the day before… or the day before… and so on. Dang.** The day I turned 18 I went to the local convenience store and requested their most expensive cigar (several dollars!). I was eagerly anticipating a request for ID, but the elderly lady working the counter just smiled and handed it to me saying - and I quote - “Here you go, honey.” _That_ was disappointing, epecially since I was only buying it because I could (I don’t smoke). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turned-18-today/151817.md?page=1)