From Anna H.: I just wanted to tell you that I am comfortable drinking, now that im 21 (was i the anna you were referring to?) I was uncomfortable before not because it was alcohol, but becuase it was illegal. sure the law is kind of dumb that we have to wait til we're 21, but it is still a law, and ought to be obeyed- most of the time. thats my 2 cents.
Actually, I was referring to Anna M, but thanks for the response!
From Missy: I agree that 21 is an arbitrary number that means very little. You and i were more mature at 14 than many 21 year olds....i personally beleive that all of the "perks" of being an adult should come when you graduate high school (or receive a GED) That way it would tie it to some sort of a achievement more than just staying alive a certain number of years, and would also give people far more incentive to finish school.
you stated:
>Europe has less alcohol problems (and alcohol-driving problems) than the US does. And there is a very simple reason for it. The younger age.
This is not completely true. First the alcohol driving problems-
Europeans simply do not drive like americans do. They have a public transportation system that is worlds above anything that we have- drunks do not have to drive.
As for other alcohol related problems....Culture dictates how we see things. for example, at my workplace, i could never say anything about divorce, single parents, or having children out of wedlock, because this is so normal in my workplace. when our culture allows an activity, it is not looked at as a problem, and problems related to it are given other "explanations". This is true of divorce's effect on children in our country as it is of alcohol's effects on health and well being in other cultures. The differences in alcohol related health problems are barely significant, and can be attributed to differences in diet and exercise.
I do agree that we do fear alcohol in our culture and see it too much as an intoxicating substance, rather than something to be enjoyed in moderation. For example, i am required to suggest alcohol to all of the tables that i wait on at work. Most people laugh or look shocked and offended at the idea of consuming one drink in a resturant (god forbid!) and about once a week somebody gives me a lecture of some sort on why it is wrong to drink ( I wonder what ever happened to the phrase, no thank you, i'd like a pepsi....)
however,.....is a younger age and more casual drinking the answer? I have looked at the habits of people around me whose parents allowed them to drink at home. it seems to me that they engage in more dangerous behaviour and alcohol related activity (binge drinking and the like) they also seem to engage in more bad behaviours in general, such as poor choices in sexual activity and misbehaviour in school. True that this is a correlation, which may or may not be a cause, but it does lend evidence.
oh, and by the way, while olive oil will help the alcohol level, a better choice would be deep fried meats and cheese, or high fat dairy products. Fat and protein both play a large part in regulating the alcohol in your body.
Hmm....You make some very good points. But I think some of mine may hold as well. The only thing I want to say here is on the olive oil. Fat and protien do play a large part in controlling alochol (making pizza even better, especially with meat on it), but listed olive oil because I know exactly how the olive oil works. It basically acts as a barrier in the bottom of your stomach allowing alcohol out slowly. Which means the blood alcohol level will be up longer, but it will not go as high (aka, it won't peak, it just kind of levels and mellows).
From Aunt Brenda: Re your comments on drinking......... I have to say that nothing has changed since I was a teenager..... Back in those days, it was verbotten..... and yet we all sneaked and had a drink when someone had it on hand..... I remember being really sick on beer once, .......yuck........ and I still detest beer today....Drinking has become sort of a "rite of passage", partially because it is illegal...... Teens will rebel against authority while searching for their own values and to defy the law only adds zest to the journey.
From Thomas: I agree with you about the alcohol regulation. It is unfair for a country to hold its citizens from their intentions and overall experience of life. I say, if the monks and the clergymen can drink it at any age (the blood of chirst excluded) then everyone should be allowed to sup from the alcohol cup. We are responsible at even the earliest ages of our youth. Let is seen and said we are able to handle what we want, and that it is fine to worship Bacchus every once and a while.