I've noticed that there are a lot of different age minimums in the US. I'm not sure about other countries.

These numbers are based on Massachusetts. If it's different elsewhere, feel free to share.
16 - Test for driver's permit.
Sometime around 16, 17, or 18 - Can be charged in court as an adult
18 - Smoking, Gambling, ordering from 800 numbers, credit cards, etc.
21 - Alcohol
25 - Car rentals

What do you think about this?


I think there should be one universal age limit. Setting multiple age limits can get confusing and it contradicts itself. There are 4 or 5 different ages where you become a legal adult. I think it should only happen once.

A registered nurse who I have taken kickboxing with explained the reasoning behind the drinking age. The part of your brain that makes you think before you do something doesn't fully develop until around 21 years old. I think 21 should be the universal age for legal adult, except for getting a license. Our country is so dependent on driving that it could become a major problem if a lot of people had to wait 5 years longer to get their permit. Everything else could stand to wait until you're 21.

while I agree with you to a degree... I think your number is too low. A lot of those things are still mis-used and abused even by people at those ages. I would prefer a number closer to 25. At least at 25 people start to make a serious turn towards being mature a majority of the time. But that's looking at it from a perspective of already being above that age. Most of you younger folk won't likely see what I see.

geeogree : And seeing as you can be out of college for a few years, and have a good job of your own, I think 25 is way too high.

And actually the legal gambling age varies from state to state. For instance, you have to be 21 to gamble in Nevada (including Vegas).

Also, is the car rental age a law? I was pretty sure it was a company policy.

As for my opinion, I don't think it's that bad. Everything has a reason behind why they came up with the age limit, it wasn't a random number that they picked.

soxfan849 : like I said... I'm looking at it from a perspective that you aren't. Yeah, you can be out of college and have a good job by that point.... but does not in any way, shape or form make you a responsible adult. I have known plenty of people in the 20-25 range that I worked with who seemed respectable enough during work but were pretty irresponsible people the moment they walked out the door.

Why the age limit doesn't matter to me much is because who wants to do something, will do it anyway. either drink, smoke, drive, whatever.
Where I live, the drinking limit is 18, yet I don't think anyone cares.
For gambling it's 21.
For driver's license it's 18, but when you're 16 you can make temporary license and drive only when you have someone over 18 with you.
When you're 14, you are responsible for your own misbehaviour in court, yet jail time can be given starting from 18.
I live in a country where drinking ranks are one of Europe's highest, so that is why that the age limit doesn't matter.
I see drunk 10 year olds every weekend when I leave my house. Telling them that they have to wait 8 more years is as good as talking to a wall.
But it's different for different people. and some limits are better than no limits, so.

Age limits are useless and that mostly has to do with outside influences whether it be adults buying children liquor or people making fake ids etc... but I agree 21 is the right age to be an adult for purchasing stuff. But then again, I don't think age limits can really judge a persons maturity. You can be really old and still act like a child.

geeogree : I just meant by that point they have already become responsible for themselves, and they should be given the freedom to choose for themselves.

Yup Yup rules are meant to be broken. Can't buy liquor till your 21 well then I gotta have it when I'm 17, hey coworker budddy ole pal here's 10 extra bucks, hey boss what should I get, firewater he says, so me and my buddy got firewater. No driving till 16 screw it been driving since I was 14 on main roads, hwys, interstate travel, the whole 9 never got caught the entire 3 years till I got my liscence at 17.

But here is a case where I can agree with Geo, alcohol. The only reason being that I know way too many people who couldn't handle the liquor when they were young turning into temporary (sometimes not so temporary) alcoholics and the hoops you have to go through make it harder to abuse, but not necessarily obtain for fun, so I could see myself agreeing with a 25 or so drinking age.

Yeah, I agree with the age restrictions now that I am of age. They make sense to me now--because before, I thought they were stupid, and I was 'mature enough', however, at my age now, I understand that I am more mature than I was for certain things. With the hindsight which came with the age I have now, I'd say that the age-limits are intelligent.

geeogree : I DISAGREE!

I think it should be a much younger age. From my experience when you put make older age restrictions the younger folks are MORE likely to abuse that substance. My example is the drinking age in the US is 21, now when you hit college your 18, so you abuse the substance because its illegal and dangerous. Now, when I turned 19 we took a drive to Ontario to drink because the drinking age is only 19, and the Canadians that were the same age were much more responsible with alcohol then us crazy American kids, because they could legally drink it... catching my drift?

DNG : fair point. I don't think that can entirely be attributed to the age limit (there are some cultural differences between Canada and the US) but it is a fair point in the case of alcohol.

However, in all honesty I would much prefer to ban alcohol and legalize marijuana. But that's a different argument

I think in the case of smoking, gambling and even driving.... increasing the required age to do those things legally is not a ban idea. Alcohol though I give in on. You may have a valid argument there.

geeogree : This may not be on topic again but there is very little difference culturally between a Canadian and an American.

All age limits need to be lowered. It should be a standardized 16 for all gambling, drinking, smoking,etc. People need to be exposed so they don't abuse.

Everything should be set at 18, and they need to go ahead and make tobacco illegal, in southern california there are very few public places where you can smoke cigs, marketing laws have been put in place like crazy over the last decade against the tobacco industry they just don't want to because they need the tax dollars from it all they know it is whats right.

definitely too many different age requirements. I think they had an argument like this become serious during Vietnam. Some people thought it was stupid how at 18 you could go die for your country but couldn't drink alcohol.

I believe that smoking and stuff should be illegal already. It's more addictive than marijuana and it cause a lot of damage. alcohol I think is O.K. but someone has to teach them how to handle and keep control. driving, I think is fine.

I thinck you should be able to do what you will and receive any consequinces that happen. However I think sex should wait till marrige.

First, you can rent a car prior to 25 years of age in the U.S. It's just really expensive and they have all sorts of extra fees and costs. I've rented cars without being 25.

Second, different things require different levels of responsibility. Someone who has had some life experiences can make the decision to see a movie with nudity, violence, profanity, and all that. But that same person has not had enough experience to be able to handle the effects of alcohol. Or so the thought goes.

I think different ages for different things is good. It shows the law-makers are paying attention to what may happen and they are looking out for the safety of kids.

I think it's alright to slowly crawl into self responsibility. It's better than just turning 18 one day and having all of these weights dropped onto you.

Hmmm I think the legal age limit should be based on the economical situation of the country along with the current census report about our growth in population. For example if there are 1000 jobs and 2000 persons well set the legal drinking age at ten. plus no need to take a drivers test. Population control is just a sip away.