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What age (not legally) do people start drinking in America?

I took my first drink about 3 weeks ago. My mom left a corona on the counter. She said i could have a sip. Tasted like ***.
About 1 1/2 years ago. I had a sleepover at a friends. He had a fridge with beer in the garage. Him and another kid had maybe a bottle each. Two max. Thankfully I said nah. Sad because both those kids, Im pretty sure, smoke weed now.
It really changed for me though not having heavy drinkers as parents. Both parents rarely have a drink at dinner. And they also make sure one of them doesnt drink if they need to drive home.
 
From my viewing of my peers, I would say anywhere around 15-17 is where they start drinking.

For me I am currently 18 and still haven't. My parents wouldn't drink much so I didn't have any influence there, and overall I just haven't felt the need to drink, I know I can have enough fun without having to drink, and plus, I'd like to remember what I did.

However, even though I do not drink, for several small opinions/reasons, I feel that the drinking age should be lowered to 18.
 
I want to say 5th grade (11), but it was most likely 6th grade (12).

Then the next time would be in 7th grade when I went to CA to visit my cousins. My aunt left to go to my other cousins house (and that cousin came to the cousin I was staying with's house), so all the kids were in the house where I was staying, and all the adults in my other cousins house.

My oldest cousin (I want to say about 28-29) gave me a can of beer. To this day that was the best beer I've ever tasted. (I'm 15, in 10th grade).

Then at New Years my dad usually gives me a shot or two of Champagne. This summer it was my cousins engagement part (Second oldest from my mom's side), and after all the adults left, they got a hotel room, and got like 50-60 beers, and just drank. I think I drank 1-2 cans of Miller Lite, and had a half glass of tequila.
 
Most of my friends started drinking when they hit 15-16. The "rebels" started smoking and drinking at 14. Personally, I haven't started drinking (or smoking, for that matter), and certainly don't plan on doing so.

The people I meet are amazed when they find out I'm 24 and still haven't had my first beer.
 
I'm 16, and have drank before, but never really gotten drunk. Just a game of pong here and there. My parents both drink, and have said multiple times that they don't care if I drink as long as I'm home and responsible. Most people my age would love to hear that from their parents, but even with their consent, I usually don't. Never acquired a major taste in alcoholic drinks.
 
nlivo said:
I know the legal age is 21 (which I think is crazy, in Australia it is 18) but what age do kids usually start drinking at parties and what not? Here, kids at about late 15's, 16's start drinking at parties. I started when I was about 14 but I was an idiot back then. Made some stupid mistakes. What about in America? Is it about the same difference from the legal age as here? People 18-19 drink often? Or is it about the same as here age-wise? I know in the UK it is just wild (huge generilisation but I know from experience).
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I was 15 when I started to drink...

When I became of age, I slacked off. lol
 
I don't know about other people. But I've been allowed to drink with a parent/grandparent/aunt/etc. present since I was 12. I'm allowed to have a glass of wine with dinner if I want, and if we go to a wedding or party I'm allowed to drink (in moderation). There are a few things that I'm not allowed to have like high proof liqueur though.

I've also drank alone a few times, but I don't do that so much anymore. It's never caused any issues for me. I know a few kids who are allowed to drink also. There is a kid at my school who's parents allow kids to drink at there house when their son has a party, but you have to give his parents your keys before you get a drink, and you don't get them back that night if you drank anything.

I personally think that the legal age is completely asinine.

EDIT: I just remembered that I previously posted in this thread about a year ago.

Don
 
I used to drink wine at family occasions as a teen. Of course, it was only a glass or two, really just to taste and always with family around.

I first started to drink socially when I was about 16 or so, when I first got my license. Some friends and I got some fake IDs and did the whole clubbing scene, drinking, partying, etc.

By the time college rolled around, I was already sick of it and didn't drink much.

One funny memory I have is when I was about 14-15 and at a friend's house. Her parents were out at work and we were just snooping around and we found some wine coolers and we each drank one and started acting like they had gotten us drunk.
 
My first drink was a 7&7 at a cousins wedding when I was 11. I drank off and on through most of my younger years. I've drunkenly howled at the moon from the top of a mountain, danced naked with hippy chicks around campfires in the deserts of Utah.
Once I became a dad though, my drinking stopped. Fast forward to now, the kids are out of the nest, I can drink a beer or two at night after work. Jimmy Beam makes foruming a bit more fun, actually.

"Show me a man who drinks only tea and I'll show you a man that doesn't use his liver"
 
I was another of the 'a glass of wine with sunday dinner' people, although I usually chose cider instead. I'm not much of a drinker either, and reading through this thread i think that people who are allowed to drink early in life (aged 10-13), for example one glass only at the dinner table maybe once a week, don't find alcohol as exciting as those who were forbidden it until they reached the legal age.

I am 16, and have been drunk twice, both in the last year: New Years Eve, and the day my school ended (this was in the park, and it wasn't like I'd had a lot, more that I'd mixed wine with beer and vodka etc).

However alcohol doesn't do much for me generally, just as an example for my GCSE results my mother said I could have a beer in celebration, and i didn't want one so i declined. Later on my father offered me anything, so wine, cider, alcopops etc and i declined then too. It's nothing special, alcohol.
 
Mexbearpig said:
I took my first drink about 3 weeks ago. My mom left a corona on the counter. She said i could have a sip. Tasted like ***.
About 1 1/2 years ago. I had a sleepover at a friends. He had a fridge with beer in the garage. Him and another kid had maybe a bottle each. Two max. Thankfully I said nah. Sad because both those kids, Im pretty sure, smoke weed now.
It really changed for me though not having heavy drinkers as parents. Both parents rarely have a drink at dinner. And they also make sure one of them doesnt drink if they need to drive home.
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Why is it sad that those kids smoke weed?
 
I'm 18 and have never drank. I don't see why I should. When I have fun I like to remember it in the morning, not spend the day puking. Most of my friends started drinking at 16-17/
 
macbook yes said:
I'm 18 and have never drank. I don't see why I should. When I have fun I like to remember it in the morning, not spend the day puking. Most of my friends started drinking at 16-17/
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I think I smell a late bloomer.

And you can still have fun and drink. You drink/party at night, puke a little later on and then 50% chance you remember in the morning.

I <3 alcohol, I just hate hangovers.


Alright, look, here’s the deal. I’ve got a hangover. Who knows what that means?
Doesn’t that mean you’re drunk?
No. It means I was drunk yesterday.
 
macbook yes said:
I'm 18 and have never drank. I don't see why I should. When I have fun I like to remember it in the morning, not spend the day puking. Most of my friends started drinking at 16-17/
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You don't have to drink 12 in an hour, do everything in moderation and you will be fine. ;)

To answer the OP's question, my dad gives me a little beer when we go out for dinner or on special occasions when I was little, 7 or 8. I hated it back then. I started drinking with my friends around 17 or so.
 
As others stated, in my experience it was generally between the ages of 16-18.

I grew up in a family where it was perfectly ok to give a "taste" of beer or wine as a child. The tastes gradually became larger in size. I probably had my first full beer by age 13 or so. Moderation was enforced though.

Its worth saying though there is probably a larger non-drinking population here than in many other countries in the west. There are fairly large segments of the population that either rarely imbibe or never do, at any age.
 
Mexbearpig said:
Im just saying that theyre leading some pretty ****** up lives now. Its sad because one was my best friend about 3 years ago. Now he is the kinda guy I would hate.:(
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You hate them because they smoke weed? Or the kind of people you hate smoke weed?

What's so ****ed up about their lives?

As for drinking in the US. I think 16 is a little too early to start drinking with friends (although I started at fifteen) but it's fine with family. The US really needs to stop making alcohol so taboo, as it just causes kids to party too hard and die.

18 is around where the drinking age should be, maybe 19 so people don't drink in high school.
 
TuffLuffJimmy said:
You hate them because they smoke weed? Or the kind of people you hate smoke weed?

What's so ****ed up about their lives?

As for drinking in the US. I think 16 is a little too early to start drinking with friends (although I started at fifteen) but it's fine with family. The US really needs to stop making alcohol so taboo, as it just causes kids to party too hard and die.

18 is around where the drinking age should be, maybe 19 so people don't drink in high school.
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I dont hate them because they smoke weed. That I dont mind. Its just one has changed for the worse in my eyes. I really cant explain it....
 
Mexbearpig said:
I dont hate them because they smoke weed. That I dont mind. Its just one has changed for the worse in my eyes. I really cant explain it....
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I know what you mean, some people really just can't handle things like that and it changes them.

I had my first drink at 16, had some fun, now 18 I don't really enjoy even drinking a beer.

I have my other vices, thank you very much.;)
 
Mexbearpig said:
I took my first drink about 3 weeks ago. My mom left a corona on the counter. She said i could have a sip. Tasted like ***.
About 1 1/2 years ago. I had a sleepover at a friends. He had a fridge with beer in the garage. Him and another kid had maybe a bottle each. Two max. Thankfully I said nah. Sad because both those kids, Im pretty sure, smoke weed now.
It really changed for me though not having heavy drinkers as parents. Both parents rarely have a drink at dinner. And they also make sure one of them doesnt drink if they need to drive home.
Click to expand...

TBH, I got drunk at my first staff party @ 13
 
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