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Another New Year has started and I have been reminded yet again how some young people these days seem incapable of having a few drinks without kicking off and starting trouble. Youngsters and alcohol just don't mix. Luckily this time the only damage was a broken nose (not mine) and a smashed car headlight, the later only discovered a couple of days after the event.
You can almost see the trouble taking shape before it happens. I've been out with friends in the past in pubs and clubs and you can usually spot the trouble makers a mile off. Fortunately, so too can most doormen, and the police are usually present in many town centres these days.
I called them youngsters earlier but I feel I must qualify that. They're usually young men between the ages of 16 and 20, although you do sometimes get a few of the older ones that can't handle their drink either. I think I've only seen a girl causing trouble on a couple of occasions, although I'm willing to bet that they're the reason for many of the heated exchanges I've observed over the years.
I just can't understand why theres so much aggression around, although perhaps it's all down to the fact that teenagers can get their hands on booze relatively easily these days. If it's not dodgy off licence that turns a blind eye, it's the older brother or friend who buys it for them. Personally, I didn't get into that scene when I was that age - in fact I didn't even go into a pub until I was eighteen. That's extremely rare these days I think.
The solution I think would be to raise the drinking age to 21 and come down hard on under age drinking, and when I say hard, I mean REALLY hard. I've seen the police out in the town centres confiscating cans of cider and bottles of vodka, but often the kids get off with a verbal warning. Maybe if the parents were fined then they would keep a closer eye on who they kids hung out with and what they got up to.
That probably sounds a bit harsh, but the situation is out of control. Why should the rest of us foot the bill for a few young idiots that don't know when to stop?
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If they want to ruin their livers and die at a ridiculously young age, then that's up to them, but I object to them screaming obscenities in the street as they pass by, throwing bottles at houses, overturning flower tubs and setting light to waste bins.
Alcohol can make most people a bit drunk, but it seems to make many young people stupid beyond belief.
The jury is still out on whether allowing children to drink at home turns them into binge drinkers, or whether it teaches them that alcohol is just part of life and they don't need to go out and get hammered as soon as they reach 18!
I can only speak from personal experience; my 2 sons were given small amounts of beer and cider when quite small, and then allowed sensible amounts at home as they grew up; and neither of them has ever had any problem with drinking too much.
So enjoy your evenings with friends, don't overdo it and try to encourage others not to as well.
There comes a time when you realise the hangovers aren't worth it! (Unfortunately!)
I'm 17, I like to go drinking with my mates, but only when we're at someones house, that way we don't get told off by all you nosey people making mountains out of molehills.
Sure, we aren't legally allowed to drink, and I respect that, but it doesn't stop us.
I know my limit, I'll separate myself (Or have a friend separate me) if I am getting too aggressive, which I don't. I think it's unfair to blame EVERY teenager for something one or two teenagers do.
If the world worked like that, every man is a pedophile, and every woman is a cougar. Just saying...
There are enough legal sanctions available to the police, local authorities and courts without yet more unnecessary restrictive and patronising legislation.
So back to the teenagers taking the responsibility rather than schools, parents, licencees, the police yadayadayada - they know how old they are, fake ID or not, know if they look a lot older than they are, know if they've got someone else to buy it for them, or just stole it (also an option for some) - if a teenager is found intoxicated, drinking alcohol irresponsibly or behaving like an animal because of it - this goes for the 20 plus' aswell - make them pay the penalty where it hurts - maybe cleaning up the mess so many of them leave behind, preferably evenings and weekends to keep them out of harms way.
The only thing I didn't agree with was raising the limit to 21. That means you could get married, join the forces and spend your wages on a lottery ticket for 5 years before you could have a beer.
What we need to do instead is shun drunken and aggressive behaviour as a society. Instead it is tolerated and glamourised by crap on the TV, everything from Eastenders, Hollyoaks, Shameless, et al.
Nick