Quote:
Originally posted by Taualumna
A friend of mine worked in Europe over the summer and she said that the young people over there weren't nearly as crazy about alcohol as they are here.
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I lived in Europe and they're crazier. Now that we're doing talking about our experience, let's talk statistics.
"Based on statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), "alcohol-related"(1) traffic fatalities for people under 21 dropped by 43% (from 5,062 alcohol-related fatalities to 2,883) during the years 1987 through 1996.(2) This should be seen in the context of a 28% drop in alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the general population. From 1982 through 1986 when minimum purchasing and public possession age laws varied from 18 to 21, alcohol-related traffic fatalities for people under 21 dropped by 14% (from 6,329 alcohol-related fatalities to 5,455).(3) Alcohol-related traffic fatalities for the general population during this period dropped by 4%. In NHSTA's view, the minimum 21 age laws "have had greater impact over the years as the drinking ages in the states have increased, affecting more drivers aged 18 to 20."(4)"
Also, in regards to Europe where the drinking age is lower, the WHO (World Health Organization) conducted a study stating:
"Britain, with few abstainers even in its adult population, is notable for the low numbers of adolescents who have never tried a drink. Well under 10% of 13-year-olds say they have never had alcohol. In addition, one in seven English boys aged 11, one in four Welsh boys of 13 and around a half of 15-year-old boys in England and Wales drink wine, spirit or beer once a week, putting them among the highest youthful consumers in Europe.
Cees Goos, WHO regional adviser for alcohol, drugs and tobacco, said: "We are receiving signals from all across the region that many young people are turning to alcohol as a drug. There is an increase in high-risk drinking, such as binge-drinking and drunkenness."
Europe under the influence
Belgium
6% of workers have drink problem; 40% of violent crime and vandalism linked to alcohol
Denmark
Drink-related deaths doubled 1970 -94 despite national consumption stagnating since 1983
Finland
Nearly half male and one in five female suicides involve alcohol abusers
France
40% of fatal traffic accidents - 4,000 deaths a year - and overall 43,000 deaths, 9% of total, linked to drink in 1997
Germany
2.7m people between 19 and 69 misuse alcohol. Alcohol-related mortality estimated at 40,000 a year
Hungary
Cirrhosis among men rose from 19 per 100,000 in 1970 to 208.8 in 1994
Norway
80% of crimes of violence, 60% of rapes, arson and vandalism committed under influence
Poland
1,446 fatal alcohol poisonings in 1996
Russia
40% of men and 17% of women suffer from alcoholism
Spain
25% of domestic violence drink-related
Sweden
87% of attempted suicides attributed to alcohol in 1992
United Kingdom
50% of violent crime, 65% of attempted suicides linked to alcohol; 33,000 deaths a year linked to drink in England and Wales alone
So these countries with lower drinking age minimums faced a lot of problems. America which increased its drinking age minimum, benefited it seems in the sense of less accidents.
-Rudey