Myths About Lawmaking

I am an Australian living in Germany where responsibility for alcohol consumption is placed firmly on the individual. All types of alcohol are freely available at most retail outlets, including corner stores, and the difference on the streets during weekends is markedly calmer than in Australia - with drunken, loutish and potentially violent behaviour almost non-existent.

Young adults from 16 are legally allowed to enjoy beer (but not spirits) in a cafe or bar until 9pm, making their transition into unrestricted drinking at 18 overwhelmingly smooth and without incident, as opposed to the rapidly increasing trend of youth binge drinking in Australia today.

It's about time we were trusted to think for ourselves, without legislating against everything, US-style. The US patterns of drug abuse have been shown to have connections with their restrictions on drinking until the age of 21. Let's take the myth out of drinking so our youth can grow up with a reasonable approach to alcohol.

David Theak, Detmold (Germany), Letter to SMH October 8.