News & Politics - What is the legal age in your country?

McGrawchick · 09-09-2008, 08:57 AM

What country and/or state or province are you from?
What is the legal age in your country and/or state or province for:

voting
driving
smoking
drinking
movies
marriage
military
other

Do you disagree with any of these laws in your location? Why or why not? Were there any in the list above that you did not know the legal age of? Be sure to tell where you are from.

McGrawchick · 09-09-2008, 09:02 AM

One thing I find interesting is that rental car agencies often require you to be 25 or older. I don't think that is actually a law, but simply a policy of many car rental places. Its just ineresting that most require that. Also places of employment here often require you to be 16. Again I don't think it's an actual law ~ that I'm aware of ~ just a policy, I think.

Papri · 09-09-2008, 12:37 PM

Here in the UK:

voting - 18
driving - 17
smoking - 16 (although you have to be 18 now to purchase tobacco products)
drinking - 18
movies - 12/15/18
marriage - 16 (with parental consent), 18 without.
military - 16
other - sexual consent - 16.

**vc318** · 09-09-2008, 02:40 PM

voting - 18
driving 18
smoking -18
drinking - 21
movies - 13 PG-13 / 17 R
marriage - varies by state
military - 18

**TheAngel** · 09-09-2008, 05:43 PM

In the US in Indiana at least:

Voting- 18
Driving- Permit at 15, license at 16
Smoking- 18
Drinking- 21
Movies- PG-13/R/NC-17 (The first two allow viewing with parental guidance under the ages of 13 or 17 respectively while the 3rd one does not)
Marriage- 16 with parental consent, 18 without it
Military- 17 with parent's permission, 18 without
Age of consent- 16 if both under 18, 17 if not.

welshgirlyUK · 09-10-2008, 01:37 PM

Great Britain.

voting 18
driving 17
smoking 16
drinking You can consume alcohol from 5 years old with parent/adult, 16 in a licensed pub/resturant with food and drink and 18 to purchase soley on your own.
movies 12, 15, 18
marriage 16
military 16
Age of sexual consent 16

I dont think i really disagree with anything to be honest. Except maybe voting, it seems crazy that your deemed old to fight for your country but not be able to vote on the people who send you to fight that war.

**TheAngel** · 09-10-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welshgirlyUK (View Post)

Great Britain.

voting 18
driving 17
smoking 16
drinking You can consume alcohol from 5 years old with parent/adult, 16 in a licensed pub/resturant with food and drink and 18 to purchase soley on your own.
movies 12, 15, 18
marriage 16
military 16
Age of sexual consent 16

I dont think i really disagree with anything to be honest. Except maybe voting, it seems crazy that your deemed old to fight for your country but not be able to vote on the people who send you to fight that war.

I never knew that the military age in the UK was 16. That's wild to me. Is it the same for males and females? Do they join the active military or is it like a reserve kind of thing?

Papri · 09-10-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welshgirlyUK (View Post)

Great Britain.

I dont think i really disagree with anything to be honest. Except maybe voting, it seems crazy that your deemed old to fight for your country but not be able to vote on the people who send you to fight that war.

IMO the solution then would be to increase the age of military service to 18 rather than to reduce the voting age...

welshgirlyUK · 09-10-2008, 03:51 PM

Yeah i agree with you, i personally feel like committing yourself to the armed services for a minimum of 4 years is something too major for most 16 year olds to truly comprehend. Although i say that and yet i have a couple of male friends who enlisted as soon as GCSEs were done and all of them have loved it and not regretted in since, so who am i to judge.

Quote:

Is it the same for males and females? Do they join the active military or is it like a reserve kind of thing?

Yep it's the same for males and females, females can fight in the front line in the British armed forces too. As for the second question, yeah as far as i'm aware once they've passed training they can be sent to active military, but i think they prefer to send them to our peacekeeping commenwealth bases first. Dont quote me on that though cos i'm not 100%. I'll check with my brother in law whose in the army.

LukaAbbyLover · 09-10-2008, 05:36 PM

voting 18
driving changes state by state but where i am its 16
smoking 18
drinking 21
movies do you mean rated R movies? if so 17
marriage 16 with parental consent, 18 without it
military 18
Age of consent if its with anyone thats not a minor your suppose to be 18

**sunnykerr** · 09-10-2008, 06:27 PM

Canada/Quebec

voting 18
driving 16, but I believe you can get a learner's permit at 15 in some places
smoking 18
drinking 18
movies varies, so in Quebec it is G, 13+, 16+, 18
marriage 18 (with parental concern after 14 or 16, depending on gender and province, or by consent of the court under that age)
military 18
Age of consent 16, but there are two "age proximity" exceptions:

- A twelve-year-old is seen as being able to consent to intercourse with a person up to two years older.

- A fourteen-year-old and a fifteen-year-old are seen as being able to consent to intercourse with a person up to five years older.

Abortion is also legal across Canada and does not require parental consent for girls twelve or older.

welshgirlyUK · 09-11-2008, 12:57 AM

You can get married at 14 in Canada? Thats....young.

**sunnykerr** · 09-11-2008, 04:42 AM

In Quebec, you can get married if you're 14 and you're a girl. It's an antiquated law, obviously. The law still stands, but I'd wager the reality is different. Even if it's not, it still requires parental consent, which gives it a modicum of... I don't know the word I'm looking for... restraint?

NYCity Boy · 09-11-2008, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McGrawchick (View Post)

One thing I find interesting is that rental car agencies often require you to be 25 or older. I don't think that is actually a law, but simply a policy of many car rental places. Its just ineresting that most require that. Also places of employment here often require you to be 16. Again I don't think it's an actual law ~ that I'm aware of ~ just a policy, I think.

For the rental car age, it is because younger people have a higher accident rate and it reflects on the company insurance

You can still rent the car under 25, for most places they just charge you an extra fee.

alexgeo · 09-11-2008, 07:55 AM

18 for all thing