What's up with the 21 year old age restriction anyway? Isn't it 18 in most western countries?

Sorrowless said:
What's up with the 21 year old age restriction anyway?

Keeps people from being idiots, drinking to young, and driving into a light pole. I mean I'm 23 and I'm actively avoiding alcahol.

@Sorrowless: In the US, I think it comes from prohibition, where things were happening, so they banned alcohol, then people raised hell and did alcohol illegally, so the government re-legalized it with the condition of being responsible with it.

@Sorrowless: After Prohibition alcohol consumption minimum age was set to 21 in most states as it was also the voting age at the time. It's shifted a few times since then over the years and was 18 for a while after voting age changed to 18.