Question about Canada

[GameSnake]

I was wondering what the laws are on beer and marijauna? I know the law varies from each area, but what would you (iago) say in general is Canada's attitude in general on the drinking age, drinking, and smoking marijuana? Just curious.

[iago]

Drinking age varies province to province.  It's 18 in half of them, 19 in some, and 21 in at least one. 

Laws of being caught with beer under age is $1500 fine for both you and the person who sold/provided it to you.  But people generally start drinking around 15 or 16, in many cases.  Of course, where I went to school, only the dumb people drank a lot young, most people stayed away until they were 18. 

I should also mention that Canada is very tough on drinking and driving.  My city in particular, if you're caught your car is impounded, license is taken away, huge fine, and almost always jail-time. 

Marijuana also varies.  The laws for possession are small, comparable to getting a parking ticket.  But selling it and driving under its influence hold very stiff penalties.  Where I live, again, only the dumb people smoke it, though.  But I've heard that out west (in BC) it's much more common. 

[GameSnake]

In paticular I was wondering if most canadians support the legalization of marijuana or tolerate the use of marijuana. Do they tolerate 16-18 year olds using alcohol?

[GameSnake]

The reason I ask is because USA has the highest age limit of all countrys in the world: 21, on the consumption of alcohol. I was wondering if most canadians (and you [and others on this forum]) felt that drinking should not be restricted at all, or should be restricted, and if so, what age do you think is appropriate to buy alcohol? I feel you should be able to buy beer at 18 and liquor at 21, but to consume it you only have to be 16.

[Sidoh]

China doesn't have a drinking restriciton.  Lihao, who was born and raised (for 17 years), in China says it's a minimal problem there.  However, I strongly believe this is for other reasons.  In China, if you are not academically superior, your chances of becoming successful are far less than the next person.  Drinking does absolutely nothing to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, so its useage is far less widespread than it is in the US.

Lihao said that kids do drink in China, but its much less of a problem than it is here.  By "problem," I mean kids coming to school drunk, using alcohol to avoid current problems or otherwise fucking up their body and/or mind.

[CrAz3D]

License taken away....like suspended or like gone forever?

I recall hearing that in France you lose your license forever if you get a DWI (Driving while intoxicated, that's what we call 'em).

In New Mexico we have people that have 15+ DWIs.  DWI #4 becomes a felony charge.  You never lose your license.  You do have to install an interlock thing in your car (since last year) after your first DWI which I think is way cool.

[Hitmen]

In New Mexico we have people that have 15+ DWIs.  DWI #4 becomes a felony charge.  You never lose your license.  You do have to install an interlock thing in your car (since last year) after your first DWI which I think is way cool.

Is that the thing that's like a breathalizer that you need to pass to start you car? Those things are cool. And the drunkies have to pay for them too, which is also awesome.

[CrAz3D]

In New Mexico we have people that have 15+ DWIs.  DWI #4 becomes a felony charge.  You never lose your license.  You do have to install an interlock thing in your car (since last year) after your first DWI which I think is way cool.

Is that the thing that's like a breathalizer that you need to pass to start you car? Those things are cool. And the drunkies have to pay for them too, which is also awesome.

yeah.  Ya gots to breath in to start the car.  $1000 to be installed, ouch

[Sidoh]

Those are neat.  Have you seen 40 Year Old Virgin?  Haha...

[iago]

In paticular I was wondering if most canadians support the legalization of marijuana or tolerate the use of marijuana. Do they tolerate 16-18 year olds using alcohol?

I don't think Canadians particularily care.  It's not really a big issue here, and it's not commonly discussed.  Of course, according to the CIA, Canada is an "illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector".  So who knows?

I also don't think that underage drinking is a big deal here.  It's got a stiff penalty, and most just don't do it.  At least around my area (I definitely don't speak for the whole country or even my whole city), people value their education and want to do well in school.  So they might have a couple drinks on the weekend, but it isn't badly abused. 

And in terms of losing your license, for the first offense it's for a couple months, I think.  For your second, you're definitely serving some jailtime, and your license is suspended longer. 

[GameSnake]

In paticular I was wondering if most canadians support the legalization of marijuana or tolerate the use of marijuana. Do they tolerate 16-18 year olds using alcohol?

I don't think Canadians particularily care.  It's not really a big issue here, and it's not commonly discussed.  Of course, according to the CIA, Canada is an "illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector".  So who knows?

I also don't think that underage drinking is a big deal here.  It's got a stiff penalty, and most just don't do it.  At least around my area (I definitely don't speak for the whole country or even my whole city), people value their education and want to do well in school.  So they might have a couple drinks on the weekend, but it isn't badly abused. 

And in terms of losing your license, for the first offense it's for a couple months, I think.  For your second, you're definitely serving some jailtime, and your license is suspended longer. 

Interesting. I was wondering because the drug war here is contreversial. Where Canada might not have a big issue, America has implemented a tough policy and enforcement of drug laws.

[Joe]

In New Mexico we have people that have 15+ DWIs.  DWI #4 becomes a felony charge.  You never lose your license.  You do have to install an interlock thing in your car (since last year) after your first DWI which I think is way cool.

Is that the thing that's like a breathalizer that you need to pass to start you car? Those things are cool. And the drunkies have to pay for them too, which is also awesome.

yeah.  Ya gots to breath in to start the car. [...]

Friends are awesome.

[GameSnake]

Where most people question authority is at: is America too much of a big brother? Should we really bother these people, and, are these people really causing as much harm as the law is that punishes them? Tough questions.

[iago]

They should either enforce the law properly, or not at all. 

The problem with the law is that the people who are against it are constantly breaking it.  If people ever want to get the law repealed, they're going to have to resort to fighting it without breaking the law.