I think I got drunk for the first time at the age of 13, partied hard til I was 19, then “took a break” from it and went hard again in my early army days (2015/16). I haven’t had any alcohol in 8ish years or something like that (for more than just religious reasons).

Some people, like me, just got drunk to be in a “better” position to make some indecent proposals to drunk girls in pubs/clubs, and once you’re out of that cycle (in my case, I met my now wife) it loses any utility. Other people really enjoy the effects of booze, and that’s it. The first group will more easily leave it in the past, for obvious reasons.

I’m 25 and have yet to have a proper drink. Most people in my country started illegally drinking at 13-15 years old while out clubbing, but I just hate alcohol so much! I never understood the hype around it. I don’t even like it when there are a couple of teaspoons in my sorbet. I’ll have a tropical mocktail or soda, thank you.

In the UK it’s quite common for kids at some 15/16 to have house parties with alcohol (our drinking age is 18). At least this was common when I was that age 16 years ago

I waited until college. I tried weed and alcohol in my freshmen year, so 18-ish for me.

Tasted maybe a handful of times before 18 including being offered a shot of vodka once. I barely drink even now (23 y.o), maybe 1 unit every 2 or 3 months.

Never drank illegally, waited until my 21st birthday

I didn’t drink until I was 23. I don’t think I missed out on much.

That said…I drink a lot now, so maybe I’m making up for it? lol, jk.

Drink if you want, don’t if you don’t. It’s poison, it’s unhealthy.

I started drinking when I was 16 and smoking joints since I was 14, finally stopped drinking and smoking late last year at 24. Been sober since October. Although I really want to get back to smoking for my chronic depression but such things are impossible on SSRIs

Yeah.

I think I started drinking around 15? Stopped around 25, don’t drink these days as I don’t enjoy the taste at all and my party days are over. Don’t regret it though, would certainly do it again at those ages.

Similar for drugs, but I’ll do a psychedelic every few years.

Those thing are best enjoyed in your youth when you’re with your friends.

I think I’ve always been older than you…

I was a nervous kid. I didn’t try alcohol until 20 and weed till I was 31. They can be fun but remember your brain is still developing. Don’t really use them until that has stopped. They have profoundly negative effects on your developing brain.

And alcohol is literally just poison. Id avoid that completely if you don’t have a strong desire to drink. I say that as a neurodivergent that self medicates with alcohol. It’s not good stuff.

I’m 30 and I’ve never drank alcohol or done any drugs besides whatever medications my doctors give me. Watching beer and cigarettes destroy my father’s life kept me ever from wanting to even try. Plus seeing how damn expensive it all is makes me super glad I never started.

Yes, we have quite an unhealthy alcohol culture here.

The only redeeming factor is that most people make their mistakes learning their tolerance while still being young enough to avoid getting in serious trouble.

If you’ve never touched alcohol at 18, you might want to be extra careful about it. It’s kinda cringe to watch grown ups not knowing their limits, because it’s assumed that they should know by now.

There’s an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in my area called “Never Had A Legal Drink.” It was created by and for people who decided that they were alcoholics and had to stop drinking before they turned 21.

Plenty of people get into drugs/alcohol at an early age.

My psrents gave me a sip as a teen and I hated it. I tried it again at 21 and hated it then too. It was only a few years after that I tried something I liked.