I think the drinking age should be lowered to 14 years old.   As long as its in a pub with a responsible adult in supervision.   This may not go down to well in some pubs, but then not all pubs are family orientated.

Teenagers get the idea that being adult means getting hammered, smoking and shagging.   Its only when they get older that they realise that being adult is being able to do all of these things if you want to, and to the extent you want to - its not full on all the time.

If they're not allowed in pubs, in parks or even to congregate now - what can they do?   Drink in the uncontrolled environment at home or get some cheap cider or alcopop and get wasted on some waste ground, leaving them open to be the victims or perpetrators of violent crime.

Going to pubs would teach them that beer is a social drink and can be enjoyed in company.   Landlords are obligated to keep order and the responsible adult would have to buy the drinks so the teenagers would have to stay in line.   The right-wing press would rant about teaching kids to get drunk and leading them into early liver damage, but isn't leaving them to get on with it by themselves doing this better than any instruction could?

Raising the drinking age in the UKⁱ to 21 is really going to backfire.   Is this going to stop those 15 year olds drinking illegally on the streets?   It will certainly make it cooler and appear to them as more adult.   The drinking age in the States is 21 and rigidly enforced.   Young people find it easier to get drugs than beer.   They light an unregulated, untaxed spliff in a wood somewhere.