Getting a credit card isn't a bad idea. A person has to establish credit at some point. Learning how to use credit responsibly is a better idea. Credit cards are good for emergencies like a car breaking down traveling home from college or an emergency to get home. Being short on cash at a bar is not an emergency. It's irresponsible.
While in college my kids have/had a bank account with a debit card where I also have access to make deposits in an emergency. My daughter got her first credit card after graduation.
As an adult if you don't use a credit card it can affect your credit rating. My mother found out she did not have a high score since she hadn't charged or purchased anything on credit in years. She uses her debit card. She sold her house. She pays cash for cars. They key to using a credit card is paying it off at the end of the month or at the worst as soon as possible.
The catch on a lot of credit cards with kids is when the kid hits the limit the credit card company will raise the limit. They're looking for suckers as much as the responsible users. They make a lot of money on late fees and overdrafts.