Comments on: Debating the Legal Drinking Age

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:18:49 +0000

I think lowering the drinking age all at once is a bad idea that encourages binge drinking. I think if it is to be lowered, it needs to be done one year at a time — like the first year, lower it to 20 years old. A couple years later, make it 19.

I’ve heard some thoughts that 19 would make a better legal age to buy alcohol than 18, and I kind of agree. By 19, most kids are out of high school, helping to keep alcohol from high schoolers.

While not as good as removing the binge drinking stigma from society like I mentioned before, lowering the age does make sense. I just think it’s a terrible reflection on our country that an 18 year old can choose to smoke, vote, or die for his country in Iraq, yet enjoying a beer is the ultimate crime? Explain that.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:22:10 +0000

Regarding legal drinking at 18 — been there, done that. That was tried up 20 years ago and was a huge failure. I was part of that group that could drink at 18 and I tell everyone from first hand experience that it didn’t work. The binge drinking still happened and not just at college but also down in high school because it was much easier for a 16 year old to find an 18 year old to buy him beer or PGA. The statistics don’t lie. Look at how many teens died of alcohol related causes when the drinking age was 18, and look at how many die of the same today. If anything, we should be debating raising the age not lowering it.

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:14:30 +0000

I am not a “child” at 18. According to everyone in regards to everything (except the devil alcohol) I am an adult. Period.

dis·crim·i·na·tion
–noun
1.an act or instance of discriminating.

2.treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit: racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.

By: Christine's Mom

Christine's Mom — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:59:01 +0000

I absolutely think that having a discussion/debate on lower the drinking age is reasonable. Though, I have to admit, I am torn on which side should win.

I was 18 when the age dropped before (I didn’t get to drink legally on my birthday, but did a few weeks later when the law took effect on July 1st). At that time, I was absolutely in favor of the age dropping.

Now, I am not as enthusiatic as before, but still I don’t like the arbitrary nature of how adulthood and responsiblity is defined.

First, I am very much a “libertarian” in alot of my views. I think that the government regulates way too many things and should really step out it. I don’t think that they should be playing moral cop. Crimes should be illegal – that is, driving when too impaired to control your vehicle should be illegal. But, really, should the government control what I do when I am not harming anyone else.

If a person can vote, serve in the armed forces, get married, enter into a legal contract, etc., etc., etc., why are they not allowed to make personal decisions about alcohol. What makes alcohol so “special”. Its not just the “dangerous” of it – serving in Iraq can be quite dangerous. Its not even the emotional health of making the decision. Why can an 18 year old decide to carry a gun but not be trusted to buy a beer?

On the other hand, I have grandkids who are rapidly approaching 18. They’re level of maturity is increasing all the time. But, I don’t think I want them deciding to go to war (they do love “Call of Duty”) or getting drunk on the weekend – esp. since my family does have alcoholism problems in it. I would love to keep them protected forever.

Cathy

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:43:08 +0000

I agree with Paul. I grew up with a father who stated that at 17 he was old enough to die in Vietnam, so therefore he was old enough to smoke weed and drink a beer. We never had to sneak off to smoke or drink. I am now 37 years old neither smoke weed or drink regularly.

I drink wine occasionally, and if my girls, who are 19 & 15 want a drink, they can do it at home. They do not sneak around either. The mindset of Americans is ridiculous. We went to Mexico a few years ago and both daughters tried the frozen drinks. They did not spend our whole vacation getting slammed.

It is all in how you introduce it to your kids. Tell a kid NO, and they will want it that much more. Tell them ok, in moderation, and they will respect that.

Wine and beer are not taboo in my house. which is why my girls hardly ever touch it.

By: visiopher

visiopher — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:14:46 +0000

I grew up in Europe where I started going to pubs with my friends at age 15. I came to the US at age 18 and suddenly was not legally allowed to drink. I found that attitudes about alcohol in Europe are different than in the USA. In Europe it is more a part of socializing and the goal wasn’t to get trashed. At this young age people are often rebellious. In the US drinking alcohol is one avenue to exhibit rebellious behavior to impress peers. Attitudes will not change overnight so lowering the drinking age won’t make these problems go away in the short term. In general I believe once a person is an adult they should be treated as an adult which means allowed to drink alcohol if they so choose. However, when are we really adults? We have settled on the age of 18 and I don’t really know why this particular age was chosen. Physiologically, the human brain continues to develop until age 21 or 22. Perhaps this would be a better age for adulthood. Alcohol effects the brain so perhaps it would be better to avoid alcohol until development of the brain is complete. Others raise concerns about an increase in alcohol related crimes such as drunk driving. The drinking age was raised in many states in the 80s. What do the statics show? Have alcohol related crimes decreased among 18 to 21 year olds in the years after the imposition of the higher drinking age?

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:55:20 +0000

I’m not sure on the drinking age. I know that many state allow for under age drinking at private family function. I know this because I use to drink (only one or two) around the holidays with the family. That, and my aunt was a judge. Since then I have traveled the world and been to many places were there is no age or it is incredibly low. That approach seems to work quite well in those countries that I have been too. I have also noticed, though, that they take a much stronger, tougher, stand on DUI. I have also known many 18-20 year olds that were mature enough to handle drinking, but the vast majority, I don’t think are. Prohibition didn’t work, but I don’t think lowering the age is the right answer either. If these schools are so concerned, why don’t they raise the age instead? If you show up to class hungover or drunk, you get suspended.

I know that would never float since these schools might loose there source of funding, kid’s mommies and daddies. Too bad that we can’t take a stand any more….

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:01:38 +0000

When you go to places where the drinking age is much lower, you realize how much smarter their attitude is about it. I took a trip to Germany, and all of us Americans were stoked about the ability to buy alcohol. We drank at almost every opportunity we could. To the Germans we stayed with, it wasn’t a big deal because they had access to it whenever. Sure they liked to drink, but more as a social thing rather than “Let’s get sloshed!”.

A lot of the reason Americans are like that is because alcohol is forbidden to us. When teens get chances to drink, they go overboard because it’s such a rare opportunity. Kids are going to drink regardless of whether it’s legal or not, so you might as well help to enforce smart choices. A lot of kids prevent making smart choices simply because alcohol is illegal: I have a friend who got drunk, and she ended up having to drive home because she didn’t dare tell her mom she had been drinking and needed a ride.

I definitely think the drinking age needs to be lowered to 18, and probably even lower. To be honest, I think it might be reasonable to lower the legal age to drink alcohol (like with parents there) to 12 or so, and the age to buy alcohol to around 15. I think kids should learn how to drink alcohol safely before they learn how to drive.

Granted, I don’t know the science behind that, like if drinking alcohol that young has some serious negative health implications, so forgive me if that’s a bad idea.

By: Carol B

Carol B — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:11:33 +0000

As a mother, I do not think the drinking age should be lowered. Kids start hiding drinking and smoking as early as 14 and 15. (not all kids, but, a lot) I did.

Regardless of what age the law says, young people will sneak drinking and binge drink.

If the legal age is changed to 18 I see the binge drinking starting at 15 and 16.

I hope for the sake of our children this is never passed.

By: MADD makes me so mad | The Bean Blog

MADD makes me so mad | The Bean Blog — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:04:13 +0000

[...] makes me so mad Have you heard that more than 100 college presidents are asking for a debate on the drinking age? They believe lowering the drinking age to 18 will help curb college student’s from binge [...]