Lower the Drinking Age?

This topic never seems to be a very big issue to anyone in the US but I do find it important and I didn't see a thread on it so I wanted to hear what other people thought, especially since we do have a lot of people from different age groups and countries.

Its really hard to find statistics related to the higher drinking age actually doing what it was intended to do and lowering the occurence of drunk driving because you have both sides of the issue citing various studies. MADD says that 1,000 lives are saved a year, but the NYRA has sources stating that MADD's statistics are only looking at people 18-20 and that actually, lives lost as a result of alcohol merely shifted from the 18-20 bracket to the 21-24 bracket.

Here's the National Youth Rights Association's drinking age website: http://www.youthrights.org/drinkingage.php

And here's the website for Mothers Against Drunk Driving: http://www.madd.org/

Personally, I don't feel that the drinking age should have ever been raised. I feel that the reason people my age use alcohol so irresponsibly is because we're not taught responsible drinking. You have people in other countries who are brought up around alcohol: a glass of wine with dinner, having alcohol served at supervised school events for the students who are old enough to drink it, stuff like that. Its not something people really have to run off to unsupervised parties to do. It doesn't have the same shock value and risk associated with it that it does here in the United States. I think that a lower drinking age paired with education about responsible drinking (rather than the just don't do it approach) would lead to a youth that was much more responsible about their drinking habits. Its not going to stop irresponsible drinking. You have people in their 20's and 30's and upwards of that who are stupid about drinking alcohol, but I do think that it would encourage responsibility and safety.

I have a lot more to say about this but I would rather wait to hear what other peoples views on drinking ages are before I go rambling about all the reasons I think its wrong...

Please discuss!

My personal opinion is that 18 is old enough for people to make their choices. I mean, you can join the army and kill people, but you can't drink alcohol? That's a bit silly.

As for myself, I remember, when I was under 18 (drinking age here), my friends and I would look for any way to drink alcohol, and the moment we were over 18 it was no longer that interesting... so now (I'm not near that age anymore, but the point is obvious) we drink responsibly, have a designated driver, etc.

The way I see it, telling adolescents that something is forbidden is the greatest motivator for them to actually try and do that.

That post ended up a bit messy, but my point is that if people want to drink alcohol, they will drink it regardless of their age, so it's much better to lower the drinking age to 18 and let mature (relatively...) people make mature decisions. If they are not responsible enough to make a good decisions - either the parents could do something for a change or just let the kid get burnt from his own stupidity.

I first started drinking when I was about 15. My parents were okay with it, as long as I did it responsibly, as were most of the parents of my friends. The rule was generally if you were going to be drinking, you handed over your keys to whoever was hosting, whether there was an adult present or not.

My parents trusted me with it, and overall I think I was pretty responsible about it. When I was around 22, I was going through a pretty bad depression and started drinking too heavily, to the point it was becoming a problem. After a couple months I decided I'd had enough and quit cold turkey. Went 4 years without a drink. These days I'm able to drink socially again(though I only do so maybe once or twice a year), and I have enough sense not to have a drink when I'm depressed.

I guess what I'm saying is age doesn't neccessarily have alot of impact on drinking responsibly. 21 is frankly a ridiculous age requirement in my view. That requirement is going to stop extremely few kids from getting drunk. If you want booze, there's always a way to get it. I think my parents did it right. Don't forbid it, educate on doing it responsibly.

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Originally posted by Jidoe
As for myself, I remember, when I was under 18 (drinking age here), my friends and I would look for any way to drink alcohol, and the moment we were over 18 it was no longer that interesting... so now (I'm not near that age anymore, but the point is obvious) we drink responsibly, have a designated driver, etc.

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That's how it was for me. I drank a lot (socially of course) before I was 21. But as soon as I turned 21 I slowed way down and rarely drank. It's like once you can get it legally it loses its appeal.

They ought to just legalize dope. But we know that will never happen (you know how many people die from grass every year- that stuff is no good!).

Marijuana is illegal because they can't reasonably tax it. It's far too easy for anybody to grow. Alcohol can't be mass produced anywhere near as easily as pot can.

I'd buy it if they taxed it. Homegrown is almost never worth it when you can get higher grade. For that you need people who know what the hell they are doing. :)

People are old enough, at 18, to vote, and change the drinking age. Personally, I'd be happier, if they'd raise the age to join the military, and vote, a couple more years. It seems like its getting harder and harder to provide a stronger influence on folks of those age, since they have much greater access to their peers via internet, high school, and so forth. It's hard to teach them to be more responsible, when they are subject to so many influences that override any good sense us old fogeys try to impart.

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Originally posted by Jidoe
My personal opinion is that 18 is old enough for people to make their choices. I mean, you can join the army and kill people, but you can't drink alcohol? That's a bit silly.

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I think what is worse is that at 18, I had to register for the draft.

The government has made it legal to force me to join the army, take their gun and kill someone I don't know or perhaps someone I like and yet they said.. you can celebrate your membership to the adult life in 3 years.

That's why I started drinking when I was 13. I wasn't going to let the man get the better of me. If they wanted to draft me, I'd already have a failing liver. Fuck them.

My views seem to be just like everyone else's:

At 18 you can vote, military, become an adult.

So, you can choose your president, kill people, be very responsible, but don't you even think about touching that beer!

I think it's a load of bullshit.

And just like everyone else, I started drinking young. Liquor/Beer/whatever you drink is far to easy for anyone to get. All you need is the money.

Underage drinking has been a problem for as long as I've known. So much in fact, that here in Michigan (not sure about anywhere else) they even turned the "Under 21" drivers license vertical instead of keeping them all horizontal. To try and stop A) minors from buying and B) Fake ID's

I think it's more legitimate to say that people at age 16 get the privilege to wield a gigantic weapon of mass destruction.

Yea, you can actually even run for public office (smaller positions, obviously) once you turn 18. So at that age, I'm deemed responsible enough to run for public office, join the military, sit on a jury, and along the lines of what Sebboe said, if you're male you have to register for the draft, yet we're not responsible enough to drink.

I can see where you're coming from Sanskrista. There are a lot of people my age who don't give a damn about voting.. or any of that though I really don't think that applies only to the under 21 crowd. But since they do consider us adults at 18, and since I really don't think there's any way in hell they'll ever raise the age to join the military, etc... I just find it so hypocritical that an 18 year old isn't allowed to drink until they're 21 because we're not deemed mature or responsible enough.

If so many people think the law is stupid and it seems that most people (of any age) that I talk to do then I really have to wonder why things are still the way they are. Its likely because once you're over 21 it doesn't really apply to you anymore, and most of the under 21 crowd is going to do it whether there are laws against it or not.

Part of being adult, is at least being mature enough to follow rules you didn't make. Picking and choosing which rules you'll follow ('m just as guilty as the next person). If and when you're are in a position to have to enforce those rules, or make your own, and expect others to follow them, that tends to create a new mindset. Wait til you're a parent, a supervisor, manager, coach, teacher, administrator, etc. It works both ways. Being rebellious and breaking rules may garner you respect in the inner circle of friends you belong to, but you'll get alot more everywhere else if you can abide by them long enough to be able to influence what the rules are, or tasked with enforcing them.

In the same vein as those who equated the drinking age with the selective service registration, I believe that the drinking age should match the age at which one is able to enter into a contract of their own accord. Ultimately, however, it is a moot point. Education (whether it be sex ed, alcohol, anti-drug, etc) will always trump simply enforcing laws, but it costs time and money and the benefits are not instant. On top of that, politicians are going to be generally disinclined toward taking a common-sense approach on such a controversial subject. It's generally just a lose-lose.

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Originally posted by Savaric
They ought to just legalize dope. But we know that will never happen (you know how many people die from grass every year- that stuff is no good!).

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By this line of thinking, cars should be illegal. Reduce the road toll! "X" people killed on the roads last year!! Well... let's take the cars off the road. Actually... you know what? The one main cause of death is: Life. Let's illegalize life, then nobody will die.

Quite frankly, something should not be illegal simply because it can cause death - conversely, it shouldn't be made legal simply because it _doesn't_ kill (many) people. There ARE other considerations too. (And to be honest, one of the biggest considerations is "Will it get me more votes to make this legal or illegal?"...)

How about this:

16 to drink, 21 to drive a car. :)

Now that's a serious win-win.

Man, if mydeathspace is anything to go by, even 21 is too young for cars =(