Lately I've been hearing a lot from people about wanting to lower the drinking age to 18. I can understand the appeal of drinking to young people, but I don't think that it would be a responsible decision by the government to lower the drinking age to 18. I really don't think that at the age of 18 people are responsible enough to handle how much alcohol they drink and what they do while their drinking. (Though I realize there are many people over 21, over 40, who are not this responsible). I just think that lowering the drinking age would open the door for more accidents, more alcoholics, etc. I know that people could argue that there are plenty of people under 21 who already drink and having the drinking age where it is doesn't affect their decisions of whether or not to drink. Well, I know many people who do not drink simply because they are under the drinking age and do not feel that they are old enough to drink yet. I know that they want to drink, but don't because of the law and because their parents will not let them drink until it is legal. I really think that if the drinking age were lowered that people like myself and my friends would drink. Obviously somewhere that would end up causing some kind of accident or would bring someone new into alcoholism. I think that the 3 years more that we have to wait really allow for us to see the awful affects that alcohol can have on people and help us to realize what we have to do to be responsible.
Lowering the Drinking age (against)
By ominousky - Posted on March 24th, 2008
I believe kids will find a way and it is probably fair to make it a little more difficult for them so they aren't just drinking themselves silly. Although on college campuses, without being able to participate in the bar scene they just get drunk in frat houses, where there are beds and secret rooms and places much less safe than a hugely public bar. Neither here nor there, the biggest problem I have with the random idea of not drinking until you are 21 is the inequity of such a number. At 18 I give you the power to pick a president, I give you the power to drive a car, own a gun (things you can do at less than 18), and most of all, I give you permission to die for your country, BUT you can't buy a beer! Really? Seems a bit out of whack to me.
The way I see it, when you are 18 you are old enough to help pick our president. Hopefully, you have learned about current events, politics, history, the economy, etc. during school. The fact that we have the right to drive a car at such a young age is part of the reason why we should not allow people to drink. The right to own a gun is not something I agree with either and permission to die for your country well that is a noble choice. But again, like with guns, I don't support war either anyway. Most people, at least in towns like my own have not had the experience with seeing others drink to allow them to make responsible decisions with alcohol by the age of 18. I think that the point you bring up is a good one, but I guess my question would then be, why not just raise the age of everything else from 18? It's not something that I'm actually suggesting, but if your argument is that 18 year olds are old enough to do this and that, but not old enough to drink...then my argument would be, if at 18 people are not old enough to drink, then why are they old enough to do all these other things.
I do however think you brought up a great point about drinking at frat houses rather than bars which could be more dangerous. I hadn't thought about that side of things and I think that I'll have to do some reflection on the subject. Thanks for your input btw.
We might as well abolish drinking again! There are also people over the legal minimum drinking age that abuse the ability to drink. Just because your older does not automatically make you responsible. You become responsible by being able to take on responsibilities a little at a time. I don't believe dropping the legal minimum age is the answer, but I like the idea of a "Learner's Permit" alcohol. Dr. Roderic B. Park describes a plan to slowly introduce alcohol to new legal "adults". Look up his plans because I don't want to misinterpret his ideas.
In some ways I agree with you. I do believe that the 3 years is a big difference and a lot of people mature during this time. I myself have matured a lot in only 6 months since turning 18.
I also somewhat disagree. In some ways I believe it should be 18. I mean if you can die for your country then why can't you drink. Taking this approach though, to my knowledge they are allowing the drinking age to be 18, but only on base. With that excuse out of the way... people are going to drink if they really want to if the legal age is 21 or 18. I don't believe that the accident rate would be any higher. True there are people that don't drink because they aren't old enough, but then again there are people like my cousin who drank too much as a teen and now he's old enough and doesn't. I'm a little torn on this issue because what about those of us who are mature enough, but aren't old enough. I am 18 and enjoy a beer or wine cooler every once in a great while. I now can't and won't because I have a boyfriend who hates it and I probably won't when I turn 21 either for that same reason. I am one that just loves the taste and has to be careful because I don't like being drunk.
Anyway, that's my opinion.
I understand where you're coming from. But at the same time, laws are not made in a "it depends on the person" kind of way. Laws can't be based on people who are responsible like you even though it might seem unfair. They have to be made for the people who will not be responsible at 18. I have plenty of friends at 17, including myself that I think would be fine drinking at this age because they are responsible enough to handle it. However, I have plenty of friends who I know would definitely not be responsible enough to handle themselves while drinking at age 18. Many of these people are the people that I know already drink. So obviously they can already get alcohol...so why am I arguing that the law shouldn't be changed if most of these people can get alcohol anyway? Well, many of these people have to sneak out to parties and drink there. I know for a fact that if they could just buy alcohol themselves they would drink much more often at their homes and possibly form somekind of problem.
And as for being old enough to go to war but not old enough to drink...well, I don't support war so it isn't really a relevant subject for me to argue.
Thanks for your input! Much appreciated.
Then how come there's less alcohol abuse among teens in Europe, where the drinking age ranges from 16-18?
Great point. This is something that I'm saying without having researched so I don't know if it's actually true: I'm assuming that the drinking ages in those countries has been that low for a long time.
Now with that assumption in mind. I believe that CHANGING the drinking age at this point to 21 would cause more turmoil with the people currently in this age group. So let's say that the drinking age wasn't 21 in the U.S. but was 18 right now as it had always been. I think that in this theoretical situation, it would be fine for the age to be 18. But to change it from 21 to 18 would not help anything. If the drinking age was already 18 I would never argue for it to be changed to 21. I just think that the shift from 21 to 18 would have a negative affect on people currently in their teen years.
I hope you can understand what I'm saying. I think it made more sense in my head! :)
Yep, I agree. My point is though that your argument that teens aren't responsible enough has been proven incorrect, since European teens are apparently capable of drinking responsibly.
I don't exactly know how to answer, but I do have a question for you. Keeping in mind that many teens in the U.S. already don't drink responsibly: do you think that they would drink more responsibly if they were actually allowed to drink?
I'm also wondering where you got your information. In doing some research just now I read that it is actually a misconception that European youth drinks less than American youth and that research has shown that European teens actually drink more often and get further drunk than American teens. However that information was from 2005 so I don't know if it still holds true.
I'm pretty sure I know what report you were reading. It's misleading. Try reading this: http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/controversies/1098894305.html
It would become less taboo, for starters. You'd get less ridiculous parties for 21-year-olds, less kids dying from trying to down 21 shots, etc. It wouldn't be such a big deal anymore. I don't think kids don't drink responsibly because they're kids. Adults don't drink any more responsibly. 21-year-olds are just as irresponsible about their drinking as 18-year-olds. imo it's due to a lack of proper education.
Hey thanks for that information. I think the whole "responsible enough" issue really depends on the person. Well, obviously. I definitely see that there are people at age 18 who could drink responsibly and I also see that there are people over 21 who don't drink responsibly. I do however believe that for certain people the 3 years of maturing would help them to develop the skills of responsibility needed to handle drinking. I definitely think you're right about it being caused by a lack of education. If people were more properly educated about it then I might be more likely to change my mind.
It was raised. It used to be 18, and was raised sometime in the 70's. I think my mom was one of the people caught by it, or she turned 18 right after they changed it.
The problem is your (and most of America's) attitude about alcohol. Alcohol can be a very good thing, doing things like reducing heart risk and whatnot. But teens go out and just randomly get drunk. I don't think changing the drinking age from 21 to 18 would make that much of a difference, because those mature enough to handle it would be able to drink, and typically those who aren't mature enough drink anyway.
~C
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I think that my mom was also one of those caught in the change. I know that when I used to drink I had to be careful because I didn't drink to get drunk I just loved the taste of Vodka. The problem was, it's such a strong drink that it gets you drunk pretty fast... Anyway, I really don't care too too much anymore though because I myself have stopped drinking altogether and might have an occasional social drink now and again when I'm old enough. (I stopped because of my boyfriend... but when I'm legal a small drink now and again won't hurt... and I'm talking wine coolers and such).
This is a tough issue. Kids have this classic thing where they want what they can't have. In Europe, kids grow up around alcohol, like in Italy where they might have a glass of wine at dinner every night. When its there a lot it becomes less dangerous, and thus less attractive. Of course, this is the way things have been for a long time there, if you all of the sudden took away the drinking age here there would be a different effect. Another thing, why is it 18 or 21? I think that 19 would be a better age, since there aren't many 19 year olds in high schools anymore, but they will be legally allowed to drink in college.
I think what you said about there being a different effect with a sudden change is exactly what I was going for. I think that if we had just kept the drinking age at 18 that it would be better, but now that it's 21 it shouldn't go back.
I think you bring up a good idea about the age 19. It does seem to make more sense.
Maybe then, we could lower it gradually. Start now and change it to 20, then in a year or two 19 and just see where that goes. Lowering it so fast would be a difficult change for this country to handle.
About drinking ages in other countries: I believe that there is a point in saying that that's what they are used to because it's been that way for a very long time. I think as a society the United States has the most immature teens out there. Most societies teens are more mature faster than we are as it is. That's not to say that all American teens are immature because a lot of us have been forced to grow up fast and mature because of certain situations.
I agree with what you are saying. I do not think 18 year olds would be responsible enoguh with what they drink. Of course, people under the age of 21 go to parties and drink illegally, but I'm assuming that once it becomes legal they will drink much more than they used to, because there won't be a risk of being caught and arrested. 21 to me seems like a good age for the law, and I do not think it should be changed.
I believe that the drinking age should not be lowered. It is more responsible to leave it at 21.
How many people do you know under 21 that drink? I know tons! How many people do you know under 18 that drink? Once again, I know tons! Regardlesso f what the drinking age may be it will always get broken by someone. I am against drinking because I have seen how it can change people into hurting thato nes they love the most. I don't want to jeopardize my relationships, not to mention all the damage it can do to your health. I love my liver!!!! I don't see how much the three year gap between 18 and 21 can do. If people don't know, they won't know. People think age gives you wisdom, and there are people as old as 50 making the frivilous mistakes that most people associate with "young" people.
Everyone keeps saying 'the drinking age in this country.' The federal government doesn't set the legal drinking age, the state governments do. The reason every drinking age in every state is 21 is because the state government doesn't give any highway funds to a state that doesn't keep the age at 21. Blackmail? I think so.