Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered from 21?

Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered from 21?

Do you remember your first taste of alcohol? How old were you? Twenty-one? All 50 states currently demand that their citizens reach age 21 before they can legally drink. But there's a growing movement that says mandatory minimum laws may do more harm than good. When determining the right date when a young person can take one of their final steps towards personal responsibility and freedom, what's the right answer?

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Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered from 21?

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  • redondo
    Let's keep it as is

    As far as I’m concerned, I really don’t understand why people feel the need to drink at all, but then I do realize that I’m very much in the minority.

    Regardless of whatever number is given to legal drinking age, there will always be those just a few years younger who will try to ‘pass for legal age’. Yes – right now there may very well be 20, 19 and 18 year olds who pose as older. However, if the legal drinking age were lowered to 18, then 17, 16 and even 15 year olds will try to ‘squeak’ through. This could be a really big problem. Teenagers today dress and appear much older than those of yesteryear although they do not yet have the maturity and wisdom which comes from experience. I say – let’s leave it at 21.

    The only real benefit that I foresee in lowering the drinking age to 18 is a financial benefit to the alcohol industry.

    - redondo July 12, 2008 4:08PM

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    • ltp
      No Education = Bad Decisions

      Who is a 21 year old supposed to learn appropriate alcohol consumption from? He's long since left home and it can't be in college as all the college presidents are saying. You have a generation of young people learning about alcohol from other 21 year olds at keggers and bars. It should be no surprise that college students are dying from alcohol consumption. Lowering the drinking age to 18 allows people to learn about alcohol from adults. Not by trial and error and from peers.
      Your comment about the alcohol industry is dismissive. There is no benefit of this to the alcohol industry if adults of this country are allowed to teach the younger generation how to drink responsibly.

      - ltp August 25, 2008 11:52AM

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      • Jefe32
        Maybe not...

        When i first read your comment, i was sure that it was a bad idea. My gut instinct told me that lowering the drinking age would only allow more alcohol in the hands of children.

        Then i applied your theory to my own life. When i did this, the results were favorable and seemed to make sense. Perhaps i was mistaken.

        I then realized that i had intelligent and responsible parents. Imagine the repercussions if the parents were not seriously involved in their child's transition to drinking. A uninformed and unsupervised transition at that age could have extremely harmful side effects.

        Because of the possibility that the parents will not necessarily be a positive role model for their child, the drinking age should be set at an age where the person drinking alcohol is able to make rational and intelligent decisions on their own.

        Perhaps the drinking age should not be lowered.

        - Jefe32US September 13, 2008 6:14PM

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    • CandieKelty
      Education and experience, not prohibition

      When I was 18, I spent several months in Sweden, where the drinking age is 18. As a teenager, I drank alcohol at home, but many of my friends had to sneak off to parties and drink all they could when they had the chance. When I went out in the world and had the opportunity to legally drink, it just wasn't that interesting.

      The ferry between Copenhagen and Sweden was the only place where I ever saw drunk, disruptive people in Scandinavia. There is no drinking age in Denmark, so there were often drunk Swedish teenagers on their way back from a drinking spree.

      We need to take away from the fascination with alcohol. If parents have a drink with their kids and teach them important factors, such as knowing when to stop, it would be far less dangerous than forcing kids -- and legal adults -- to sneak around. Also, it might steer teens away from harder drugs, as it is often easier for a teen to obtain marijuana or crack than it is to get some booze.

      - CandieKelty August 27, 2008 1:32PM

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  • Sundevil
    Take it from a recent college grad

    21 seems like such an arbitrary number these days. What do you think the percentage is for adults under the age of 21 having tried alcohol? I would imagine it is staggering. My contention is the government places the driving limit (in most states) at 16, but then there is five years between driving a car and getting a drink? The reason there is so much underage drinking is because it is something new to try, something that is taboo, something illegal. Okay, now for my college experiences: I got to college at the age of 18, I was one of the few kids I am sure that had very little interaction with hang overs and binge drinking. So there we are, going to a party, all of us woefully under the age of consumption. What does that mean at a party? Nada. What I have learned is the importance of learning control before college with alcohol. Studies have been done that when something becomes the norm or is no longer deviant, the number of people that do the act decreases. Lower the age to 19.

    - SundevilUS July 13, 2008 10:10PM

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  • Kasidie
    Perhaps Different Rights for Different People

    At 18 some people can enlist to kill people overseas...but not everybody. At 16 some people can drive a car...but not everybody. At 21 females can rent a car with some agencies...but not males (they have to be 25). Some people can get motorcycle drivers licenses...but not everybody.

    Why not extend the right to drink on a selective basis, just as we do with other things? So perhaps a highly trained soldier that society trusts with an M-16 can also be entrusted to have a Coors, while a 19 year old freshman at USC is not. Or a young police officer can share a margarita with his fellow officers, but a same age friend with a criminal history cannot.

    Let's look at the fine demographics, and not global statistics, and make intelligent decisions about who we can trust with a cocktail and at what age.

    - Kasidie July 24, 2008 9:21AM

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    • Dale
      "Licensing"

      I think the idea of selecting 18 year olds to drink by "demographics" is a problem. But, the basic idea is something that the Choose Responsibility people have suggested: Perhaps issuing a conditional license" to 18-20 year olds who have completed alcohol education programs and have no priors. (I wonder also about the role of parental consent.) The license could be pulled, then, with any alcohol related infraction.

      - Dale August 27, 2008 10:42AM

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      • polobo
        Why the age limit

        If this is such a good idea then why should we not attempt to apply it to all age groups. Percentages not withstanding all age groups pose a danger when they drink and then drive or commit other crimes, why the arbitrary cutoff at 21 for the license aside from making it more likely to pass?

        - poloboUS August 27, 2008 2:23PM

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    • Jefe32
      If only...

      If this idea could somehow work it would be terrific. The thing that is so frustrating about this topic of discussion is that the law is not followed (so what is the point in changing it). 75 percent of college students have had a drink in the last 30 days. I don't need to remind you that not 75 percent of college students are above the age of 21.

      - Jefe32US September 13, 2008 6:19PM

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  • Kigster Delicatessen
    Just like marijuana prohibition, it's pointless

    Most of the world allows drinking at 18. Young people in this country and many others start drinking (at parties, etc) even before then. Would young people drink more if they were allowed to? I don't think so.

    In Australia, you can start drinking at 18, but you can't drive with ANY alcohol in your system until you are 20. If caught you'll loose your license and get into lots of trouble. I remember being young and being very aware of this law. None of us never thought about driving after drinking. This is a law that works. Prohibition doesn't. This country seems to still not come to terms with this simple fact.

    - Kigster Delicatessen July 24, 2008 12:20PM

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  • tamklo
    Can Vote & Serve Our Country - Can Drink!

    The drinking age should be 18. If the US considers a person an adult at 18, and responsible enough to serve our country & vote, they can drink.

    - tamklo July 24, 2008 12:34PM

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  • Gideon From The Dirty Onion
    Old Enough To Die

    If you are old enough to join the Armed Forces and old enough to operate automatic weapons, drive tanks, and blow stuff up with heavy ordinance...you should be able to drink and gamble. Either raise the age limit on the Armed Forces and gambling or lower the drinking age to 18. You are an adult who pays taxes and considered responsible enough to live on your own and make your own decisions - you are old enough to have a beer.

    - Gideon From The Dirty OnionUS July 25, 2008 11:44AM

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  • DelBeano
    Alcohol has become dangerously forbidden.

    My reasons for supporting this argument are twofold: First, I feel that is immoral for the government to be denying this to privilege to anyone who is old enough to sign a contract or get married, and second, because my parents (thank GOD) were savvy enough to allow me to drink under their supervision while visiting Canada (we live close to the border) and the UK. These experiences, beginning when I was 15, showed that having one or two drinks at dinner to complement conversation was vastly more enjoyable than getting shitfaced and a hangover. Because of this, I was able to learn in a highly controlled environment that moderate, socially acceptable drinking was far more rewarding than getting herpes at a college kegger. The only thing I have to say is that it was a shame that they had to leave the country to give me the appropriate knowledge I needed to enjoy myself in a safe manner. Also, it's a really bad idea to make people learn to drive before they learn to drink.

    - DelBeanoUS August 1, 2008 9:30PM

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  • YellowKeyboard
    adult at 18 or not?

    at 18 you can be drafted, sent off to another country, be forced to fight, and be killed in a war but cannot have a beer before you go?

    - YellowKeyboard August 3, 2008 5:45PM

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  • bagpiper2005
    Drinking is fun for 18-20 year olds because it's illegal!

    You make it illegal, it won't be so much fun anymore. People that age love to break the law. They drive 100 MPH, drink, use illicit drugs, etc. Older teens/young adults are just rebellious by nature. Many friends in college no longer enjoyed drinking when they turned 21 for this reason.

    Lowering the drinking age, in my opinion, would reduce said effect. Introducing them to alcohol earlier, and teaching them how to drink responsibly, is the best solution. Prohibition does not work, in fact it is counter-productive.

    - bagpiper2005US August 12, 2008 2:40PM

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  • UltraConservative
    Keep it At 21

    What makes a person an adult? Is it their age? Is is how mature they are? What is it? I know many 18-20 year olds who are no more mature being in the Military than they were when in High School.
    Should we lower the age a person can drive because people under 16 are driving without a license to prevent that?
    My opinion: Changing the laws will not prevent under-age drinking. It will make it worse. Statistics have proven that the law has saved lives. There are many countless studies to show just that.
    In our community, we have a problem with drinking amoung the young people here. It is not those between 18-20, it is with those that are between 13-18.
    My thought is that education works. I have taught my boys that alcohol is bad and I have taught them why. At what age do you begin teaching your children about these things? Statistics show you better start when they are young because the age at which they try the stuff is getting lower every year.

    - UltraConservative August 19, 2008 4:42AM

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  • mmsomekid
    Old enough to kill...but not drink...

    If you are old enough to be shipped off to a foreign country and kill people, leaving emotional scars which have made some people unable to function in society, you should be able to drink alcohol.

    People seem to confuse drinking with getting drunk. If you start drinking before you go to college, you will know your limit. You will be able to drink, rather than get drunk. In college, a very large percentage of students drink regardless of the law.

    We should lower the drinking age to 18, and have harsher laws regarding drunk driving.

    - mmsomekid August 19, 2008 1:44PM

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  • KCliberal
    We need to appreciate values

    I believe that strong values and good judgment are learned, not suddenly acquired. Being 21 doesn't mean one can suddenly drink responsibly. Nor does being under 21 mean one can’t drink responsibly. It is a subjective issue depending on experience, alcohol tolerance, and personal attitude. I was first given wine at a very young age, as is custom in Italian families. I did not spontaneously become an alcoholic. I was brought up cultured and taught to respect and find my personal limit with each alcohol in a safe environment. Now I know what to drink and how much. I don't binge or partake in unsafe activities like others I know who were never allowed to drink. Also, the American limit prevented me from my studies and work. As an aspiring vitner, I could not tour Napa nor fully participate in my classes. This law is silly and pointless. I've seen 13 year olds who drink more than I do. It's not like this law is stopping anyone. Lower the drinking age to 18 and allow Americans to grow up.

    - KCliberalUS August 19, 2008 5:31PM

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  • beentheredonethat
    Lowering it won't help

    Lowering the drinking age to 18 will not solve the problem of binge drinking. How do I know? The legal age used to be 19 in my state and 18 in a neighboring state in the late 70's. I was able to drink legally in the neighboring state when I was a senior in high school and in my state as a freshman in college. We drank like fish. My friends and I would occasionally obtain ID's (borrowed from seniors who were 18 - no photos at the time) when we were juniors in high school and go to the bars in the neighboring state. The bingeing didn't really stop until we graduated from college and entered the working world. And even then it happened on occasion. Lowering the age will make alchohol more accessible to kids in high school. Statistics on fatal accidents involving 16/17 yr olds and alchohol show a marked decrease after the age was raised to 21.

    - beentheredonethat August 20, 2008 9:52AM

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    • Abigail Adams
      Where were your parents?

      You were driving to a neighboring state at 17 to go drinking? What did your parents say? I was expected home by 9 pm on the weekend when I was a junior in high school, and you can bet that if I had come home drunk I would have been severely chastised. And there is no way in heck I would have voluntarily gotten into a car with someone who had been drinking. Anyway, I always knew that my parents would come get me if I needed a ride home no matter what.

      But then, it sounds like you grew up in the 1970's. I understand people didn't think drunk driving was as big of a deal back then. People today understand that driving drunk is wrong. When I was in college in the 1980's there was always a "designated driver" in the group I went out with (usually me) and I think that is even more prevelant now.

      - Abigail Adams August 21, 2008 6:44PM

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  • just my thought
    It's not all about you

    The drinking age use to be 18.It was raised due to the number of alcohol related auto deaths and alcohol poisonings.It was raised to lower insurance rates. The boundries are crossed when someone at any age makes an decision to have a drink or more and get behind the wheel. Your decision just impacted someone else's life or the family of someone killed because of your actions. You're not talking about signing a contract or dropping a ballot in a box; you're talking about families in pain and sorrow, insurance companies being sued, hospital costs, funeral costs etc. The true issue here is how do we keep teens, middle aged adults or seniors from destroying lives because of their actions? You could cause an accident or not react to avoid one. If no one's life had ever been touched by the consequences of drinking, we wouldn't be discussing it here. Think about others. What if a child died? Alcohol is a selfish act with no regard for humanity.

    - just my thought August 20, 2008 10:38PM

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  • cjc23
    "adult" decisions

    No matter how many restrictions parents and government officials put on the drinking age, young americans will always experiment with alcohol. Being under the legal drinking age I can honestly say that drinking is more tempting. I also find it quite annoying that I am not considered "adult" enough to handle a couple beers. I'm just a few months shy of 21 but I do agree that the age should be lowered. I respect the opinions of others, but some are just very prejudiced. Defining someone as an "adult" all depends on the individual. I know people in their 50's who are no more mature than my 16 year old sister. What it ultimately comes down to is the individual. We all need to take responsibility for ourselves and actions, should we choose to drink, and I believe at the age of 18 or 19 we are very much ready to shoulder that responsibility.

    - cjc23 August 21, 2008 11:06AM

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  • nwparsons
    The Rights of a Teenager

    I must agree with the other folks concerning age 18 to be adulthood. We fail to recognize our young adults for the resources they bring into this world. Here in the United States they can be tried as an adult for a crime, but other rights are not there. May be if we listened more to the young adults in this country, instead of forcing them into avenues, (i.e. sports) that they do not want to participate in. Instead we could give them a say in their own country. Young adults do offer ideas to run this world, and the United States needs to recognize that. When watching C-Span, you can't help but notice that our country is run by a bunch of old people. The young can bring refreshed ideas to the table and deserve rights and representation in the United States. One final thought, When you go to the polls in November, remember that John McCain's voting record indicates a 98% vote against issues that reflect families, young people, and women.
    Nathaniel W. Parsons, NEOCA-Advocate

    - nwparsons August 21, 2008 7:40PM

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  • hanabuso
    Do any of the promoters actually have kids of their own?

    You cannot change the cultural views and treatment of alcohol by lowering the drinking age. The age itself is unimportant. It is the way that we as a country treat alcohol that is guiding how our young respond to it. Some of the countries that are being referenced as examples have a lower high school graduation age. In this country, if 18 year olds have access to alcohol, then all of their Freshman, Softmore and Junior age friends will also have access to it. Easy access. I'm sorry, but I do not want my 15 year old son to suddenly have easy access to alcohol through his Senior age friends. If he's going to drink, I at least want it to be a challenge for him. I agree with another poster who asked - what is the purpose of this? If the purpose is to allow young people to "get it out of their system" prior to college, then we are basically promoting the notion that high school is not important. How very sad.

    - hanabuso August 21, 2008 8:51PM

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  • Principia1687
    EToH Rite of Passage

    Look -in Europe kids drink with their families, at social gatherings, dinner, church festivals, and the list goes on.
    The point is, that it is normal social non-bindge drinking.
    The kids are socialized normally, and treat alcohol normally, from childhood, through their teens and into adulthood.
    However, in America, the story is different. We have created a taboo for the kids. A Taboo meant to be broken as a rite of passage, a rite of crazed bindge drinking, with only one goal: get drunk fast. As long as the law prohibits freedom, and the taboo exists, American kids will act out this Idiotic Rite of Passage. The law does US more harm than good.

    - Principia1687 August 21, 2008 10:04PM

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  • Killjoy
    Lower legal age has a "Trickle Down" Effect to kids

    I have enforced the drinking laws in our county for 34 years. That time span encompasses a drinking age of 21, then 18, and now back to 21.

    When the drinking age was 21, before the change to 18 some 24 years ago, underage possession of alcohol was a misdemeanor arrestable offense, with a jail term and a fine. Sure young adults and college students drank, but they were VERY careful and circumspect.

    When the legal age changed to 18, we found that many more 15, 16, and 17 year olds were having alcohol problems. These children had many friends, associates, even classmates who were 18. These younger children were frequently associating with their older peers and school buddies. In many cases the 18 and 19 year olds were dating their underage friends (usually girls). This situation made access to alcohol wide open for the juveniles.

    Currently it is very rare for a 21 year old to supply alcohol to a juvenile (person under 18).

    - Killjoy August 22, 2008 8:51AM

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    • polobo
      Punishing the wrong group

      A very noble reasoning but flawed in that you are actively impinging upon the rights of adults so that other people's children have a more difficult time breaking the law - this is unconstitutional.

      Un-emancipated persons under the age of 18 are extensions of their guardian whose role is, among other things, to teach those children to respect and abide by rules/laws and to affect punishment for breaking them (if necessary by contacting the police).

      As for the side-effects, if I'm going to have illegal drinking I'd rather have it done by persons 13-17 who still have guardians (and have less opportunity to hurt others) than by those who are otherwise left to fend for themselves. Colleges cannot contact the parents because the students are considered adults and thus have their right to privacy. K12 students can be reported to their parents and their parents can step-in to help rectify the situation before those lose all control because the child has become an adult.

      - poloboUS August 22, 2008 2:25PM

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      • Killjoy
        Reply to polobo

        If it were unconstitutional then the Supremes would have so found. True one group is suffering for the benefit of another group. But, in my long experience, the 18,19, and 20 year olds are not trustworthy.

        Having 18 year old high school seniors socializing with 16 and 17 year olds, most of whom are drivers, is a recipe for much suffering. In the real world, those of us who have to deal with the results of a 16/17 year old girl who was peer pressured into drinking too much know how many young girls are sexually assaulted and traumatized.--The responsibility of the guardians, notwithstanding.

        - Killjoy August 23, 2008 7:04PM

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        • polobo
          Spirit vs. Technical Interpretations

          I am probably being a little liberal in my use of "unconstitutional" but I would clarify my statement as being in opposition to the spirit of our constitution and our pre-existing laws. As a general principle we punish people for actions they themselves have committed. As an example guns can be used to kill people yet we have chosen not to outlaw gun ownership on the basis of the 2nd amendment. If someone does use a gun to murder then that individual is punished.

          Ignoring the fact that changing the drinking age does not transfer proportionally the number of illegal drinkers would the rape of an intoxicated 20 year old be any more or less heinous than the rape of a 16 year old?

          Peer pressure is part of growing up, but any actions one takes is still their responsibility and the consequences are theirs to bear. Parents, not government, are tasked with helping children to recognize and respond to peer pressure appropriately.

          - poloboUS August 27, 2008 8:17AM

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  • Glasscat
    Pros and Cons

    There are many ways to look at this subject. One being, if 18 year old kids can go off to war carrying firearms, etc. to fight and die for our country, they should be considered adults, and be allowed to buy alcohol. I would be interested in finding out what the age related statistics are concerning drunk driving accidents and deaths, or any alchohol related deaths.

    - GlasscatUS August 22, 2008 1:45PM

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    • SabiX103
      No lowering

      That is just an excuse for you people cause if you even go to war you won't drink there anyways and most likely won't be out until you're 21 or just dead. Besides at the age of 18 you're making good decisions to hopefully make a life and go onto college. You can't afford bad decisions then. Alchohol is just a no good excuse to get drunk and layed.

      - SabiX103US October 30, 2008 11:28AM

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      • Glasscat
        Rude

        SabiX103....that's just rude. I personally don't drink OR use drugs. But that doesn't stop me from having friends that do drink. I previously said there were many ways to look at the subject, ALONG with an interest in finding out age related death statistics involving drinking. I did not say one way or another whether I was against or for! If I had the statistics, I would THEN make a decision whether it was wise to lower the drinking age or keep it at 21.

        - GlasscatUS November 5, 2008 2:23PM

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  • border resident
    DUI fataities lower in Canada then U.S.

    You don't need to go to Europe to prove that a lower drinking age has no ill effects. One could just travel to Canada where the drinking age is either 18 or 19 depending on the province. Canada has a lower mortality rate then the U.S. due to DUI.

    I live 7 miles from the Quebec border and have watched the effects of raising the drinking age on the local youth.
    Now, one only needs to take a 20 Min. trip to one of the border towns in Quebec on a Sat. night. There you will find where our towns young population spends their nights. They are dilligent about always having a DD. In this regard the educational system has paid off.

    We have men and women that have served 2 tours in Iraq and are now married with children. They can be arrested for possion of a beer. What a joke!

    - border resident August 23, 2008 11:22AM

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  • border resident
    Are they adults or not???

    My daughter was at a party not long ago and the poloice intervened. Everyone at the party was forced to take a breathalyser test. My daughter's test was negative. I still received a call from the police about my daugters attendance at the party. I asked the officer the age of my daughter he replied "19". I then reminded him that she was an adult and hung up.

    - border resident August 23, 2008 11:42AM

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  • Bill
    Motivation for Colleges that want to lower drinking age?

    I'm suspicious of why many colleges are coming out in favor of a lower drinking age. I know that local colleges provide transportation to bar crawls, and are involved in other events where alcohol is served. I can't help thinking that their potential liability would be reduced if they didn't have to worry about an under 21 year old individual getting drunk and injuring themselves or others, after drinking at an event they were sponsoring or somehow facilitating. I think that is all there is too it.

    - Bill August 23, 2008 4:37PM

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  • revmommy
    American Issues

    I am against lowering the drinking age in America. Other societies have less issues with this because they do not HAVE as much as Americans. We are an addictive society ... we want more and more; larger quantities; whatever we can get. Other societies don't have this mindset or the availability of the quantities of things that we have. Secondly, I disagree on the premise that binge drinking happens because it is illegal. On the contrary, binge drinking happens because kids are free to make decisions for the first time and have not been trained by their parents, ministers, teachers ... society, how to make good decisions. When we start teaching everyone that there are consequences for their behavior, we will be in a much better way.

    - revmommyUS August 27, 2008 8:54AM

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    • polobo
      Individual Issues

      The decision to "binge drink" most likely has many personal and environmental concerns but the Legal 21 law and most of the supporting studies are more concerned with "drunk driving" as opposed to "binge drinking". As a matter of reality this fact (multiple concerns and an "addictive society") makes the abolishment of drinking impossible (nor is such abolishment necessarily a desirable outcome). As a consequence there will be abuse and death. The resources spent to lobby, legislate and enforce Legal 21 would be better spent devising better ways to prevent bystanders from becoming victims of the decisions of others. Those who leave themselves defenseless and in a vulnerable situation are only slightly less "culpable" than those to perpetrate the crime. Admittedly, this is a societal problem as well since we encourage individuals to rely on others to keep them safe (through deterrence and prevention) as opposed to expecting individuals to affect a meaningful self-defense.

      - poloboUS August 27, 2008 9:35AM

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