U.S.A - Should we change the drinking age?

[BiddyPocket 0]

Hey all!

 

Okay, so this forum was looking a little bare, so why not inspire some healthy debate? So, here's the topic:

 

Should the United States government institute a proposal to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18? For those of you who aren't aware, legal drinking ages became a state right after Prohibition is the 20's, but are pressured by the Federal government to agree on the age of 21. States are free to lower the drinking age to whatever they want, but will never do so because of the financial assistance and other benefits that the federal government has promised them for upholding the current age.

 

Arguement for those who want to lower it/get rid of it:

- If our troops can go off to war and die at, and we can all vote at 18, why can't we consume alcohol?

- We're so far behind other countries! We're one of the only countries that still have drinking ages over 18, along with Japan and a few others.

- Kids these days drink all the time, and 21 isn't a magical age that suddenly makes people more responsible to handle alcohol, so if the laws are being broken then why not change them?

 

 

Arguement for those who want to keep it at 21:

- Lowering the drinking age now will cause social chaos - high school drop-out rate will rise, teens will get drunk in schools, and numbers of alcohol-related accidents will increase!

- Europe and other areas where the drinking age is 18, or even 16, are contemplating raising it due to an increase in alcohol related incidents by teens - we should learn from their mistake!

- At 18, children aren't mature enough to handle access to alcohol - look at the number of alcohol-related incidents there are now! Just think about how bad it'll be if we give them full access to it!

 

 

SO, what do you think? I'd love some input of people from other countries here as well!

[Wyzrd 12]

Honestly it doesn't matter what we do. If they lower it were still going to have the alcohol related accidents. If they keep it the same were still going to have alcohol related accidents because people under the age are gonna drink anyways. I know I used to but I quit drinking now just for my girlfriend.

[DarkDragon 0]

Lawl I'm not American, and I say hell with alcohol, they are just like cigarettes.. bad habit with only bad things to harvest from =\

BAN IT =D

And what the @#$% ? Behind other countries because you don't drink alcohol ? What kind of a retard said that ?

[Arkbennett 16]

Dark Dragon, America has already tried to ban alcohal in the 1920's. It didn't go over to well.

I think it should be lowered to 18, after all, that is the magical age where you become responsible for yourself, rather than your parents.

[Marked 197]

I dont think we have a drinking age. I've been drinking since I was 12(Actually that was just the first time, I dont drink much). In my country we can only buy alcohol at 18+ years. Although everyone under that age drinks.

 

I think the problem is that there are too many idiot teenagers who dont know how to drink properly. They get way too drunk and cause so much trouble. I think the legal drinking age being at 21 will stop the amount of alcohol going to teenagers(and under 21's), so it is stopping some of the trouble, but they can still get alcohol if they wanted. Just not as much. The age of 21 doesnt make sense to me. If you can vote at 18, you are responsible to do anything else. Although at 21, it is doing something....

[BiddyPocket 0]

And what the @#$% ? Behind other countries because you don't drink alcohol ? What kind of a retard said that ?

 

Believe it or not, it's probably thee most common response I get from people. They compare the US to countries like England and France, where the legal age is much lower, and basically say "if they can, why can't we?!"

 

 

I think the problem is that there are too many idiot teenagers who dont know how to drink properly. They get way too drunk and cause so much trouble.

 

I agree. That's why this is such a strange stance to take for me - I do drink, but I'm not one of those typical stupid American teens. I'm actually probably the most responsible of all my friends/family and such. But, by breaking the laws I suppose it shows that I don't care for it much....and my cousin died in an alcohol related car accident two years ago, and he was well over the age 21. Turning 21 does NOT suddenly make people more responsible, but I like to think in my perfect world that it at least stops some people from attaining alcohol that, at 18 and younger, are simply those "stupid kids" who end up dead.

[Leon 55]

I say we should leave it at 21. The human liver, pancreas, and spleen stop developing then, whereas the Lungs stop at age 16-17. For medical reasons, I say leave it be.

[raptorep 0]

I say we should leave it at 21. The human liver, pancreas, and spleen stop developing then, whereas the Lungs stop at age 16-17. For medical reasons, I say leave it be.

 

I did not know that Leon, thats cool. And I agree, it should be left at 21. I have way to many friends under 21, who are stupid about how they consume alcohol. Some even mix with weed and they have the worse trip. No 21 isn't a magic number but u r more responsible then an 18yr old.

[Wyzrd 12]

I disagree with the 21 years old making you more responsible. There are as many if not more 21 years old that aren't responsible as there are 18 year olds that aren't responsible. Me i'm only 18 but I've always been very responsible due to some of the surroundings I grew up in.

[raptorep 0]

Well i was talking in very general terms, I too know a few very responsible 18yr olds. But from experience there are more irresponsible 18yr olds then responsible ones. An in all fairness bout have an half on 21yr olds. But that's my personal experience.

[Marked 197]

There are as many if not more 21 years old that aren't responsible as there are 18 year olds that aren't responsible.

I have to disagree on that one with you Wyzrd. As people get to that age(21) they start being independent and stop relying on their parents(most), most become more mature as they leave for university or whatever they do after school. My point is with age people do become more responsible. If they lower it to 18, there's going to be a negative difference in the amount of accidents and improper consumption of alcohol.

[Wyzrd 12]

I understand where your coming from but I've also realized that in the U.S. since that is what the topic is about. More and more people aren't moving out of their parents house untill after college. Heck I work with a guy that is 26 years old and working at a McDonald's not goin' to college and watches movie all days and drinks thats it. Alot of people aren't moving out of their parents houses untill they are in their later twenties nowadays. Me I had left my parents when I was 17 but thats me.

[BiddyPocket 0]

I understand where your coming from but I've also realized that in the U.S. since that is what the topic is about. More and more people aren't moving out of their parents house untill after college. Heck I work with a guy that is 26 years old and working at a McDonald's not goin' to college and watches movie all days and drinks thats it. Alot of people aren't moving out of their parents houses untill they are in their later twenties nowadays. Me I had left my parents when I was 17 but thats me.

 

But I think it's a huge stretch to try and relate that to responsible drinking. Many people who do not leave home until after college, such as myself, cannot do so because college is insanely expensive. I can't handle $40,000 by myself, let alone try and find an apartment to live in during breaks and such.

 

I think that being older DOES make you more responsible, or at least for the majoirty, but that maybe there's something we're missing here altogether. Most alcohol related accidents are vehicular, and most involve young people UNDER the age of 21....but if you look at that "critical period" for car insurance, anyone under 25 has higher rates then a majority of the popularion (especially in New Jersey ;) ). Maybe, in conjunction with leaving the drinking age at 21, we should raise the legal driving age, make it harder to get a license, attach breathalizers to car ignitions, etc.

 

I think maybe that is the root of the problem. It isn't that teens are just irresponsible - because no doubt a lot are, but it's that they have access to driving a car AND drinking at the same time.

[Wyzrd 12]

I agree with all except the raising the driving age. I didn't know NJ has the highest insurance rate because I haven't lived here that long and I hate and yet to drive lol. Raising the driving age is the same results as making cigarette age at 18 or in this stupid state it's 19. Or the drinking age being 21. People are still going to drive even if they aren't old enough. I remember when I lived in Texas with my grandma she let me drive all the time under age. She would be like I'm hungry give me the keys and her credit card and send me to the store lol.

[RMXPirate 0]

I believe that 18 is the perfect age to change it to thats just me though :D yes it may cause more accidents etc but 18 is the age when you are usually legal age to do most things so why not drinking?

[BiddyPocket 0]

I believe that 18 is the perfect age to change it to thats just me though :D yes it may cause more accidents etc but 18 is the age when you are usually legal age to do most things so why not drinking?

 

Then maybe we should change those other legalities to 21....I know quite a few 18 year olds who shouldn't be voting :D. Then again, I could never imagine a world where you aren't legally considered an adult until you're 21 O_0.

[Marked 197]

Then maybe we should change those other legalities to 21....

But not all of those other things cause the problems drinking does. Having the voting age being at 18, it only makes sense to lower the drinking age to 18. As that is when you legally become an adult(Not under the control of your parents..i don't live in America, but i think thats the case?), the drinking age should be at 18. Some 18 year olds are irresponsible but they should be given the benefit of the doubt as adults.

[Arkbennett 16]

I agree with Wyz, there are a lot of people at my school driving underage. Sometimes I just want to report them. Hm. Maybe I should.

No license, no insurance. Phew, I sure could get him in a lot of trouble.

 

And whats more, I don't like him.

What's stopping me?

[BiddyPocket 0]

But not all of those other things cause the problems drinking does. Having the voting age being at 18, it only makes sense to lower the drinking age to 18. As that is when you legally become an adult(Not under the control of your parents..i don't live in America, but i think thats the case?), the drinking age should be at 18. Some 18 year olds are irresponsible but they should be given the benefit of the doubt as adults.

 

Well Marked, simply put, you can't have your cake and eat it too :P

 

I agree with Wyz, there are a lot of people at my school driving underage. Sometimes I just want to report them. Hm. Maybe I should.

No license, no insurance. Phew, I sure could get him in a lot of trouble.

 

And whats more, I don't like him.

What's stopping me?

 

Nothing. And you should report him. If only people knew of the horrible automobile accidents that happened every day...it's just so upsetting that people are THAT stupid. I say do it!

[Johnny_89 0]

In Finland you can buy beer,ciders,cigarettes,wine and other alcohol products that limit aproximately at 20% when you turn 18.

when you turn 20 you can buy those hard juice's like whiskey and vodka that make you're body do a kickflip without a skateboard.

I myself drink and smoke.

I started drinking at 16 and smoking at 17.

 

Drinking alcohol is a tradition back here.

It's regular that when weekend come's you get wasted. :P

 

I think U.S.A. should do what we do here; when you turn 18 you can buy beer and such stuff and when you turn 21 you can buy those 40% or such stuff.

 

Drinking and driving is just stubid.

Sure one or two beers don't hurt so much but for god's sake's, do you really have to go take someone other's life just because you don't want to walk when you're wasted.

 

This post might sound a bit offtone but that's some improvations I made as I didn't come up with the right English words. :P

 

The funny thing is that my friend's friend who is 20 and came to visit the U.S.A. can't even buy a beer there. :P

[Kadski 0]

People drink when they are young because it's "rebelious". But if it's legal then it takes away some of the fun to it. So they shoudl lower it to 17 (16 is when people drive so they get 1 year of driving experience so they have better control if they are drunk)

[Jesse66126 4]

i think the drinking age should be lowered back to 18.(yes,it was 18 before)

if you are mature enough to choose our next president,and serve in the military,

your old enough to get wasted on a bar stool.

[EmilyAnnCoons 7]

Well, this is where I have a problem:

 

The drinking age is currently 21, however, if you serve in the army, and are 18-20, you can still drink. What's the point, then, in having the drinking age at 21, if you can still drink at 18 for no other reason then "You're in the army." No, I think they either need to 1. Lower the drinking age to 18 or 2. Raise the drinking age of even the military to 21.

[Jesse66126 4]

Well, this is where I have a problem:

 

The drinking age is currently 21, however, if you serve in the army, and are 18-20, you can still drink. What's the point, then, in having the drinking age at 21, if you can still drink at 18 for no other reason then "You're in the army." No, I think they either need to 1. Lower the drinking age to 18 or 2. Raise the drinking age of even the military to 21.

 

the problem is that they did try to have it at 18. the death toll sky rocketed from drunk driving accidents involving 18-21-year-olds. so, they raised back to 21. For a while they tried to out-law alcohol completely during the 1920s but that gave birth to Speak Easys and organized crime.

It's easier to break a law than an addiction.

[Kadski 0]

You should be allowed to consume alcohol at any age as long as you are with your parent or legal guardian. Then when you are 18 you should be allowed to drink beer and wine without supervision. At 20 you should be able to drink all alcohols. That would make it so kids can learn proper drinking from parents, so they don't go wild when they go to college. Beer has a low alcohol content and therefore should be at 18, and you don't drink wine, you sip, it's not an alcohol you really get drunk on. At 20 you can start having things with a higher alcohol content, vodka, sake, whiskey, etc. Because you are older.