The Drinking Age Should be Lowered to 18

[MELSMICE]

I can't undersatnd why people like the feeling of not being in control.

I don't understand either.

I'll admit that when I was younger I got drunk more than enough times. The drinking age was 18, bars were open until 4 a.m. We partied every weekend & sometimes weeknights until all hours of the morning.

As I got older & matured I realized getting drunk & being out of control was not so much fun. Also, after having children I realized that if there was every an emergency someone had to be able to handle the situation. It's a rare occasion if I even have a glass of wine.

Just not for me any more.

 

[meandtheguys2]

The legal age limits don't stop drinking. They move it underground.

And there are many reputable people challenging the whole teen brain crap. The question now, is whether we are forcing our children into rebellion by not teaching them to be independent and allowing them to make critical decisions earlier, rather than later.

Teen rebellion is a new phenomena historically. The world was built by young people making big choices and sacrifices, and working hard. Too bad we've taken that away from the last few generations.

 

[DawnCt1]

Teen rebellion is a new phenomena historically. The world was built by young people making big choices and sacrifices, and working hard. Too bad we've taken that away from the last few generations.

Unfortunately, the more complex a society and technology is, the more protracted adolescence becomes. In more primitive societies, adolescence begins somewhere around twelve and ends between 14 and 16. In the Western world, adolescence can continue until 30 if one tacks on grad school; if one defines the end of adolescence as a time when the education required to take on adult responsibilities comes to an end. In the United States just a several generations back, as you said, life was too hard for very much leisure time.

 

[salmoneous]

They do drink, I can tell you that. But more people that age that I know have trouble figuring where the cut off should be. Both with the drinking in general, and when they should no longer drive. They say, well I am not drunk, so it's fine. Just because you aren't drunk doesn't mean you haven't had enough that your driving skills aren't impaired.

Which just goes to show that (1) the problem is with folks who don't understand how alcohol affects them and (2) that absolute prohibition against 18-20 year old's driniing doesn't solve the problem.

 

[salmoneous]

In the Western world, adolescence can continue until 30 if one tacks on grad school; if one defines the end of adolescence as a time when the education required to take on adult responsibilities comes to an end.

All the arguments you have given in this thread for having the drinking age be 21 instead of 18 could be used to argue for raising the age to 25 or 30. What do you think that age should be, and why?

 

[jenrose66]

I don't agree. Lowering the drinking age is not the answer. If 21 year olds can't drink responsibly then 18 year olds really can't. Don't get me wrong, I know that all ages of people drink irresponsibly, but teens are too young to start drinking.

We need to increase education about responsible drinking and why underage drinking is not ok. Kids will not stay home and get drunk in front of their parents, they will go to parties, drink a ton more because it is legal and then get in even more accidents.

 

[Daxx]

Because teenagers would then to be able to "party" at home with their parents (and friends) and not die because of alcohol intoxication or drunk driving. Furthermore, kids and their friends would be happy to be able to get drunk in the safety of a parental supervised party. What do you think?

Just how many supervised teenage beer drinking parties did you go to when you were in high school? Even though the drinking age was 18 when I was in HS, I was 17 but had plenty of friends who were legal and would buy the beer. I remember going to parties all the time and rarely were there parents around. Usually, a teenage beer drinking party revolved around the fact that the parents weren't home! I remember being 17 and drinking beer w/my pals who were old enough to buy and happily provided for everyone.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Keeping the drinking age at 21 doesn't stop teens and adults from drinking. It just makes it harder to get. They're still going to have the beer after their test or when the baby goes to bed.

Of course, most DISers and their children wouldn't drink illegally. But there are a whole lot of folks who drank before they were 21. I know this because I did and so did a bunch of my friends. My kids have and so have a bunch of their friends. The law on this subject doesn't much matter to most teens and young adults.

Keeping the drinking age at 21 does get them used to thinking of themselves as criminals, though. And the government gets to collect money from people who sell it to them, which we get to pay for.

It will get dropped the day we start drafting people into the military again. Then they'll say, "We're old enough to die but not to have a beer?!" again and it will get switched back...then they'll lower it again when the drafting ends and we'll go through all of this again.

 

[JimB.]

What do you think?

Agreed, but not for the reasons you mention. FYI, I do not agree with parents letting their kids get drunk at home, regardless of age.

I belive that idf a person is old enough to vote & old enough to die for their country in some God-forsaken armpit of the earth, then they are old enough to drink alcohol.

A person should A.) be legally and adult, with ALL the rights. duties & priveleges thereof or B Not be legally an adult and have none of the above.

 

[profdsny]

Because teenagers would then to be able to "party" at home with their parents (and friends) and not die because of alcohol intoxication or drunk driving. Furthermore, kids and their friends would be happy to be able to get drunk in the safety of a parental supervised party. What do you think?

So, the idea is that kids could get "drunk" at an earlier age, but legally this time?
And with their parents? You want a house full of drunk kids?
If it was 18 the last place they are going to go to drink is with their parents. Sorry, this is a bad idea all around. Sounds partially like if it's okay to be 18 and drunk at the parents' house, then the parents no longer have any responsibility so what ever happens isnt' there fault.
There might be some good reasons to lower the drinking age, but yours aren't any of them.

 

[profdsny]

Teen rebellion is a new phenomena historically. The world was built by young people making big choices and sacrifices, and working hard. Too bad we've taken that away from the last few generations.

I'm not sure about that. Seems to me I remember reading one of the ancient Greeks who was complaining about kids not being like they were when he was younger.

 

[lillygator]

lower it to 18......

 

[profdsny]

lower it to 18......

So, you want your "two princesses" having drinking parties at your house? Just wait. As we all know, being drunk leads to some pretty bad choices, aside from drunk driving.

 

[DawnCt1]

Just how many supervised teenage beer drinking parties did you go to when you were in high school? Even though the drinking age was 18 when I was in HS, I was 17 but had plenty of friends who were legal and would buy the beer. I remember going to parties all the time and rarely were there parents around. Usually, a teenage beer drinking party revolved around the fact that the parents weren't home! I remember being 17 and drinking beer w/my pals who were old enough to buy and happily provided for everyone.

Absolutely NONE! I agree with you. I can't imagine any 18 year olds or 25 year olds for that matter, wanting to be at a party with their parents!

 

[DawnCt1]

So, the idea is that kids could get "drunk" at an earlier age, but legally this time?
And with their parents? You want a house full of drunk kids?
If it was 18 the last place they are going to go to drink is with their parents. Sorry, this is a bad idea all around. Sounds partially like if it's okay to be 18 and drunk at the parents' house, then the parents no longer have any responsibility so what ever happens isnt' there fault.
There might be some good reasons to lower the drinking age, but yours aren't any of them.

I agree with you. These are the arguments that were presented at a relative's house on Thanksgiving. The worse one was that "they would drink in a bar and the bartender would supervise! I substituted the word "babysit"!
This particular parent has looked the other way too many times. Just because they sneak alcohol in the basement door and have a party downstairs while they are upstairs, no way absolves them of responsibility. They should know what is going on in their house, especially if they are home.

 

[meandtheguys2]

So, you want your "two princesses" having drinking parties at your house? Just wait. As we all know, being drunk leads to some pretty bad choices, aside from drunk driving.

The kids who are going to drink are already drinking underage. In case you haven't noticed. You can't legislate morality.

Parents need to raise their children to make positive choices for their lives and accept the responsibility of said choices.

 

[DawnCt1]

The kids who are going to drink are already drinking underage. In case you haven't noticed. You can't legislate morality.

Parents need to raise their children to make positive choices for their lives and accept the responsibility of said choices.

But having it easily available to those who are still in high school reaches down into an even lower demographic. It has been proven that raising the drinking age from 18 to 21 has saved thousands of lives and reduced the rate of alcoholism. There will still be those who will break the law and drink and make that choice and others that will be compelled to obey the law. Just because a law gets broken doesn't mean we have to throw in the towel and give up on the larger goal of limiting alcohol consumption in teens.

 

[profdsny]

But having it easily available to those who are still in high school reaches down into an even lower demographic. It has been proven that raising the drinking age from 18 to 21 has saved thousands of lives and reduced the rate of alcoholism. There will still be those who will break the law and drink and make that choice and others that will be compelled to obey the law. Just because a law gets broken doesn't mean we have to throw in the towel and give up on the larger goal of limiting alcohol consumption in teens.

So true. People speed all the time. Do we just get rid of speed limits?
As you point out, not all the kids are going to drink because, for one, it's hard to get. You make it easier and they will. But further, I don't think this is a morality issue by a long shot. This is a health issue and a safety issue. I'm not so sure morality has a lot to do with it, as others have said. What do you think?

 

[DawnCt1]

So true. People speed all the time. Do we just get rid of speed limits?
As you point out, not all the kids are going to drink because, for one, it's hard to get. You make it easier and they will. But further, I don't think this is a morality issue by a long shot. This is a health issue and a safety issue. I'm not so sure morality has a lot to do with it, as others have said. What do you think?

Morality enters into it only with regard to age, disobeying ones parents and the law There are those who would say its not a moral issue but a choice . At the age of 21, its no longer a morality issue. Under 21, its a "legal" issue. Not all legal issues are moral issues. It clearly is one of health and safety. I think that we have a 50 state experience with the positive gain in raising the drinking age. The numbers are irrefutable. Kids weren't much different then than they are now. My SIL touts that we have the "best educated" kids with regard to health and safety. Education does not automatically translate into positive behavior, particularly when the peer pressure continues towards underage drinking; and it does.

 

[profdsny]

Morality enters into it only with regard to age, disobeying ones parents and the law There are those who would say its not a moral issue but a choice . At the age of 21, its no longer a morality issue. Under 21, its a "legal" issue. Not all legal issues are moral issues. It clearly is one of health and safety. I think that we have a 50 state experience with the positive gain in raising the drinking age. The numbers are irrefutable. Kids weren't much different then than they are now. My SIL touts that we have the "best educated" kids with regard to health and safety. Education does not automatically translate into positive behavior, particularly when the peer pressure continues towards underage drinking; and it does.

Yes, and, I agree that there needs to be some laws preventing teen drinking, as well as punishment for parents who allow it, whether in the house with a wink, or worse, go and by it for kids. It would be nice if our kids were the best educated in the world in regards to health and safety, but we know that is not the case. Can't say they are worse than other places, but they make tons of choices that are not healthy, even as far as their lunch choices in schools. And, to a degree the school lunch rooms are to blame. Fries on the menu everyday, and pop machines throughout the buildings. Never mind poor drug, sex, drinking choices. Maybe it's that the kids know it and simply disregard it anyhow.