Drinking Age

[Julianne]

Interesting debate.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26271328

Personally, I believe at age 18 adults should be afforded all the same rights/responsibilities as is currently held at the age of 21.

In the 25+ years since raising the drinking age there has not been a significantly lower incidence of teen deaths due to drinking/driving which was one of the primary arguments that supported the age restrictions over two decades ago.  According the article referenced...it has made the problem worse.

I dunno....I guess I've always felt that at 18 and all that it entails...serving your country....go to real jail....vote....yeah you can have a beer.

[Kiss-me-Kate]

I can see your point Juliane.

Personally, I was mature enough at that age to drink.  But, I was also a terrified new bride/parent of a sweet baby boy by that age too.
Now that sweet baby boy is going to be 18 next month.  (How the heck did that happen?)

He is in no way ready to drink a beer, or even vote/serve his country for that matter.  Perhaps that is my fault?  Perhaps he is just immature.  Who's to say.

[theChuck]

it definitely should be down to 18. if you can serve in the army, you should be able to drink. period, done.

[Arsinoe Selene]

I can see both sides of this issue. My friend (who has been to Germany/Europe, where she was old enough to drink, and has) reasons that if it was lowered, then there would be less pressure to drink because it is "cool" and forbidden. Plus the whole "old enough to die for your country, but not old enough to drink." I don't get that.

But I also know that there are a lot of people my age, give or take a year or two, that are soooo not ready, but do anyway, and the drinking age doesn't stop them. Just because it's cool, yo.

I think I am mature enough to drink, at 19. Of course, my dad is a retired cop and my mom is a nurse in labor and delivery (I don't get away with anything. ["Don't feel good? Take some Advil, you're going to school."]). My friend is also mature enough to drink. Our thing is, though, it has to taste good. We aren't into drinking to get drunk. We are more of a have something tasty to drink, oh, it has alcohol? Okay, that's fine.

[Anna Iram]

"There isn't that much difference in maturity between 21 and 18," she said. "If the age is younger, you're getting exposed to it at a younger age, and you don't freak out when you get to campus."


With that logic, shifting the age to 18 means your "freak out" drinking age would coincide with your first year as a driver. Not wild about that idea. Yes the fact is I drank before I was of age and did some crazy stuff behind the wheel of a car while I was 17 and just testing my freedom. The legal age at the time was 18. It was changed shortly after that to 21. I think teens are going to test their boundaries no matter what the legal age or how readily liquor is available.

Perhaps a wine and beer legal drinking age at 18 and then harder liquor at 21 might work.

[Lord Figaro]

I solidly believe if you can bleed and die for your country, then the least the country can do is let you have a beer for god sake.  I always thought it was stupid. It changed right when I was that age. One day I was able to drink a beer on base. Next day, nope. Gee thanks for letting me serve, but not old enough to be served.

[KeeperoftheBar]

I think they are going about this all wrong...Instead of lowering the drinking age, raise the adult age back to 21.  No voting, no marriage, no legal contracts, nothing.  The only exception I would make is for active duty military.  They would be deemed to be 21 or older regardless of their actual age.
Okay youngsters, let the stones fly.

[Lady Nicolette]

Personally, I'm with those on lowering the drinking age, or just getting rid of it (ala Europe).  I ascribe to the forbidden fruit theory with it and most people have experimented previous to legal age anyway.  More importantly, I think that people should have to pass an exam for a license to reproduce, rather than worry about the age they imbibe in alcohol.

[Demetrius]

Kids should be able to drink- but they have to clean their room. 

[tigerlilly]

Old enough to serve your country, but not old enough to have a beer...

How about making the drinking age 18 only with an active duty military ID, and all others have to wait until 21?

Being underage didn't really make it much more difficult to get alcohol, but the "forbidden
fruit" aspect certainly did make it more fun.

[PurpleDragon]

~blinks~ WHAT?? Lower the drinking age?  What the hell for?  Why should we give these lazy kids yet another excuse to NOT get off their butts and get a job.  "I was too hungover. I couldn't go to the interview because I was drunk."  Yeah, that's brilliant.  While we're at it let's make it legal for you got get a driver's license at 14, or drop the age of consent down to 11.  ((Do you see the "slippery slope" that you start out on by this one change?))

Seriously.  Most military installations will allow the enlisted men to drink BEER ONLY at the NCO club even if they are not 21.  They cannot however leave base to drink, unless they are in a foreign country.  At least that's how it was when I was on active duty in the days of Bush 41.  Now, I agree that an active duty military person should be allowed to drink since they were responsible enough to voluntarily enlist in the military, and are serving their country.  However, that could lead to a multitude of degenerates enlisting in the military just so they can drink. (Won't they be surprised when they actually have to wait until they are out of Basic Training, and AIT before they'll be allowed off base to drink. LOL). 

[Cyron]

i like tigerlilly's idea.  mainly because when i was 19 i was stationed overseas for 1 year on a island that was only a miilitary base, drinking age of 18. got back to the usa when i was 20 1/2 and for the past year i had been going to bars (8 bars on this base of 1300 people) and the little store buying and drinking alcohol, completely forgot that I was not allowed to and got in a bunch of trouble when i tried to buy some at the store. 

as for the forbidden fruit idea.. ya most the people i knew in highschool basically only went out of there way to get it because it was not something there were supposed to have so it was super cool to have it.

lol purpledragon, but that same reson of being drunk and not goign to job interviews or there job still goes on with people i know in there mid to late 20's.. but as for the drivers licence at age 14.. i had a farmers drivers license at 14, never hurt no one.

[brier patch charlie]

Well, first off the military has changed the drinking age on post, and they go by the state law. If the state says 21, it's 21 on post.  And the Air Force will and dose prosacute it's airman for this minnor infraction, the Army likes to hand out Article 15's for it when it becomes some sort of problem at company level.
As for me I feel drinking age should be 18, but I was brought up in a home were if you want a drink, there it is. So drinking to me was never a big thing like it was to most kid's. Hell at 16 I had 5 cases of beer stacked up in my closet. My dad and I made our own beer and wine and I got a cut of it. It all starts in the home if you teach your child that it's a forbidden fruit, that they can not have they will want it more and will go out of their way to get it. If it's there and available and they know they can have it at any time, it's no big thing and means nothing to them.  This also one of the reasons why we have a large drug and alcohol problem in this country.  But this is 2 cents worth.

[Noble Dreg]

Maybe an unpopular idea but I would like to see the age RAISED for all the 'adult' behaviors.  I cringe when I think of a sixteen year old driver.  I damn near die inside when I see an 18 year old lose his life in a foriegn war.  I say 21 to drink, join the military, maybe even vote.

A somewhat simplistic view but I have always strongly believed no matter what the age, if you're in uniform you deserve a drink!  Height of absurdity to deny a soldier the right to drink (this includes while stationed in certain areas of the world).

[eloquentXI]

Changing everything else up to 21 is something to consider. I've never thought of that...

as an 18 year old, I just know that if the age is raised or lowered, kids my age are still going to drink. It's something, unfortunately, that so many people find exhiliarating, I guess? I don't know, I don't drink so I can't really place my opinion on it.

But, as the little sister of an soldier, he should be able to have a beer without consequences if he wants one.

[gypsylakat]

I personally think it wouldn't make a difference if it were 18, I'm 19, I know plenty of my friends drink, and some of them drive (which drives ME nuts) My family has no problem if I were to want a few drinks of beer or wine or wine coolers or whatever else is at a family event, partly because they believe that if children are exposed to it and don't view it as a rebellion thing, their less likely to overindulge. I'm sorry, i hardly believe that most college students actually ENJOY getting so $#!7 faced drunk that they fall over and vomit on themselves (or on their friends tv, true story) and can't remember ANYTHING the next morning... this just doesn't sound fun, I've drank a few times, around my family, and saw no point in doing that, yes it was a little fun to be a bit tipsy, made everyone else seem more fun as well!. But since my family has had that attitude, I don't see it as a big deal, I'm headed to my first semester on campus and I may drink occaisonally I may not, but I doubt I'll do it on campus, not worth getting kicked out for imo.  (we're a dry campus even if you are 21)

I do feel that if you went over and kicked bad guy butt for me, you deserve your coors light! (it's what my bf's dad drinks, he's in the military)

[Arsinoe Selene]

"That which is forbidden is most tempting."

Like others have said, if growing up you are exposed to alcohol, and not taught that it is totally forbidden until age 21, it's not a rebellion thing, it's not a "oh, I'm doing something bad, aren't I so awesome?" It's more of a "well, yeah, and?"

My dad has the occational beer. Both my parents will sometimes mix up a batch of mojitos. I have the option, if they mix up more than a glass for themselves, to have a small mojito, even though I'm only 19.

Oh, and on this comment:
More importantly, I think that people should have to pass an exam for a license to reproduce[...]

Dear GOD, yes! If there was any way to enforce that. I knew a couple in high school that are now married (both 19) because she got pregnant. Based on the timing, I think it was their last night together before he went to school down south. The kid is about 3 months now, I think. He lost his scholarship, she dropped out of JC. Oh, and last I heard they are living at his parent's house.

[Noble Dreg]

...I do feel that if you went over and kicked bad guy butt for me, you deserve your coors light! (it's what my bf's dad drinks, he's in the military)

See, this proves we need to pay our military a bit more so they can buy a better beer!  Coors light?  The poor man!   

[gypsylakat]

lol, i think it's just cus he goes through so much, (he's not an alcoholic, he just has a very high tolerence, ) the fridge is always stocked with a 24 pack of longnecks

[Yrose]

I agree with not making it a forbidden fruit. I exposed my daughter slowly over the years to alcohol, maybe a glass of champagne at a wedding or at new years. As she's gotten older at family events. Also one year she thought she could handle it and snuck some behind my back at a family event where I told her I would give her one or two. Well, she got drunk and sick, lost her new cell phone and ruined a new pair of shoes she really liked. This is one of the best things that could have happened. I was there to help her though it and she learned what it was like to have a hangover, and lose things you care about. (I didn't replace them) Now she's 19 and still under age, but by choice only occasionally drinks and makes sure there is a DD. Usually she chooses to be the DD, tends to be a bit of a mother hen.

[peggyelizabeth]

I personally think that whether 18 or 21, our culture is the problem. If having a partial glass of wine or a partial beer with dinner at a younger age at home with mom and dad were more common, like it is in Europe, the age thing wouldn't matter nearly as much as it does.

What really doesn't make sense is that you can be killed in combat fighting for your nation at 18, you can't rent a car? That's really silly.

[SirRichardBear]

I remember the first debate during the Vietnam war all the its wrong that 18 can serve but not vote or drink.  So they lowered the voting and drinking age to 18 at that time as an 18 year old I said it was a damn dumb idea.  Should have rised everything to 21, allowing 19 year olds to join the military with parents or court permission.  The reason for allowing 18 into the military no longer holds much truth, since disbite what some liberals think today military needs much more than a weak mine and a strong back. Extra two years of school and maturity would serve the military much better than letting 18 into the service does.  

The reason many European allow young drinking is because their culture is so difference.  In many places wine and beer are part of lunch and dinner.  They so by the time they are 18 drinking wine or beer is something they know you do while eating and not something you do to get drunk.  They still have a problem with wiskey and other hard liqures because that is what people drink to get drunk.  If wine and beer were part of the average American lunch and supper every day then there would be some rationality to lower the drinking age.  But as things stand today no.

However I do agree its wrong to allow a person into the military and not allow them to drink so lets rise the voting and service age to 21 and be fair to everyone.  Hell could even have the military pay 18 and 19 year olds go to school if they agree sign up for four years.  Change your mine have to pay back the money with interest everyone benefits that way.

[DonaCatalina]

My daughter grew up drinking wine with dinner. So she has never thought that alcohol was a big deal. She also never had the problems with binge drinking in college that many of her friends had.

However, I realize that we were not the norm..........
Most American kids are not taught by their families how to handle alcohol.

I would be more in favor of raising the minimum age for voting or military service to 21 before I would favor lowering the drinking age.

[Demetrius]

-or perhaps, meak wine...  Clean your room, do your homework, then booze...   

[Sir William Marcus]

The way I have always looked at is, if you can shipped to foriegn lands, fight & die for this country, then you should be allowed to drink alcohol legally.

[Julianne]

And the debate continues....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26320912/?GT1=43001

The thing is...I don't think or believe that lowering the legal age will encourage the discontinuation of underage drinking....that's not for me what the point is.

I will point out however that at college campuses that have "outlawed" alcohol at their campuses there has been an increase of DUI deaths because of the students drinking off campus and then driving back drunk....not good.

I'm pushing more on the law.  At 18 you are a legal adult in this country....and so ALL of the responsibilities of that are upon you.  Therefore all of the "rights" should also be endowed.
All of them.

[Hoowil]

I say let military personel drink, even vote early (you used to be able to enlist at 17 with parental consent, don't know about now).

Ultimately, I think we need to find a way to remove the 'forbiden fruit' aspect of alcohol, without necassarily making it easily accessable. Teens and young adults have enough difficulities emotionally and pscychologically without mass doses of depressants/alcohol. It leads to more problems that just drunk driving. It affects teen suicide rates, high school drop out rates, teen pregnancies, and just about every part of life for those who over indulge. And yes, I do mean OVER indulge. Unfortunatley, how many teens, with their hormonal sense of immortality, and inexperience can actually judge their consumption wisely? I know I couldn't, and it caused problems for me that had repercussions ever since. There are no simple answers or solutions. As all people are different in maturity level, and situation, no one guideline or rule effectively works for everyone.

[Yrose]

There are no simple answers or solutions. As all people are different in maturity level, and situation, no one guideline or rule effectively works for everyone.

This is why children have parents, and parents need to step up and take the responsibility of raising their children. Unfortunately so many don't anymore.  Talking to your child openly with them about it, your worries, concerns and personal experiences. Letting them know that even if they do get drunk, you will be there for them. I've always told my daughter if she needed me no matter when and where I would come and get her. I would be there and wouldn't give her grief, just rescue her. That's not to say later the next day there wouldn't be a talk or possible consequences. I've also told her if she did get in trouble with the law. She would spend a night in jail. Nothing like a night in jail to teach you how much you DON'T want to be there. I also would help her with the legal problems, but not just "bail" her out of all it. Children have to learn the consequences to their actions.