Posted On: August 20, 2008, 1:28 pm CDT

Posted By: Dawn

ITA

I grew up when age was 21 in Va, 18 in DC. I do admit that we were very lucky we got home some nights. I started drinking around 14, got a fake ID at 17, went to FSU- (top ten party school)- and still managed to avoid DUI or any alcohol related injuries. My parents were adamant about me calling for a ride home for myself and any of my friends if we'd been drinking. They picked us up and took us home and for that, I'm grateful.

I did, however, watch a lot of my friends and college freshman whose parents had been '100% NO ALCOHOL' binge drinking until they flunked out of school.

And the 21 age makes no difference in college. Alcohol is easy to get in any dorm, frat or sorority house, or party.

Does anyone bother to study the NUMBER of alcohol related deaths or injuries that have nothing to do with driving? I might not have been paying much attention back then, but there seems to be a whole lot more of them now. There is nothing to do for under 21 drinkers to do these days except sit around and consume. Alcohol becomes the center of the evening. We went out- we danced, ate, whatever, drinking wasn't the center of our evening.

Or maybe it was the way we were brought up. I don't know.