I lived through this in the 70’s and every class had someone who had stayed back a couple of years – so you had high school sophomores buying alcohol for anyone who wanted it. It was an absolute mess and we’re lucky we survived. As a potential solution, under age solders should be allowed to drink while on base only.
A minimum drinking age law doesn’t serve it’s intended purpose. The law itself tends to stigmatize alcohol which inturn can lead to abuse, particularly among minors.
Any college can be a “party school” if the kid wants to party. Parent’s should start asking themselves why their brats go berserk once they hit campus. Could it be poor up-bringing? I don’t want to hear the “peer pressure” argument. A majority of kids don’t have a problem. The fact is that many parents, and consequently their kids, lack good judgment, common sense, discipline, personal responsibility, and haven’t been held accountable for their behavior. Kids go to college for an education and to grow up. If they fail on the basic level of being unable to control their drinking they don’t belong in college. They should be home with mommy and daddy so they can be watched.
They used to make 3.2% beer available to kids between 18-21. That seemed to be a reasonable compromise. It also helped “ease” the young adults into drinking responsibly.
You are correct in this assumption. If you remove the minimum drinking age, then the younger crowd will not find it as “adventurous” to break the law by drinking underage. The thrill is breaking the law, in addition to taking the person to a whole different world with no worries.
Yes, you’re right. After all, look how the “War on Drugs” has so successfully ended the use of drugs! Of course, some might suggest that the reason for the war on drugs is to allow “law enforcement” to more easily seize property and either keep it themselves or sell it for cash-that they keep. I however would not make that claim-only the most realistic-oops! I mean cynical-would.
It is easy to blame parents and even colleges for an age-old issue. When I was in college–and it is the same today–any underaged person with a few dollars could purchase alcohol by getting a wino to do the buying in exchange for a couple of dollars or a cheap bottle of liquor. If teens have to hide their drinking, it only encourages them to drive to locations away from parents/school with their wino-purchased bottles, thus increasing the risk of traffic accidents.
Does the illegality of certain drugs stop teens from using them?
Does anyone really think that parents, as well as schools, don’t educate on these issues?
If the drinking age is 18, then there is more room to work with teens to control the drinking and address problems with it, rather than to deny that it is going to occur.
Did Prohibition work? No, and no amount of legislation is going to work on this issue.
Yea, I agree. Why not allow people to smoke pot, quit school before age 16, and screw animals. The Gov’t shouldn’t try to legislate anything should they. We’re all responsible and know what to do. Even when we’ve had a little too much to drink. Or why not lower the drinking age to 14. Your reasoning is ridiculous.
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.
It would make more sense to raise the legal drinking age to 25. This would keep it off of college campuses for the most part, and by that time many of the youth will be employed. Who really wants to get up and go to work the next day after a night of binge drinking?
Not one person that I knew growing up ever bought beer, etc because there was some secret “kick” to drinking while underage. If it were difficult to accomplish maybe that thought process would apply but since it is so easy to get whatever you want. Well meh no biggie.
College (and high school) kids drink to get drunk and act out in ways they would not act while they are sober and for the most part doing the “right” thing and living as their parents raised them.
Being drunk is a “Get out of acting properly” Pass. Why else would we do “The Century Club” and drink 1 oz of beer per minute for 100 minutes. If you can do it you can do anything and think your cool while doing it.
If kids want to drink they will but why make it even easier for them. How would you feel if a 18 yr old who just became a member of the century club plowed through your drivers door when he blew through that red light?
You would also eliminate most of the jobs college kids get to pay for college in a college town. I wouldn’t have been able to afford to finish college without the money I made behind a bar. Fast food doesn’t pay half of what a good bartender/waitress makes.
College towns are full of bars. Yes, they provide alcohol, but they also provide economy to the town and jobs to the students.
Personally, I’m more worried about the 45 year old that has been arrested 8 times for DUI, is driving on a suspended license, and won’t go to jail until they kill someone.
A LOT more of those running around. Or should I say driving.
The key isn’t a drinking age. The key is to enforce DUI/DWI laws and enact mandatory sentences that are so harsh that people will actually think twice before they do it.
I have a better idea… Lets raise the minimum age of college students to 21 and there ya go! Problem Solved!
Then all the 18 year old drinkers will have it out of their system by the time they get to college and not miss half their classes because they’re either hung over, or MIA…
Don’t worry folks! For those 18-21 year olds who don’t want to postpone their college education can get it from any on-line program – Then they can sit in front of their computer and have a beer if they want in the comfort of their own home! Another problem solved!
But wait there’s more! How about a NON-DRINKING College ! Heck – they passed a law here in AZ that you can’t smoke in any public place – why not have Colleges and Universities just ban drinking altogether and have the students do a urine test once a week.
I hate to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but it seems like there is more binge drinking that goes on than when I was in college 25 yrs ago. At least I know that there are a lot more drinking-related deaths than there were then.
In regards to the comment from another post that drinking provides a way to do & say things that you wouldn’t otherwise do, why would college students be any different than every other adult who gets caught? How many politicians, businesspeople and (!) ministers/priests get caught and immediately claim they have a drinking problem?
The bigger question in this issue is why does the college student think they need to binge drink once they leave home? Why is this a totally accepted part of college students lives?
Here’s an idea. Bring back the national draft. That’s right….. the draft. For those of you who have no clue what the “draft” was, let me explain. It required every swinging “richard” to spend 2 years in their choice of military service right out of high school. Most of them have no clue what they want to do with their lives anyway and lacking focus, end up going to college to wander around, waste time and money, and develop bad habits.
The military would teach them good judgement, self-control, discipline, accountability, and responsibility. They’d also qualify for college tuition assistance when they got out. Note: our country didn’t have near the problems we see today when we had the draft.
Sound draconian? Obviously the parents can’t raise their kids to behave so somebody else will have to.
I love you man… I have a walking testosterone factory who (since the “legal” age of 18) decided to move in with one of his dads “buddies” after High School – He’s so currently unemployed, plays video games all day and gets free movie passes from one of his buds to hang out all day with friends at the movies. He’s had 4 jobs in the past 3 months – and one day this week… came to me and said… “Mom – I think I’m going to enlist in the Military – They’ll teach me things I won’t get anywhere else, I don’t know what I want to do right now and I’ll be eligible for a college education – and if I make a career out of it I can retire after 20 years at 38 and do something else if I want…”
I almost cried…
Not just from the emotional trip that every mother must make at that moment – but because he made the decision on his own (at least that’s what he thinks ;0))
I assume most people commenting on this article are in the Insurance business. I think you have all missed one point. Why do you think the schools want to lower the drinking age? So that they cannot get sued when someone gets killed from a drunk underage student. I am very surprised with all of your answers.
I believe the drinking age should be lowered to 18 again. Did the world come to an end over two decades ago when you could legally drink at 18?
No matter what you do, there are always going to be idiots of all ages who don’t drink responsibly. And unfortunately, there’s not much we can do to stop them.
At the very least, I think active military should be able to drink at age 18. If you can die for your country, you should be able to enjoy a beer.
As long as the draft included women I’d be for it, though it should be expanded to match Germany’s mandatory federal service – you spend your two years in any Federal service: military, fire service or medical corps. We’d have to tweak it a little, but I’m sure we could make it work. However this won’t solve any underage drinking problems as the military has a worse underage drinking problem than colleges do. I was actually rated down on my review because I didn’t drink with the guys – and I wasn’t 21 yet. Being peoples’ “drinking buddy” is a valid and accepted rating aspect on military reviews. If you don’t get drunk with your crew you have a much tougher time advancing, and in some units won’t advance at all.
I’m for eliminating the drinking age. It doesn’t do what it’s supposed to in any meaningful way. We can still outlaw everything we don’t like about not being sober – drunk driving, public indecency, all that good stuff. I make the same arguments for drugs too. Hold people responsible for their actions and let them kill themselves in any way they want.
For the insurance aspect, if colleges can lower tuition and fees by having a lower insurance premium from via a lower drinking age I’m all for it. Hold these adults responsible for their own actions. The college is their to teach them, not babysit them.
I agree!! If you are old enough to die for your country, you are old enough to drink. Kids go wild at college because they are finally away from Mom and Dads watchful eyes,they will do that no matter what the legal age is. How many of you have raised kids? (you need to have raised a kid to have an opinion on parenting)
Let me see if I understand this correctly. Colleges don’t know how to control the students they have enrolled. Let’s change the law to coodinate with the circumstances. Using this logic let’s also condone speeding on campus because it is so hard to obey the posted limits. Let’s turn exams in when we feel like it as I never did like deadlines or someone telling me what to do. I have obtained a list of those schools that would like to lower the drinking age starting with MR. Gee’s college. I will make certain no gifts from me or my company reach any of these schools. Unfortuneately on of the promoters is a school I have attended and gifted.
Why should colleges CONTROL their students? They are supposed to be adults. College isn’t like high school. They can always kick you out.
Drinking ages on campus work about as well as prohibition or ‘Say No To Drugs’. I do believe it comes down to the dollar. Younger drinkers mean more income for the community. The legal age laws take more money out of the budget to try to enforce. And makes the school responsible for an ‘adult’ when they get drunk and fall down a flight of stairs. Again, passing the buck and making someone ELSE responsible for the ‘adults’ actions.
Those saying the problem are colleges not enforcing the law should listen to what the colleges are saying. They do enforce the rules but can’t be everywhere at once and much of the drinking goes on off-campus with the students sucking down huge amounts of beer as quickly as they can, i.e., binge drinking.
Those saying changing the law would encourage under 18s to drink should look around and open their eyes. High School kids have no problem finding something to drink already.
18 yr olds (sometimes younger) are tried as “adults” if they break the law, the theory being at that age they are old enough to be held responsible for their own actions.
18 yr olds (sometimes younger) are responsible enough to shoulder M16s etc… and protect and even die for our national interests (read big business/oil) by serving in the Military – in the past at times involuntarily (and maybe soon in the future as well)due to the draft. Funny how the draft does not apply to all the old farts that are making the laws, huh.
18 yr olds (hopefully none younger)as a whole are legally considered intelligent enough and “responsible” enough to participate in the entire democratic process by voting. Funny how that same group is excluded from holding many offices (president etc)due to their age though as they are not considered “old enough” to responsibly carry out the duties of that same office. Go figure.
It’s simply a question of fairness. To ask a young person to elect our leaders, go to prison, possibly die for the rest of us and to have “the rest of us” tell them they are too irresponsible to have a drink is plain hippocritical and wrong. If you want the drinking age at 21, then everything else should be 21 as well.
I think the main problem has nothing to do with age but more to do with an education on drinking. Too often parents make alcohol out to be this “forbidden fruit” and instead of using it as a way to educate their kids on how to handle it.
I started drinking at a young age and by the time I was a junior in high school, I knew my limits on drinking. And by the time I went to college, drinking was no longer a big deal to me because I had been doing it for a while.
The ones who have the biggest problem in college are the ones who’s parents never let them try a drink while they were living at home. Now they have no one stopping them and an endless supply to learn on.
Your post is ridiculous and your analogies are not congruent. Take a look at the European Countries that have no drinking age. They have fewer problems with alcoholism and far few motor vehicle deaths or accidents involving alcohol.
Most of Europe can drink before they can drive. In Germany for instance, 16 year olds can obtain beer and wine-they don’t drive until 17. My observations and statistics would indicate the’re better off being exposed to drinking before they permitted to drive rather than vice-versa.
One very good reason that Europe has a lower alcohol related motor vehicle death rate is easily explainable. Most European countries have VERY STRICT DUI LAWS. If you are stopped ONCE for driving while intoxicated . . . your license is suspended for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. I know this for a fact in many European countries. Why do you think so many people ride bicycles there? Also, actual alcoholism runs rampant in Europe, so it looks like your theory doesn’t hold water either.
Demos, you are absolutely right! 18 year olds are too young to vote, go to war, drink, or in any sensible way be treated as an adult. The portion of their brain which kicks in and makes an adult stop and consider the consequences of a stupid action of choice, is not fully matured at 18. However, if they choose to make stupid adult decisions and commit any of the above actions, they must also be committed to endure the consequences; be it death or or electing a president who will stop protecting us from outside terrorists and spend that money by giving handouts to illegal immigrants or allowing the next generation to follow in their parents chosen career of Welfare for All.
I actually enjoy this debate greatly and the responses have been very interesting.
As the mother of an 18-yr who just enlisted in the military, it brought to the surface for me that in most ways that count, 18 year olds are considered adults. They are old enough to go off to college, responsible enough to vote, sign their life to the military, be held criminally liable as an adult, but aren’t considered responsible enough to make their own decisions about alcohol?
We began the discussions with our son a long time ago about drinking, drugs, sex, etc. Drinking is not a big deal to him. We have accepted that it is a part of the rituals of growing up. While we don’t encourage it, we have mandated that he accept the responsibilities of it, for both himself and his friends. As a parent, you MUST educate your children and hope that you have given them the abilities to make the right decisions. Ultimately, though, the choices (good and bad) are theirs to make. You also must accept that they will make irresponsible choices and give them an out. We have told our son that he can call us at any time, from anywhere, if he has been drinking with his friends and we will not judge or condemn. We will pick him up, give him or his friends rides, in hopes to prevent some of the tragedies that are so unnecessary.
Either adjust the majority age to 21, or reduce the drinking age to 18.
Its funny that you offer to pick up your kid rather than have him drink and drive.
So are you gonna pick him up in Iraq when he is under fire?
I think thats a little more dangerous than drinking and driving.
If you really cared about your kid, you wouldnt send him to Iraq to get killed fighting for nothing accept control of the oil wealth.
And I could care a less if soldiers can drink. After some of the things they have seen in the military they are more susceptible to abusing alcohol in order to “self medicate” from the post traumatic stress.
As someone who has recently graduated I can tell you that binge drinking is a BIG problem. Im not a good looking guy, and let me tell you, many young women these days are drinking way too much and just passing out.
At my frat we made them sign an agreement to have sex, just in case they passed out. We got more action than we knew what to do with. Many freshmen were virgins who made bad decisions.
Your comments are duly noted and perhaps you should address the issue of drinking and not your political beliefs and/or lack of support of our military in this particular forum.
But that’s a debate for another day…
The only comment that I care to respond to you is your insinuation that I don’t care for my kid…HOW DARE YOU!!!! I have devoted my time, heart, love and devotion to all of my children. Did you miss the part about his age! HE IS 18!!!!!!!! HE IS AN ADULT!! I am not “sending” him anywhere. He is entitled to make his own choices and I am PROUD of him that he believes in his country enough to support it (IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD) and not only when it might be ‘SAFE.’
But I digress…The issue is that of drinking and the legal age! Each person is entitled to his/her own opinion. That is the beauty of debate.
In fact I do support the military. I respect them enough to only deploy them when it is absolutely necessary. I think they should be paid more money, and given more benefits when they return home.
If only our elected officials felt the same.
Our children are our most precious resource, their lives should not be squandered. This is not a political belief, but a moral one.
Teaching responsible drinking. if an 18 year old could go into a bar and restaurant they would not be out in a park or someones garage with a beer bong. I am not bragging, but from the age of 16-21 I never had troble getting alcohol. the real problem was we had to drive place to drink and hide while doing it. 18-21 drink all over the world responsibly. i have seen it in many country. I think the illegality causes much of the problem here.
I lived through this in the 70’s and every class had someone who had stayed back a couple of years – so you had high school sophomores buying alcohol for anyone who wanted it. It was an absolute mess and we’re lucky we survived. As a potential solution, under age solders should be allowed to drink while on base only.
If people want to drink at 18, them up the driving age to 21. You can have one or the other — but not both.
A minimum drinking age law doesn’t serve it’s intended purpose. The law itself tends to stigmatize alcohol which inturn can lead to abuse, particularly among minors.
Any college can be a “party school” if the kid wants to party. Parent’s should start asking themselves why their brats go berserk once they hit campus. Could it be poor up-bringing? I don’t want to hear the “peer pressure” argument. A majority of kids don’t have a problem. The fact is that many parents, and consequently their kids, lack good judgment, common sense, discipline, personal responsibility, and haven’t been held accountable for their behavior. Kids go to college for an education and to grow up. If they fail on the basic level of being unable to control their drinking they don’t belong in college. They should be home with mommy and daddy so they can be watched.
They used to make 3.2% beer available to kids between 18-21. That seemed to be a reasonable compromise. It also helped “ease” the young adults into drinking responsibly.
You are correct in this assumption. If you remove the minimum drinking age, then the younger crowd will not find it as “adventurous” to break the law by drinking underage. The thrill is breaking the law, in addition to taking the person to a whole different world with no worries.
Yes, you’re right. After all, look how the “War on Drugs” has so successfully ended the use of drugs! Of course, some might suggest that the reason for the war on drugs is to allow “law enforcement” to more easily seize property and either keep it themselves or sell it for cash-that they keep. I however would not make that claim-only the most realistic-oops! I mean cynical-would.
It is easy to blame parents and even colleges for an age-old issue. When I was in college–and it is the same today–any underaged person with a few dollars could purchase alcohol by getting a wino to do the buying in exchange for a couple of dollars or a cheap bottle of liquor. If teens have to hide their drinking, it only encourages them to drive to locations away from parents/school with their wino-purchased bottles, thus increasing the risk of traffic accidents.
Does the illegality of certain drugs stop teens from using them?
Does anyone really think that parents, as well as schools, don’t educate on these issues?
If the drinking age is 18, then there is more room to work with teens to control the drinking and address problems with it, rather than to deny that it is going to occur.
Did Prohibition work? No, and no amount of legislation is going to work on this issue.
This is terrible! Don’t people know the main reason for going to college is to drink non-stop for four years!
Yea, I agree. Why not allow people to smoke pot, quit school before age 16, and screw animals. The Gov’t shouldn’t try to legislate anything should they. We’re all responsible and know what to do. Even when we’ve had a little too much to drink. Or why not lower the drinking age to 14. Your reasoning is ridiculous.
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.
It would make more sense to raise the legal drinking age to 25. This would keep it off of college campuses for the most part, and by that time many of the youth will be employed. Who really wants to get up and go to work the next day after a night of binge drinking?
Not one person that I knew growing up ever bought beer, etc because there was some secret “kick” to drinking while underage. If it were difficult to accomplish maybe that thought process would apply but since it is so easy to get whatever you want. Well meh no biggie.
College (and high school) kids drink to get drunk and act out in ways they would not act while they are sober and for the most part doing the “right” thing and living as their parents raised them.
Being drunk is a “Get out of acting properly” Pass. Why else would we do “The Century Club” and drink 1 oz of beer per minute for 100 minutes. If you can do it you can do anything and think your cool while doing it.
If kids want to drink they will but why make it even easier for them. How would you feel if a 18 yr old who just became a member of the century club plowed through your drivers door when he blew through that red light?
You would also eliminate most of the jobs college kids get to pay for college in a college town. I wouldn’t have been able to afford to finish college without the money I made behind a bar. Fast food doesn’t pay half of what a good bartender/waitress makes.
College towns are full of bars. Yes, they provide alcohol, but they also provide economy to the town and jobs to the students.
Personally, I’m more worried about the 45 year old that has been arrested 8 times for DUI, is driving on a suspended license, and won’t go to jail until they kill someone.
A LOT more of those running around. Or should I say driving.
The key isn’t a drinking age. The key is to enforce DUI/DWI laws and enact mandatory sentences that are so harsh that people will actually think twice before they do it.
It should be the parents decision whether or not their children can drink and at what age. This should not be a gov’t decision.
I have a better idea… Lets raise the minimum age of college students to 21 and there ya go! Problem Solved!
Then all the 18 year old drinkers will have it out of their system by the time they get to college and not miss half their classes because they’re either hung over, or MIA…
Don’t worry folks! For those 18-21 year olds who don’t want to postpone their college education can get it from any on-line program – Then they can sit in front of their computer and have a beer if they want in the comfort of their own home! Another problem solved!
But wait there’s more! How about a NON-DRINKING College ! Heck – they passed a law here in AZ that you can’t smoke in any public place – why not have Colleges and Universities just ban drinking altogether and have the students do a urine test once a week.
Something for everyone – and for only $19.95 !
I hate to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but it seems like there is more binge drinking that goes on than when I was in college 25 yrs ago. At least I know that there are a lot more drinking-related deaths than there were then.
In regards to the comment from another post that drinking provides a way to do & say things that you wouldn’t otherwise do, why would college students be any different than every other adult who gets caught? How many politicians, businesspeople and (!) ministers/priests get caught and immediately claim they have a drinking problem?
The bigger question in this issue is why does the college student think they need to binge drink once they leave home? Why is this a totally accepted part of college students lives?
I DO ! ! ! Whats wrong with a little hair of the dog that bit ya for breakfast!
Here’s an idea. Bring back the national draft. That’s right….. the draft. For those of you who have no clue what the “draft” was, let me explain. It required every swinging “richard” to spend 2 years in their choice of military service right out of high school. Most of them have no clue what they want to do with their lives anyway and lacking focus, end up going to college to wander around, waste time and money, and develop bad habits.
The military would teach them good judgement, self-control, discipline, accountability, and responsibility. They’d also qualify for college tuition assistance when they got out. Note: our country didn’t have near the problems we see today when we had the draft.
Sound draconian? Obviously the parents can’t raise their kids to behave so somebody else will have to.
I love you man… I have a walking testosterone factory who (since the “legal” age of 18) decided to move in with one of his dads “buddies” after High School – He’s so currently unemployed, plays video games all day and gets free movie passes from one of his buds to hang out all day with friends at the movies. He’s had 4 jobs in the past 3 months – and one day this week… came to me and said… “Mom – I think I’m going to enlist in the Military – They’ll teach me things I won’t get anywhere else, I don’t know what I want to do right now and I’ll be eligible for a college education – and if I make a career out of it I can retire after 20 years at 38 and do something else if I want…”
I almost cried…
Not just from the emotional trip that every mother must make at that moment – but because he made the decision on his own (at least that’s what he thinks ;0))
What’s draconian about that idea? It would solve a bunch of problems.
I assume most people commenting on this article are in the Insurance business. I think you have all missed one point. Why do you think the schools want to lower the drinking age? So that they cannot get sued when someone gets killed from a drunk underage student. I am very surprised with all of your answers.
What have you geezers got to offier to top that sentiment?
Just stay off the roads when we party!
I believe the drinking age should be lowered to 18 again. Did the world come to an end over two decades ago when you could legally drink at 18?
No matter what you do, there are always going to be idiots of all ages who don’t drink responsibly. And unfortunately, there’s not much we can do to stop them.
At the very least, I think active military should be able to drink at age 18. If you can die for your country, you should be able to enjoy a beer.
As long as the draft included women I’d be for it, though it should be expanded to match Germany’s mandatory federal service – you spend your two years in any Federal service: military, fire service or medical corps. We’d have to tweak it a little, but I’m sure we could make it work. However this won’t solve any underage drinking problems as the military has a worse underage drinking problem than colleges do. I was actually rated down on my review because I didn’t drink with the guys – and I wasn’t 21 yet. Being peoples’ “drinking buddy” is a valid and accepted rating aspect on military reviews. If you don’t get drunk with your crew you have a much tougher time advancing, and in some units won’t advance at all.
I’m for eliminating the drinking age. It doesn’t do what it’s supposed to in any meaningful way. We can still outlaw everything we don’t like about not being sober – drunk driving, public indecency, all that good stuff. I make the same arguments for drugs too. Hold people responsible for their actions and let them kill themselves in any way they want.
For the insurance aspect, if colleges can lower tuition and fees by having a lower insurance premium from via a lower drinking age I’m all for it. Hold these adults responsible for their own actions. The college is their to teach them, not babysit them.
*Underage* binge drinking is against the law?
Anyone have the straight dope on this?
I didn’t know there were legal limits to how much you could drink in your own home. Are there or is the article in error?
I agree!! If you are old enough to die for your country, you are old enough to drink. Kids go wild at college because they are finally away from Mom and Dads watchful eyes,they will do that no matter what the legal age is. How many of you have raised kids? (you need to have raised a kid to have an opinion on parenting)
Let me see if I understand this correctly. Colleges don’t know how to control the students they have enrolled. Let’s change the law to coodinate with the circumstances. Using this logic let’s also condone speeding on campus because it is so hard to obey the posted limits. Let’s turn exams in when we feel like it as I never did like deadlines or someone telling me what to do. I have obtained a list of those schools that would like to lower the drinking age starting with MR. Gee’s college. I will make certain no gifts from me or my company reach any of these schools. Unfortuneately on of the promoters is a school I have attended and gifted.
Why should colleges CONTROL their students? They are supposed to be adults. College isn’t like high school. They can always kick you out.
Drinking ages on campus work about as well as prohibition or ‘Say No To Drugs’. I do believe it comes down to the dollar. Younger drinkers mean more income for the community. The legal age laws take more money out of the budget to try to enforce. And makes the school responsible for an ‘adult’ when they get drunk and fall down a flight of stairs. Again, passing the buck and making someone ELSE responsible for the ‘adults’ actions.
Those saying the problem are colleges not enforcing the law should listen to what the colleges are saying. They do enforce the rules but can’t be everywhere at once and much of the drinking goes on off-campus with the students sucking down huge amounts of beer as quickly as they can, i.e., binge drinking.
Those saying changing the law would encourage under 18s to drink should look around and open their eyes. High School kids have no problem finding something to drink already.
18 yr olds (sometimes younger) are tried as “adults” if they break the law, the theory being at that age they are old enough to be held responsible for their own actions.
18 yr olds (sometimes younger) are responsible enough to shoulder M16s etc… and protect and even die for our national interests (read big business/oil) by serving in the Military – in the past at times involuntarily (and maybe soon in the future as well)due to the draft. Funny how the draft does not apply to all the old farts that are making the laws, huh.
18 yr olds (hopefully none younger)as a whole are legally considered intelligent enough and “responsible” enough to participate in the entire democratic process by voting. Funny how that same group is excluded from holding many offices (president etc)due to their age though as they are not considered “old enough” to responsibly carry out the duties of that same office. Go figure.
It’s simply a question of fairness. To ask a young person to elect our leaders, go to prison, possibly die for the rest of us and to have “the rest of us” tell them they are too irresponsible to have a drink is plain hippocritical and wrong. If you want the drinking age at 21, then everything else should be 21 as well.
I think the main problem has nothing to do with age but more to do with an education on drinking. Too often parents make alcohol out to be this “forbidden fruit” and instead of using it as a way to educate their kids on how to handle it.
I started drinking at a young age and by the time I was a junior in high school, I knew my limits on drinking. And by the time I went to college, drinking was no longer a big deal to me because I had been doing it for a while.
The ones who have the biggest problem in college are the ones who’s parents never let them try a drink while they were living at home. Now they have no one stopping them and an endless supply to learn on.
Your post is ridiculous and your analogies are not congruent. Take a look at the European Countries that have no drinking age. They have fewer problems with alcoholism and far few motor vehicle deaths or accidents involving alcohol.
Most of Europe can drink before they can drive. In Germany for instance, 16 year olds can obtain beer and wine-they don’t drive until 17. My observations and statistics would indicate the’re better off being exposed to drinking before they permitted to drive rather than vice-versa.
One very good reason that Europe has a lower alcohol related motor vehicle death rate is easily explainable. Most European countries have VERY STRICT DUI LAWS. If you are stopped ONCE for driving while intoxicated . . . your license is suspended for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. I know this for a fact in many European countries. Why do you think so many people ride bicycles there? Also, actual alcoholism runs rampant in Europe, so it looks like your theory doesn’t hold water either.
Demos, you are absolutely right! 18 year olds are too young to vote, go to war, drink, or in any sensible way be treated as an adult. The portion of their brain which kicks in and makes an adult stop and consider the consequences of a stupid action of choice, is not fully matured at 18. However, if they choose to make stupid adult decisions and commit any of the above actions, they must also be committed to endure the consequences; be it death or or electing a president who will stop protecting us from outside terrorists and spend that money by giving handouts to illegal immigrants or allowing the next generation to follow in their parents chosen career of Welfare for All.
You got it – Consistency.
Excellent point Nikki, let’s model our DUI laws after those European nations and get rid of the drinking age laws. Thank you.
I actually enjoy this debate greatly and the responses have been very interesting.
As the mother of an 18-yr who just enlisted in the military, it brought to the surface for me that in most ways that count, 18 year olds are considered adults. They are old enough to go off to college, responsible enough to vote, sign their life to the military, be held criminally liable as an adult, but aren’t considered responsible enough to make their own decisions about alcohol?
We began the discussions with our son a long time ago about drinking, drugs, sex, etc. Drinking is not a big deal to him. We have accepted that it is a part of the rituals of growing up. While we don’t encourage it, we have mandated that he accept the responsibilities of it, for both himself and his friends. As a parent, you MUST educate your children and hope that you have given them the abilities to make the right decisions. Ultimately, though, the choices (good and bad) are theirs to make. You also must accept that they will make irresponsible choices and give them an out. We have told our son that he can call us at any time, from anywhere, if he has been drinking with his friends and we will not judge or condemn. We will pick him up, give him or his friends rides, in hopes to prevent some of the tragedies that are so unnecessary.
Either adjust the majority age to 21, or reduce the drinking age to 18.
Interested mother:
Its funny that you offer to pick up your kid rather than have him drink and drive.
So are you gonna pick him up in Iraq when he is under fire?
I think thats a little more dangerous than drinking and driving.
If you really cared about your kid, you wouldnt send him to Iraq to get killed fighting for nothing accept control of the oil wealth.
And I could care a less if soldiers can drink. After some of the things they have seen in the military they are more susceptible to abusing alcohol in order to “self medicate” from the post traumatic stress.
As someone who has recently graduated I can tell you that binge drinking is a BIG problem. Im not a good looking guy, and let me tell you, many young women these days are drinking way too much and just passing out.
At my frat we made them sign an agreement to have sex, just in case they passed out. We got more action than we knew what to do with. Many freshmen were virgins who made bad decisions.
Peter:
Your comments are duly noted and perhaps you should address the issue of drinking and not your political beliefs and/or lack of support of our military in this particular forum.
But that’s a debate for another day…
The only comment that I care to respond to you is your insinuation that I don’t care for my kid…HOW DARE YOU!!!! I have devoted my time, heart, love and devotion to all of my children. Did you miss the part about his age! HE IS 18!!!!!!!! HE IS AN ADULT!! I am not “sending” him anywhere. He is entitled to make his own choices and I am PROUD of him that he believes in his country enough to support it (IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD) and not only when it might be ‘SAFE.’
But I digress…The issue is that of drinking and the legal age! Each person is entitled to his/her own opinion. That is the beauty of debate.
In fact I do support the military. I respect them enough to only deploy them when it is absolutely necessary. I think they should be paid more money, and given more benefits when they return home.
If only our elected officials felt the same.
Our children are our most precious resource, their lives should not be squandered. This is not a political belief, but a moral one.
Teaching responsible drinking. if an 18 year old could go into a bar and restaurant they would not be out in a park or someones garage with a beer bong. I am not bragging, but from the age of 16-21 I never had troble getting alcohol. the real problem was we had to drive place to drink and hide while doing it. 18-21 drink all over the world responsibly. i have seen it in many country. I think the illegality causes much of the problem here.