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»  » Do you think the legal drinking age should be lowered?
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| Pages: 1 of 4: [1] 2 3 4 > |
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Do you think the legal drinking age should be lowered? |
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| P: 8/19/2008 12:11:15 AM | |
TravelingGal Ideal Rock Total Posts: 11,309 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 12/29/2004 |
Thought about this topic due to an article on msnbc today. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26271328/ So do you think the drinking age should be 18 or stay at 21?
_______________________ Travel quote of the week: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 12:11:15 AM | |
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There are 99 replies to this message. There are 30 replies on this page. |
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| P: 8/19/2008 12:17:32 AM | |
Galateia Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,218 Last Post: 8/17/2009 Member Since: 5/9/2006 |
In Canada, the maximum age for drinking is 19. I'm comfortable with that. That means that by the time you've hit your early to mid-twenties, you've got the 'college drinking' out of your system and you're not spending your nights getting 'hammered' because being drunk isn't a big deal anymore, and you've not had years of pent up frustration to get out of your system. When I moved down to the US, I was surprised to see how many graduate students(!) went out clubbing. When I was in school, 'clubbing' past the age of 23 was mildly pathetic. Edit: I hadn't even read the article yet when I posted (my internet was being grumpy) but it seems to be echoing the same points I was getting at, particularly: "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." I have seen this happen often; particularly with students whose parents preferred being strict over encouraging their children to think for themselves and make mature decisions, once they get to college they go overboard with the heady euphoria of their newfound freedom, unable to cope because they've never had it before. "He said college students will drink no matter what, but do so more dangerously when it's illegal." True. You can get cut off by a bartender, but who is going to cut you off at a frat party or a kegger? But the statement makes clear the signers think the current law isn't working, citing a "culture of dangerous, clandestine binge-drinking," Exactly. Drinking was social and relaxed, pounding down shots in a dorm closet wasn't necessary. Legally cohabitated |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 12:17:32 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 12:19:22 AM | |
jewelerman Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,192 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 9/30/2007 |
no.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 12:19:22 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 12:21:16 AM | |
SarahLovesJS Ideal Rock Total Posts: 4,973 Last Post: 11/21/2009 Member Since: 2/3/2008 |
I'm pretty happy with 21. It might help drinking issues in the USA, but I seriously doubt it.  The only thing I have a problem with is being able to go to war, but not being able to drink. I find that kind of ironic. 
Mrs. S<3JS |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 12:21:16 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 12:22:39 AM | |
Miranda Ideal Rock Total Posts: 4,042 Last Post: 9/24/2009 Member Since: 2/18/2006 |
I don't understand why you are considered an adult at 18, but, you cannot drink. DH and I were just debating this very thing this morning. In Mission Viejo, CA they are considering fines and/or jail time for parents of kids caught underage drinking. I don't know the ins and outs of this proposal as it was just a blip in the OC Register this morning. Assuming this applies to anyone under 21 it seems insane to hold parents accountable for what their adult children are doing. Or maybe this would just apply to kids under 18. I don't really know. I cannot think of a good reason why 18 year olds shouldn't be able to legally drink. I'd love to hear other thoughts on this.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 12:22:39 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 12:23:52 AM | |
Blair138 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,104 Last Post: 11/18/2009 Member Since: 4/8/2008 |
I think that if they lower the drinking age it should be 19, one is out of high school at that point (or should be) and is still considered an adult. But, I think the bigger issue is the driving age in the U.S.-which should be higher than 16-I am in my 20's and can't believe that I started driving at 16-I teach high schoolers and those 16 year olds are so immature it's scary!!
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 12:23:52 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 12:24:44 AM | |
radiantquest Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,298 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 7/20/2008 |
i have mixed opinions. i kind of agree with people when they say that if you are old enough to be drafted then you should be able to drink, then again i remember myself at 21 and think that the legal age should be 25. at 21 i think that i was a little bit reckless and would feel better knowing there were more maturity there, i dunno.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 12:24:44 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 12:26:35 AM | |
fiery Ideal Rock Total Posts: 4,107 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 5/18/2008 |
I think it should go up to 25
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 12:26:35 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 4:05:00 AM | |
pennquaker09 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,486 Last Post: 11/23/2009 Member Since: 11/2/2007 |
You can die in a war at 18, but you can't get drunk before you go over to die in said war? I'm not saying one should get drunk, but I don't quite get the logic.
Sephora is the mothership! - diamondfan |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 4:05:00 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 5:29:53 AM | |
bee* Ideal Rock Total Posts: 11,097 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 5/14/2006 |
Our limit in Ireland is 18 whereas quite a lot of continental Europe have it set at 16. They have far less problems than we do over here as I think that they just grow up with it and are taught as children to have a bit at dinner etc and they don't abuse it as much. Over here there's a big build up to have it at 18, so I can only imagine if it were 21. I've always found it strange that you can legally get married in the US but not allowed to have your champagne et c at your wedding if you're under 21
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 5:29:53 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 6:01:21 AM | |
D2B Ideal Rock Total Posts: 783 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 2/10/2007 |
I prefer the continental european attitude to drinking in general, ditto to bee*, if only I could learn how to quote - anyway  d2b
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 6:01:21 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 7:33:31 AM | |
beau13 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,173 Last Post: 8/7/2009 Member Since: 7/6/2007 |
Date: 8/19/2008 12:17:32 AM I think you meant "minimum" or age or majority is 19. Yes, this system works fine. I worked at the Beer store (great job) here in Canada for 14 years (excellent pay and such a fun job). I think that age is perfect, in Quebec it is 18, to drink legally. I think 21 is a bit much in my opinion. Perhaps it has a lot to do with maturity, there are some immature and irresposible 19 year olds that shouldn't be allowed to drink, maybe more so in the US? Who knows why the age of majority is different.
Author: Galateia In Canada, the maximum age for drinking is 19. I'm comfortable with that. That means that by the time you've hit your early to mid-twenties, you've got the 'college drinking' out of your system and you're not spending your nights getting 'hammered' because being drunk isn't a big deal anymore, and you've not had years of pent up frustration to get out of your system. When I moved down to the US, I was surprised to see how many graduate students(!) went out clubbing. When I was in school, 'clubbing' past the age of 23 was mildly pathetic. Edit: I hadn't even read the article yet when I posted (my internet was being grumpy) but it seems to be echoing the same points I was getting at, particularly: '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.' I have seen this happen often; particularly with students whose parents preferred being strict over encouraging their children to think for themselves and make mature decisions, once they get to college they go overboard with the heady euphoria of their newfound freedom, unable to cope because they've never had it before. 'He said college students will drink no matter what, but do so more dangerously when it's illegal.' True. You can get cut off by a bartender, but who is going to cut you off at a frat party or a kegger? But the statement makes clear the signers think the current law isn't working, citing a 'culture of dangerous, clandestine binge-drinking,' Exactly. Drinking was social and relaxed, pounding down shots in a dorm closet wasn't necessary.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 7:33:31 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 8:09:08 AM | |
Tacori E-ring Ideal Rock Total Posts: 16,086 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 8/15/2005 |
I used to think so when I was younger  I worked in a restaurant after college and was shocked by the number of DUIs my coworkers had. Unfortunately I do not think 18 year olds are very responsible or always make the best decisions.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 8:09:08 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 8:15:36 AM | |
elledizzy5 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 5,813 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 4/25/2008 |
I don't think it should be lowered to 18 because you're still in high school. It would allow high school students to buy for other younger high school students. There are 14 year olds in high school. I think that in the US, we've built drinking up to be this big huge awesome thing that you have to wait TWENTY ONE years for. So if you lower it, there's going to be a huge rush of 18-20 year olds out drinking irresponsibly. In an ideal world, drinking to excess would not be such an exciting thing to do, and we could lower it as low as we wanted, but teach kids from a very young age how to drink in moderation. Maybe we wouldn't need a drinking age at all. If drinking is not restricted, it's not *quite* as exciting. ~ Let all the people of the world say what they please I alone know what I do ~ |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 8:15:36 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 8:18:12 AM | |
ksinger Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,202 Last Post: 11/18/2009 Member Since: 1/30/2008 |
I read the article. I'm kinda mixed on it. When I was in college, I could drink at 18 - beer at least, no hard liquor, that was 21. BUT...given that in general, kids today are less mature and have less self-control than they did in my day - and they weren't exactly the most mature THEN, 18 seems pretty iffy. |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 8:18:12 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 8:29:24 AM | |
Julianna Ideal Rock Total Posts: 504 Last Post: 10/29/2009 Member Since: 3/19/2007 |
Maybe if public transportation were a little more publicly transporty in this country. That way drunk folks could get home without constantly endangering everyone's lives. I grew up in a country and city where the drinking age was ostensibly 16 and the crime rate was nearly nil. The only obviously drunken people were visiting Americans. Now that I'm back stateside, it's a whole other story. We Americans like to make huge fancy scandalous deals out of everything: alcohol...nudity...political correctness...we're indeed a caricature of a country. Which is not to say that the USA isn't fabulous, because it sure as heck is. I agree with Penn, who mentioned soldiers who are old enough to die for the country but not old enough to drink legally in the country. Kinda silly, if you think about it.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 8:29:24 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 8:33:34 AM | |
purrfectpear Ideal Rock Total Posts: 3,696 Last Post: 11/20/2009 Member Since: 3/31/2008 |
If you can join the service and defend the country, possibly getting shot at, then you should be able to go to the local watering hole and buy a drink. How can the Government say they can responsibly carry and use a firearm, but they aren't responsible enough to handle alcohol  Either or, peeps, either or. "Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn." -Gore Vidal |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 8:33:34 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 8:39:16 AM | |
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Irishgrrrl Ideal Rock Total Posts: 3,337 Last Post: 11/15/2009 Member Since: 6/3/2008 |
When you turn 18, you are legally considered to be an adult, you can buy tobacco products, you can vote, and you can serve our country in the military . . . but you can't buy a beer?!?! I've never understood the logic behind this. Personally, I think it should be all or nothing ~ you can either do all of the things I mentioned above (including buying alcohol) at the age of 18, or ALL of those things should be reserved for people who are 21 and older. 
 "Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie." ~ Mae West |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 8:39:16 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 8:49:11 AM | |
aprilcait Ideal Rock Total Posts: 785 Last Post: 10/23/2009 Member Since: 10/17/2006 |
Date: 8/19/2008 8:33:34 AM Author: purrfectpear If you can join the service and defend the country, possibly getting shot at, then you should be able to go to the local watering hole and buy a drink. How can the Government say they can responsibly carry and use a firearm, but they aren't responsible enough to handle alcohol Either or, peeps, either or. Not just that, but you can vote for the leader of your country, be tried as an adult for crimes, etc. This half-adult/half-not-adult thing is a bit confusing. In my mind, it might have even contributed to the increased immaturity (in comparison to the maturity level of previous generations) of today's youth, in that even when you're legally an adult... you're still not really an adult.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 8:49:11 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 8:50:14 AM | |
gogosi Rough Rock Total Posts: 12 Last Post: 12/23/2008 Member Since: 7/17/2008 |
Well I guess everyone's main concern with drinking is not the one random beer or wine glass with a mean but the abuse of alcohol. I think the more you restrict something the more taboo it becomes and the more people abuse it when it becomes available. As Bee said in Europe most countries have it at 16, and all that means is that a 16 year old can go out and have a drink in public in a civilized manner... vs finding a 21 year old to buy him beer or liquor and get "smashed" quickly. I think there is a missconseption out there that just because you lower the drinking age you allow one to get absolutely intoxicated which is really not what the drinking age is about... weather you are 50, 21, or 18 you shouldn't be drinking to the extent to which you're not able to walk, talk etc. I mean I have to say in Canada rules are much stricter than in US when it comes to that. In Canada, particulary Toronto (where I'm from), most bartendrs would cut you off and kick you out if you get too roudy or you seem too drunk... most clubs won't even let you go inside if you seem already drunk... i bartended through my university years and all the places I worked at those were the rules... as a bartender you can get charged for overserving also. I have to say in my experience the US is quite different when it comes to that... I've been in several bars in the US and I couldn't believe how intoxicated some people got and the bartender would still serve them... So I don't think it matters what the drinking age is I think there should just be stricter rules for abusing acohol period... I mean an esablishemt will lose their licence for selling ONE beer to an "underage" patron yet it's fine to serve 25 beers to the regular alcoholic that shows up at 11 am and doesn't leave till 8 at night... just becasue he's of age... there's soemthing wrong with that!
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 8:50:14 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 9:07:47 AM | |
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Tacori E-ring Ideal Rock Total Posts: 16,086 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 8/15/2005 |
gogosi, actually in the US a bartender/server *can* be charged if they over serve someone and then they get into an accident (for example). Happened here. But I totally agree it is about abuse. Maybe my views are jaded b/c I went to a "party" school. I just think 18 year olds are immature. Is it fair, like so many have mentioned, that they can vote, serve in the military, jury, marry etc but not drink? Well, maybe not. But do I think *that* is a good enough reason to change it...no way. Life's not that black and white. I do not know the history of why it was raised to begin with. It would be interesting to research though.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 9:07:47 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 9:21:44 AM | |
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gogosi Rough Rock Total Posts: 12 Last Post: 12/23/2008 Member Since: 7/17/2008 |
Tacori... I thought so too... and again maybe it depends on the state and city. I am temporarly living on a border town and everyone from Canada goes drinking across to the US since they never get cut off. It may have to do with the fact that it is a small town and they are just looking for the business. But I couldn't believe it... guys would be stumbling to the washroom and yet another drink would be brought to them. Also one funny thing that I witnessed once when I was on a trip in Malta (small island south of Italy) ... they had these street festivals where everyone would be out on the streets and beer was just handed out by the local merchants... they were cops on their scooters drinking beer and it was completley acceptable... no thought anything of it... they were like "It's just a beer... everyone has to celebrate"
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 9:21:44 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 9:23:42 AM | |
neatfreak Ideal Rock Total Posts: 13,450 Last Post: 11/23/2009 Member Since: 2/17/2007 |
Yup. I think we need to think like Europe when it comes to alcohol. I hate to be brash, but even though it might be a mess for a few years as those who are between 18-21 suddenly can drink (and thus might go nuts) I do think that ultimately it would help many of the binge drinking issues that come out of college campuses...(this coming from someone who was a resident assistant at one party school and now does health policy at the biggest party school in the country.) Not everyone will agree, but all my analyses suggest that in the long run there would be less loss of productivity and life...which ultimately should be our goal if we are going to restrict a product at all.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 9:23:42 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 9:38:18 AM | |
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Tacori E-ring Ideal Rock Total Posts: 16,086 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 8/15/2005 |
gogosi, must just not be enforced. The incident that made big news here was with a chain bar/restaurant and I live in NC. Pretty scary for the server but I agree it is a larger issue. I mean celebs spending 3 hours in jail for a DUI don't help situations either. Ohio has special yellow license plates for people with previous DUIs (scarlet letter theory) and I like that. Let's ME know to stay away from them. Most of my former coworkers were 18-21 and didn't think losing their license was such a big deal maybe we need MORE check points b/c something is wrong with that.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 9:38:18 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 9:48:52 AM | |
Elmorton Ideal Rock Total Posts: 3,748 Last Post: 11/21/2009 Member Since: 7/6/2007 |
I don't think I'd blink if the drinking age was 19, but I think 18 is too low (because HS students turn 18 their senior year). For all intents and purposes, the drinking age on a college campus IS 19 - in the city where I grew up (not where I went to college) the bar age was 19, so everyone was in the bar drinking illegally. It was a weird system, but since police officers were everywhere outside the bars (and sometimes in them) things didn't get too out of hand, usually. That said, I really don't have a problem with the current legal drinking age. I do have a problem with drunk driving, and while it may be easy to curb on a college campus where 18 year olds typically don't have vehicles, I think a lowered drinking age would create more problems for everyone on the road. A relatively new driver combined with being a relatively new drinker is not going to make good decisions. ETA: On the same note, I think the age to join the military is too low. In one of my college psych classes, I learned that the age where you cognitively recognize that your actions have finite consequences and that you aren't "invincible" is actually in your early 20's (which is why drinking/drug abuse is a problem with this age group). A lot of cognitive psychologists believe that the duties of the military are especially damaging to younger soldiers because, emotionally, they haven't reached the adult stages of development.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 9:48:52 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 10:02:46 AM | |
VegasAngel Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,449 Last Post: 11/10/2009 Member Since: 10/12/2005 |
Date: 8/19/2008 5:29:53 AM Author: bee* Our limit in Ireland is 18 whereas quite a lot of continental Europe have it set at 16. They have far less problems than we do over here as I think that they just grow up with it and are taught as children to have a bit at dinner etc and they don't abuse it as much. Over here there's a big build up to have it at 18, so I can only imagine if it were 21. I've always found it strange that you can legally get married in the US but not allowed to have your champagne et c at your wedding if you're under 21 My MIL & FIL (French) said they gave my husband a little wine with his dinner as a kid. As a result alcohol was never a big deal. I think we should lower the drinking age to 18 & change the minium age for a drivers license to 21. "Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly." GK Chesterton |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 10:02:46 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 10:13:32 AM | |
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fiery Ideal Rock Total Posts: 4,107 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 5/18/2008 |
Off topic: You know, I don’t think the age to join the army is too low. I have my own issues with drafting but we haven’t had to experience that in my lifetime (as of yet). I think that when 18 year olds join the army, it’s the same as deciding to go to college. It’s a path they chose for one reason or another (love for the country, for the benefits, etc.). It’s a decision made by that 18 year old (of course there are instances where the teen is forced into it by family and again not talking about drafting.) FYI drinking ages on military bases *can* be lower than 21 depending on where the base is located…and how strict of a unit leader they have. On topic: I hope its never lower than 21. I think about my brothers who are 18 and 19. Them drinking
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 10:13:32 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 10:32:56 AM | |
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VegasAngel Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,449 Last Post: 11/10/2009 Member Since: 10/12/2005 |
Date: 8/19/2008 10:13:32 AM Author: fieryred33143 Off topic: You know, I don’t think the age to join the army is too low. I have my own issues with drafting but we haven’t had to experience that in my lifetime (as of yet). I think that when 18 year olds join the army, it’s the same as deciding to go to college. It’s a path they chose for one reason or another (love for the country, for the benefits, etc.). It’s a decision made by that 18 year old (of course there are instances where the teen is forced into it by family and again not talking about drafting.) FYI drinking ages on military bases *can* be lower than 21 depending on where the base is located…and how strict of a unit leader they have. On topic: I hope its never lower than 21. I think about my brothers who are 18 and 19. Them drinking Personally I think the age is too low. Recruiters start going after H.S. students to get them to join. They tell them how great the military is, paid college etc. Some make it sound so good to these kids that they forget about the danger. "Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly." GK Chesterton |
| Posted: 8/19/2008 10:32:56 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 10:55:47 AM | |
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jewelerman Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,192 Last Post: 11/22/2009 Member Since: 9/30/2007 |
I dont know if its been mentioned that alcohol is a mind altering DRUG and at any age it alters ability to think and function.At age 18 we are given the right to vote and are expected to behave like an adult...alcohol can take the ability to be responsible away.Many people can be responsible when drinking...but many cant even after only one drink.To much of our societies social life is wrapped around drinking and being used to medicate our daily problems.The stumbling drunk person is seen as comical and funny in society when its more the outward proof of larger problems.Its odd that our society supports and glorifies the party guy or gal lifestyle but when it turns into alcoholism then we turn our back on these people to deal with their problems on their own.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 10:55:47 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 10:57:54 AM | |
CJ2008 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,625 Last Post: 11/2/2009 Member Since: 12/31/2006 |
Definitely not.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 10:57:54 AM | |
| P: 8/19/2008 11:08:48 AM | |
dragonfly411 Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,581 Last Post: 11/20/2009 Member Since: 6/25/2007 |
I agree 100% with 18. At 18 you are considered a legal adult, capable of making adult decisions, voting, buying tobacco, and going into clubs and related atmospheres and acting responsibly, you should be able to drink as well. I know that on a trip overseas with a younger group, they all acted responsibly with the legal drinking age, having a beer or two with dinner, and leaving it otherwise.
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| Posted: 8/19/2008 11:08:48 AM | |
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