drinking age be increased or decreased?

PittShkr
PittShkr Posts: 1,000 Member
in Chit-Chat
I personally believe that it should be lowered. Many European countries allow it down to a low age and when the kids grow up they dont have to binge on something that is now available and is so-called Taboo??
«1

Replies

  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.
  • 76tech
    76tech Posts: 1,455 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.

    i agree one hundred percent
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.

    Agree 100 %.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Lowered or eliminated entirely.
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,832 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.

    And end thread.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,420 Member
    When I was 18 the legal age for alcohol was also 18. Several decades later I still think it was a bad idea. Except, it was changed during the Vietnam war, and the rationale was exactly like BrettPGH said, "if they can serve our country, we should serve 'em alcohol."

    It was later changed back to 21, but the damage to young lives was already done. I don't know how that would have been different if it had always been 21, since that is my only frame of reference. I suppose the problem is more excessive drinking, and that isn't going to be significanly altered by a three-year wait.
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.


    Yeah but we all know not many of those who are 18 and enter the military are smart. No offense to are Men and Woman who are fighting for our rights. Just saying there are a lot of knuckle heads out there.
    As for the drinking age its fine the way it is. Unfortunately we as a country have glorified drinking with drunking craziness. We can't lower the age because the kids in the U.S. do not know how to handle themselves. Not to say many 35 year olds know how to either but most minds of teenagers are not able to handle the responsibility of drinking.

    If anything there should be a license to drink just like how you have a license drive
  • PittShkr
    PittShkr Posts: 1,000 Member
    Many Americans idolize a culture where Europeans—accustomed to alcohol after years of experience in their teenage years—supposedly know how to avoid binge drinking, alcohol poisoning and hazy nights of bad judgment. It’s a particularly popular topic of conversation among 19-year-old college students, waiting in grocery store parking lots for older friends to bring out cases of beer. “The drinking age is so stupid,” they say. “If only it was like it is in Europe,” suggesting with little sense of irony that, were the drinking age lower, they would both drink more moderately and enjoy the new found freedom to buy $11 cases of Natural Light.
  • taglientep
    taglientep Posts: 297 Member
    i used to think the same way, till i though about High school.. would you really want a just turened 18 year old idiot buying booze for younger kids. i know it goes on im not dumb did it myself but was not easy. I say leave where it is.,.. i know it used to be 18 way before my time just feel that this generation, my generation is very irresponsible. wouldnt like to chance it
  • PittShkr
    PittShkr Posts: 1,000 Member
    Many Americans idolize a culture where Europeans—accustomed to alcohol after years of experience in their teenage years—supposedly know how to avoid binge drinking, alcohol poisoning and hazy nights of bad judgment. It’s a particularly popular topic of conversation among 19-year-old college students, waiting in grocery store parking lots for older friends to bring out cases of beer. “The drinking age is so stupid,” they say. “If only it was like it is in Europe,” suggesting with little sense of irony that, were the drinking age lower, they would both drink more moderately and enjoy the new found freedom to buy $11 cases of Natural Light.

    Inspiration for the post^^^^
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.

    Exactly how I feel. I fail to understand how it makes sense to say "You can fight and die for your country, buy cigarettes which are basically poison, and vote for the leaders of our country---but don't even THINK about having a beer!"

    Stupid. I think the age for it all should be 20 (in the United States). 20 for the military, 20 to vote, 20 for booze, 20 for cigarettes. High school kids have no business having smokes and booze that easily accessible, and honestly, at 18, I wasn't mature enough to vote. I also kinda want to puke at the idea of teenagers being killed in combat.

    In other countries where the drinking age has always been irrelevant, there's not really an issue because it's not seen as something exciting or glamorous. My good friend from Holland always talks about idiots from other countries who come there and get so high and wasted they wind up dead or seriously injured---drugs and alcohol have just never had the mystique there, so nobody cares much about them. You couldn't exactly lower the drinking age in the US without MAJOR problems because teenagers here (generally speaking) are nowhere near responsible enough to have that easy of access to alcohol.
  • ket_the_jet
    ket_the_jet Posts: 1,257 Member
    I agree with Brett on principle, and in fact, if you are drafted into the military you receive a waiver which allows you to drink on base in officer/enlisted clubs.

    But the true reason for the 21 year old drinking age in America is not a bunch of politician stiffs looking to ruin a party--it's actually insurance-based. Between 1970 and 1975, 29 states lowered the drinking age to 18, 19, or 20 and studies showed that, for every year under 21 that you were allowed to legally drink, automobile accidents and deaths increased exponentially.

    The correlation is almost 350 deaths annually per year under twenty-one. An 18-year old drinking age would suggest over 1,000 deaths. Whether that could be stopped with better education about drinking and driving or better public transportation systems.

    As for our European friends with younger drinking ages, studies show that, due to older ages to obtain driver's licenses and better public transportation infrastructure, European youth are both less likely to own a car and less likely to drink and drive.

    This post was probably a real buzz kill, but I'm 25 and really don't care to see 18-year old kids at my favorite bars anyways.
    -wtk
  • spaingirl2011
    spaingirl2011 Posts: 763 Member
    In my house, I was allowed to drink at the age of 14. I was allowed to try wine, beer, strong spirits and I found that I hated the taste of all of them. I'm 27 and I hardly have a drink once a month. My younger brother is straight-edge (so no drinking, smoking or any type of drugs and he's in the music scene). My sister started college and has yet to want to take a sip of alcohol. All because my parents allowed us to drink at 14. I'm not saying all young people are like us, but maybe you'd have fewer people wanting the "forbidden juice" if it was available to them earlier.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    In America, definitely decreased.

    Not sure what it is in England now but when I grew up there it was 16. It was great because you got all the binging right out of your system before you even went to college. In America I get the impression a lot of kids waste the most vital years of their education drunk.

    It always makes me smh when the legal age of drinking or sexual consent is higher than the legal age for military combat. Talk about messed up priorities.
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,412 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.

    YAHTZEE!
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    As Brett mentioned if you are old enough to serve, die and buy lottery tickets and cigarettes, you should be able to buy booze.. 18 to buy and drink alcohol.

    What about keeping the age to enter a bar at 21? From 18-21 you have to drink at a private residence. Maybe that will teach some responsibility?!?
  • PittShkr
    PittShkr Posts: 1,000 Member
    As Brett mentioned if you are old enough to serve, die and buy lottery tickets and cigarettes, you should be able to buy booze.. 18 to buy and drink alcohol.

    What about keeping the age to enter a bar at 21? From 18-21 you have to drink at a private residence. Maybe that will teach some responsibility?!?

    Never thought about it that way.

    Ultimately this will not be a dramatic change in society but over time with younger people exposed to alcohol as more than a fun time would change the way things are now. And yes in America when you get to college the alcohol is available for the drinking and there is a much greater risk of binge.
  • nightsrainfall
    nightsrainfall Posts: 244 Member
    I'm ok with it at 18-19. With lowering it though, everyone should realize that there will be binge drinking on mass scale to celebrate the new found 'right', but then through the years it should be no different than the 20-21 change that currently occurs.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.
    Do you think the military/draft age should be increased? If it were 21, then you'd be okay with the drinking age at 21? I personally do not think an 18 year old should be able to join the military, either.
  • gaiareeves
    gaiareeves Posts: 292 Member
    It's 18 here and I think that's pretty acceptable.

    If you're old enough to vote and join the army, then you're old enough to drink. I know in other European countries it's as low as 13 and they actually have less of a drinking problem than we do, but I think it's a cultural thing; how your culture perceives alcohol greatly influences how people use (and abuse) it.
    Not sure what it is in England now but when I grew up there it was 16. It was great because you got all the binging right out of your system before you even went to college. In America I get the impression a lot of kids waste the most vital years of their education drunk.
    Smoking and drinking is both 18 in the UK now, although 16 is still the age of consent.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    i used to think the same way, till i though about High school.. would you really want a just turened 18 year old idiot buying booze for younger kids. i know it goes on im not dumb did it myself but was not easy. I say leave where it is.,.. i know it used to be 18 way before my time just feel that this generation, my generation is very irresponsible. wouldnt like to chance it

    I agree leave it where it is. people still buy it and drink in high school but I dont think we should make it easier to get alcohol
  • mslack01
    mslack01 Posts: 823 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.

    not that it even matters to me anymore, but yeah...this ^^^^^
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.

    AMEN!!!
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Alcohol, especially in excess, causes serious damage to developing brains. At 18, a person's body and brain are still developing. Anything that can inhibit proper development is a bad idea.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    I go by one rule on this one. The military/draft. If 18 is old enough to fight and die for your country it's old enough to have a beer. Period.
    Do you think the military/draft age should be increased? If it were 21, then you'd be okay with the drinking age at 21? I personally do not think an 18 year old should be able to join the military, either.

    I think it's one or the other. Because you simply can not say "You aren't mature enough to make responsible decisions like having a beer." and in the same breath say "Hey there young man! Wanna sign up for military service? It's the best decision you'll ever make!"

    Really though I think we should at least TRY to find a way to emulate Europe on this one. They're doing it better. We say we have a drinking age to keep the kids off alcohol, well they don't have a drinking age and do a better job of it than we are. Clearly something isn't working.
  • neverbythenumbers
    neverbythenumbers Posts: 4
    Either it should be lowered to 18, or the age for purchasing tobacco products should be raised to 21. I've never understood why the drinking age in the USA is higher when (IMO) cigarettes are just as likely, if not more likely, to be abused by young people.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    In my house, I was allowed to drink at the age of 14. I was allowed to try wine, beer, strong spirits and I found that I hated the taste of all of them. I'm 27 and I hardly have a drink once a month. My younger brother is straight-edge (so no drinking, smoking or any type of drugs and he's in the music scene). My sister started college and has yet to want to take a sip of alcohol. All because my parents allowed us to drink at 14. I'm not saying all young people are like us, but maybe you'd have fewer people wanting the "forbidden juice" if it was available to them earlier.

    If parents want to allow their children to drink in their own home I think that is fine. But I dont think the drinking age should be changed because of the 18 yr old high school kids would be buying it for their friends and drinking whereever and then possibly driving. My mom always told us I dont really want you drinking but if you do dont drive call me and I will come get you no questions asked.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    I was binge-drinking FAR more before I was 21 and "legal" than I ever did afterward....

    Not sure it makes much difference really...if kids want to drink and smoke before 18 or 21, they're going to find a way.
  • adam1885282
    adam1885282 Posts: 135 Member
    Maybe we should raise the draft age!

    That aside, I started drinking when I was 14 on a summer trip to Europe. It didn't do me any favors. I've been a drinker ever since, sometimes too heavily. I've taken time off here and there just to break the cycle. I'm not currently drinking while I try to lose weight.

    However, in the end, I prefer a libertarian approach to personal vice that doesn't have an immediate impact on others. 18 seems fair. There needs to be some regulation at least during the most important developmental stages.

    People will drink if they want to, just like they'll do drugs and smoke if they want to. There's never been an effective way to stop someone from engaging in a vice and it's a rather silly thing to try to regulate it.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    In my house, I was allowed to drink at the age of 14. I was allowed to try wine, beer, strong spirits and I found that I hated the taste of all of them. I'm 27 and I hardly have a drink once a month. My younger brother is straight-edge (so no drinking, smoking or any type of drugs and he's in the music scene). My sister started college and has yet to want to take a sip of alcohol. All because my parents allowed us to drink at 14. I'm not saying all young people are like us, but maybe you'd have fewer people wanting the "forbidden juice" if it was available to them earlier.

    If parents want to allow their children to drink in their own home I think that is fine. But I dont think the drinking age should be changed because of the 18 yr old high school kids would be buying it for their friends and drinking whereever and then possibly driving. My mom always told us I dont really want you drinking but if you do dont drive call me and I will come get you no questions asked.

    My husband had friends whose parents let them drink and smoke pot. They ended up having raging parties all the time, were constantly binge drinking and doing drugs. The pot led them to try hard drugs and my husband almost died of heart failure from doing cocaine.

Categories