I just read an MSNBC article about how some people are wanting the legal drinking age to be lowered from 21 to 18. Here's a link to the article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20249460/?GT1=10252

Personally, I strongly disagree with this idea. These young adults do not need the inhibitions that alcohol brings. Already, most are irresponsible and are drinking underage; what makes them deserve to have the age limit lowered? In my opinion, most 18 year olds are still immature and irresponsible, and should not have the responsibility that alcohol demands.

I have to say that would be a really stupid idea... I think that it should be banned period IMO. I really dislike people that drink.

-Steve

Well, these same immature and irresponsible kids are old enough to shoulder the responsibility of fighting and dying for our freedoms in the armed services. They also are considered adults in every other practical facet of life, why should they not be able to slug down a cold brew at the end of a hard days work?

Age is not necessarily an accurate indicator of a persons maturity or responsibility.I would make the age limit 19 though because many 18 year olds are still in high school.



Steve, with all due respect, we have been there, done that. It was called prohibition. It made criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens, taught disrespect for the law and gave us the most crime prone era of our history to boot. The only other comparable event too that that I can think of is the so called War on Drugs. Look at the problems that have arisen from that debacle, gangs, massive smuggling, general disrespect for the law etc... (this topic should be in another thread though). The same problems prohibition caused us.

It also left us with a black mark on the Constitution, an Amendment that denies an American the right to do something. Not exactly something I am proud to see in our Bill of Rights.

At 18, you may be able to join the military and die for America's freedom, but that doesn't mean you should be allowed to consume mind-altering alcohol. Alcohol, when taken in excess, can cause you to do things you wouldn't normally do, and the average 18 year old is more prone to getting excessively drunk than a 21 year old. Sure 21 year olds often get excessively drunk, but I think there's more people doing it underage than there are people who are of the appropriate age. And as I said, the fact that so many people drink underage just shows their lack of immaturity and inability to obey the law. I don't think we should reward their disobedience by lowering the drinking age.

I can see what you are saying, but atleast maybe enforce it a bit more then, eh? I mean I can see why lowering it for US Armed forces, I am going in to the Army in April when I turn 17 but I do not want to drink nor see any reason to... my uncle makes homebrew all the time.
-Steve

It's your choice 'steveTOSS' whether you drink or not.You are bright enough to say no to Alcohol.Choose mates in the Army who don't drink,and you won't be tempted.

Lowering the drinking age will help curb the youth excess drinking issue we have. I drank like a fish out of water until I became legal now i drink 1/8 as much as I used to. Everyone wants to taste the forbidden fruit. some friends of mine were not allowed to smoke at home underage and i guess about 50% that did smoke are now pack a day habits or better. My Dad always said "i dont care if i can smell it just dont do it in front of me" only issue was i lived with mom.

Age is not a determination of maturity. I have friends who are in their forties and fifties who are totally irresponsible and yes, immature in regards to alcohol.

At 18 years of age in America, you are considered an adult. You may obtain credit (debt) on your own, you may marry whomever you wish and any crimes you commit you will be tried for as an adult. Your parents no longer have any legal control over you and as I have already mentioned, you can hold the power of life and death in your hands for our country. Thats a pretty awesome responsibility for someone you don't trust to drink a beer to have isn't it? At 18 you are either an adult with all the freedom and responsibility that comes with it or you are not.

Do you wish to be responsible for your children until they are 21? Perhaps you wish to be responsible for them until that age but most people don't. They want their children to move on, start their own families and live their own lives just like they themselves had done. And what do you do after that, change the drinking age to 25 because after all, 21 year olds are just children leaving the nest. They are too irresponsible to make this decision on their own. And on and on it goes.

One of the things that strikes me is that there are 18 year olds out there that are having no trouble getting beer and booze now and they haven't exhibited any special talents for driving while drunk, in fact their lack of experience makes them that much more dangerous when they drink and drive. We all know that we are not suppose to drink and drive, but the reality of the situation is that you don't drive by a bar after closing time and see a bunch of cars still there because the conscientious driver called a cab to take them home.

If you take a look at this Wikipedia site you will see that a large majority of the world's countries have a legal drinking age of 18 (and quite a few have lower limits). I think that if the States were to lower their drinking age to 18 it wouldn't cause society to crumble.

2 things.

1. People use the argument of dying for their country, they deserve a cold beer. Well maybe we should raise the enlistment age to 21, and not lower the drinking age.

2. most other countries alcohol is a regular beverage, you wouldn't chug water and have 6 bottels in a row, why have that much beer in a row? America is known to be a little excessive, Big macs, super size fries, alcohol.

Why make something legal which alot of 18 or less are doing anyways? This would just give people the feeling that the age has been lowered, so has the responsibility. I personally have seen too many friends arrested, and even killed in car accidents in which alcohol was involved.

I can understand maybe having one or two beers just to hang out with friends at the end of the day, but to get hammered , throw up, drive your car into a tree and pass out, what's so fun or good about that?

Here in Finland, legal drinking age is exactly, 18.

Although, you can't go out and buy bottle(s) of alcohol over 21% -- under the age of 20. As for drinking in the bar, you can drink whatever you want at and over of age 18.


Agreed. Of course there are immature and irresponsible folks out there, but there's still *same* amount or even more of irresponsible and immature ppl out there in the age of 21. Who says it's all about the age?

It's only few years anyway.


Indeed. It's only for party occasions and fun weekends really. If it goes excessive then you're in trouble and even you know it if it happens to you.

You can ruin your life at 18 anyways (credit cards, dieing in the military, commit murder) etc.. why not make it fair.

Plus why do we have to be over protective as compared to Europe. Germany's drinking age is 16 for beer and alcohol. Hard liquor is 18.

You can ruin your life at any age anyways.


That's a good legislation but I'd still say it'd be better if it's just 18 -- and 20 for hard liquor (if you're buying from store).

Alcohol doesn't cause nearly as much issues as tobacco for example; only if the use of it is excessive. What's the legal smoking age in the States?

It would never ever come across my mind to go drinking and driving. Like said, it all comes down to the person. If they even think about it, they wouldn't deserve one drink nor a car for that matter.

Here is the crux of the argument:

"Just like during national Prohibition, the law has pushed and forced underage drinking and youthful drinking underground, where we have no control over it."�

There is no motivation to save lives, or to make the problem of underage drinking less...it is simply an issue of the government CRAVING control over American's lives. Some will call me "paranoid." But I assure you there is a pattern developing here, and a larger agenda that is being pushed. And the agenda cares not about the root of the problem, or the lives that the problem affects.

ehhh....i'll take socialism with a side of communism. And add some Karl Marx dipping sauce.


And for the record, prohibition solves nothing. It simply incites more "wrong" behavior. (As evidenced throughout the past.)

Legal age to smoke in the states is 21.

-Steve

Good.

That legislation I would love to have here, too. Unfortunately there are many places selling tobacco for those who are underage and that's just a fact. No one is going to do anything about it which makes me angry and sad at the same time.

Just because it is the law doesn't stop people from smoking. Many of my friends smoke out infront of the school every morning. And the local mini mart sells cigarettes to minors for half the regular price... I've been offered plenty of times.

-Steve

Indeed. It's just sad. Why is it acceptable for underage to smoke and no one is there to enforce that particular law?

Someone should simply go sue all the stores which sell for those who are underage.

Lets get back to the topic

Sue the stores? Who will get the money, and what would the money be used for?

Look, when I was 16 I smoked for 2 weeks with friends. Know where we got our cigs? Out of the vending machine in a Waffle House. Making unenforceable laws, and going sue happy will not solve the problem. Teaching Self-Respect, and Self-Responsibility from as young as kids are able to comprehend, is the answer. Unfortunately, that is not the American-leftist/liberal ideology.

1. The current drinking age does not prevent individuals under 21 from drinking.
2. One can vote at 18. Being able to vote indicates that (theoretically) a person at 18 can make responsible choices and decisions.
3. One can serve in the military. Being able to serve means that (theoretically) a person at 18 can make the decision to kill or not to kill an enemy, and be responsible for that decision (which may be to properly identify who is an enemy and who isn't).
4. We allow a person 18 to drive an automobile.
5. Generally, we hold 18 year olds legally responsible for their actions in cases of law.
4. If we believe that someone at 18 can make these kind of choices and shoulder that kind of responsibility, then preventing them from drinking simply because of their age, seems to be an unjustified exception to the way we treat them in other areas of life.
Regards,
John

You are right....but changing the law will make no difference toward solving the root of the problems that the "age of 21" law tried to. In fact, I doubt any law will make any difference.

Yup. That's why the law is useless. Well, maybe I'm not in my full element when thinking about tobacco and it's problems since I'm so strongly against it. I have an black and white point of view of it but it's still not right that those people who are selling cigs to underaged are getting away with it..

Of course, it's all about the kids who actually smoke but there are many ways to end up smoking. If there was a strict system/law for people who sell for those who are underaged --- and actually making it enforceable -- would help things a lot. A kiosk/stall near to our house sells for pretty much anyone, and everyone knows it but still no authority has done anything to it? Is it right?

jgweed, agreed I don't see a reason for legal drinking age being only 21/over 18.

Drinking is dangerous for the person drinking, and for the people around them. We can't just give up and lower the drinking age simply because few people are following it. That won't solve the problem and will allow more people to legally drink. If it were up to me, I would ban all drinking alcohol, and yes I know full well what happened during the prohibition so no need to bring it up. I was just expressing how I feel about drinking alcohol.

Ummh...... It depends how much you drink, what you drink, where you drink it and how often. There's 'safe' drinking and then there's unsafe drinking. You can't seriously say that alcohol should be completely banned. It does no harm if you are doing it with common sense. Only thing that should be *completely* banned is tobacco.

You're probably saying this because you have seen (or heard) about alcoholics, dangerous situations which alcohol can make happen because the person is not in his right mind and/or accidents happening because of it. That doesn't justify to ban it completely since a) it wouldn't work -- 'criminals' would start to get it elsewhere b ) it wouldn't allow those people to drink who want to (who are decent, honest citizens) and has never had any problems with drinking and/or only does it on party occasions with safety precausions, only to relax.

If someone drinks too much, then you'll need throw them to rehab.

The legal age to purchase cigarettes in the US is 18, 19 in a few states.
Look under 'sales'




Second, I remember when the legal drinking age in US WAS 18. I wasn't old enough to drink at this time, but I remember when the law changed. (1984)

I agree with the members who said if a person can kill for their country, make the (hopefully intelligent) decision to vote for the people running the country, be tried as an adult in a court of law, and drive an automobile on the roads, then these same persons should be able to decide whether or not to imbibe liquor.

However, I do not condone drinking to excess or driving while drinking. And those habits are not exclusive to youths.

I had a neighbor who was 45 years old, had 5 DUIs, and continued to drive while intoxicated. So much so, one night, she ran up over another neighbor's garden shrubberies, planting her car squarely upon them. The car got stuck there, wheels spinning in the air, and she, gunning her engine in an attempt to come up off the trees. This woman was yelling out her window for us to help her and begged us not to call the authorities. I believe the family whose shrubs were being accosted did in fact call the police, who made it to the scene too late to see the commotion.

Quid Pro Quo, I also lost 2 close classmates to a traffic accident involving alcohol. They were both 17 years old and had just left a drunken bash on his motorcycle. (not that it matters, but I was not at this bash, nor did I frequent them) They were on a rural, 2 lane road. Another car was approaching in the opposite lane. No one will ever know why, but he choose to swerve across the double yellow line, into the oncoming car's lane, and then to the shoulder on the far side of this lane. Needless to say, he lost control due to his inebriated state, and the bike spilled right in front of the car. They were also not wearing helmets. She was killed instantly, and he died after a week of intense suffering.

No matter what the legal drinking age is, there will always be people of all walks of life and ages who have no self control.

I am not a big drinker, I may have a margarita when I visit my favorite Mexican restaurant. I am also an adult, and of sound mind and body, I can make the choice to have 1 cocktail or 100. But as an adult, it is my civic duty to be a responsible, mature individual, a good role model for the children who watch oh so carefully what adults do, and do my best to be a good citizen by being respectful of other citizens. Plus, getting blasted out of my mind is in no way a fun time to me. Hard, heaving vomiting for hours is also no tea party. And I do not understand the mentality of those who choose this behavior. At any age.

I think it's all about the "grass is greener on the other side," effect. If you made it legal for 18-21 to drink then you wouldn't have as many parties in late high school or earlier college to sneak alcohol to the "underage." I personally don't think anyone is underage for alcohol, I believe one should know there limits. If you asked this question in Europe you would be laughed at. Most countries it is 16 or 18. Some even have it as low as 14! It's all about personal and parental responsibility.

My two cents.

I don't drink myself, but I dislike people that dislike people that do. I know many fine people that will have a beer or two watching football on a Sunday afternoon, or have a glass of wine at dinner. Nothing wrong with that.

Back to the original question - either lower the drinking age, or raise the age of majority. Fair is fair.

When I was eighteen, I could by beer here at home. I joined the military, working to preserve and protect the freedoms of people that don't even appreciate them. I came home on leave once, and found that they'd raised the drinking age to twenty-one!! It was pretty humiliating to walk into a store I'd always patronized and be told in front of a line of people that I was no longer allowed to drink in my home state!!

If people are expected to assume the responsibilities of adults in society at the age of eighteen, then they should be accorded the privileges of adulthood, too. And if we're going to tell people that they aren't "adult" enough to drink until they're twenty-one, then she should be absolved of the responsibilities of paying taxes, going to war, facing criminal charges as adults, etc., until that time.

There should be no degrees of adulthood. Either you are old enough to shoulder the responsibilities of adulthood and enjoy the privileges of the same, or you're not.

It really is (or should be) that simple.

Not in this one.

From most of the responses to this question that I've seen, a lot of people seem to be confusing drinking with alcoholic drinking. The two compare in the same way a match compares to a burning house, or a hand grenade to a nuclear weapon.

The majority of people that drink are not chronic abusers of alcohol. The guy I mentioned that has a couple of beers on a Sunday afternoon might do that foe his whole life - without losing his driver's license, or job, or family, or home, and can be a happily productive and caring member of society until death finally takes him. And that same man's brother may end up on the long, miserable death-spiral of alcoholism.

Drinking and alcohol addiction are not synonymous. And alcoholism is no respecter of age. A surprising number of alcoholics didn't even start drinking 'til later in life. Or the two beers on Sunday guy might somehow slide over the edge one Sunday - at the age of fifty.

So no matter the age, it should be the same for all aspects of adulthood. "You're adult enough for this but not for that" is just about the epitomy of the double standard.

These does seem to be a lot of double-standards when it comes to 'legal age' to do various things. And if I understand this correctly, various States have various 'legal ages', to complicate things even more.

Wonder why it's not the same thoughout one entire Country (we have the same oddity here in Canada, too) and surely the legal drinking age and privilege of driving a car should coincide? Both are equally dangerous/safe.

And although perhaps slightly 'off topic' ... if one has to be 21 to legally drink in some areas, are these not the same areas that often say having sex with any child over 13 is not statutory rape? Hmmm. A drink can land you in jail but sleeping with a child not old enough to drink is okay. All very confusing.

http://media.www.dailytoreador.com/media/s...e-3420721.shtml

http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2008/09/08/...-lowered-to-18/

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&um=1...tnG=Search+News

Looks like over 100 university presidents' are supporting a new national debate to have the drinking age lowered, even the president of my uni is on the list.

you are right. but i will gladly send them to die in iraq. or let them vote into power the most important leader in the world. or smoke cigarettes. or be tried as adults. or buy lottery ticks. or gamble. or charge them for statutory rape. make them pay taxes. etc....

look, is that what your saying?

i guess so.

Great job USA!!!!!!!....?

wow. just wow. you just commented on a bunch of stuff that you have no idea about. show me a scientific and statistical study. you cant. you r probably just holed up in your moms basement playing half life all day

ryan w quick you only need to post once with the Quotes in 1 Post not 5 Posts with a Seperate Quotes in each 1 and there is a thing called Edit as well if you forget to add something in your Post.

About this Drinking Age to be Honest since I'm British the Drinking Age here is 18 and Drinking Ages across Europe as well are quite Low ours are quite High compared to some, 16 in Portugal for Example is there Drinking Age.
The thing is this is basically up to the Government and how they have always run it, I don't know how long the US has had it at that Drinking Age but if you loaded it I could guarantee a rise in Crime, Generally most People have a Respect and just go out Drinking and go back Home it is just a Minority that cause the Trouble and Violence. Although it may only be a Small rise in Crime it will be a Noticeable difference, in my Opinion it wouldn't matter if the Age was lower because who ever may cause the Trouble at 18 will still cause Trouble at 21.

It's all based on attitude of the Person in the First Place, so for me the US could leave it as it is or lower to 18 basically it is Debatable.

i believe it was 18, and changed to 21 in 1984.

my real issue is that in the USA, at 18, you become an adult by almost every letter of the law, except drinking and i think maybe carying a firearm. my only issue with this is: i think you are either an adult, or you are not. its like they are saying, "you're an adult, but not quite adult enough to drink." in a country where we let 18 year olds do far more dangerous things than drink. like i dont know, die in a war.

Oh looks like a Spelling Error by me, should be Lower was at College for time of Post so wasn't concentrating too much on writing this post.



Yeah it's a Odd way of running things, I've never understood why the US Government does that but they must have a reason for having it at that Drinking Age. I can't see any Good Reason myself.

Well?

The World is a bit Crazy at times?

Here in Australia the Legal Age for BEING Served Alcohol is 18? BUT there is no Age Limit for actually Drinking it in Private.Same applies to Cigarettes. For example, an Adult 18 or over can purchase either Product and give it to someone younger, not Sell it to them. crazy?

When I was 17, many years ago, the age for being served in a Pub was 18, but you could not enter a Club until 21. I was in the Military then and could Drink whatever I wanted at the Canteen, but legally could not be Served in a Pub.

I have had two Families of Kids and have always allowed them to have a sip of beer if they wanted it, no matter what their age. Not one turned out to be an Alcoholic, they just weren't that interested in either Smoking or Drinking. Yep, if they asked me if they could try a puff on a Smoke, I let them try a very strong Brand and they rarely came back for another one.

Like quite a few people have commented, it is not fair that 18 year olds are treated as Adults in all other ways, then considered too immature to Smoke or Drink. That is just double Standards and people should be ashamed of themselves for even thinking about it.

My Mate's Kid attended the "Schoolies Weekend" last year, (It is held on the Gold Coast, Queensland at School break up. Kids come from all over Australia for it.) Poor Chris, my Mate's Kid was walking down the road with an opened can of Beer in his Hand. That is a NoNo even for an Adult, so he got a $250 Fine and a Wake up Call!

I think that is a Better Idea? No way will Chris do that again in his life.

We all conviently forget what we did as Kids and Really think that we can pull the Wool over our Kids eyes?
They are a lot smarter than that.

i'm not saying you shouldnt let your children sample alcohol, but that is not good advice for everyone. many families have genetic anomylies that make them more prone to alcoholism. i'm only saying that people should warn their children about dangers like this, cause you cant control them foreever. and ultimately everyone is responsible for his/her onw actions

18 in America

You can apply for a loan

legally sign a contract

buy cigarettes

be held fully accountable for your actions in a court of law, including be charged and convicted as an "adult"

legally consent to sex (in any state by the age of 18)

Heck here is a little out-dated list of 100 things you can do when you're 18. (some have changed but most of them are still true).


http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1...age=2&cat=2

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=t...mp;aq=f&oq=

i believe that back in 1984 the states made a deal with nat government that if they increased their drinking ages to 21 they would get more funding for hiways. dont quote me on that though. i just think i heard that somewhere

1984?

Most of you was Babies or not even born?

Oldies will remember it well from that Era!

That was when a Man said what he Thought as he Felt at the Time, never a Worry about Government then!

well now the government is all about making nazi laws that they cant even enforce. laws where they catch less than 1 in 1000 violators. i wonder if for each instance by each individual for underage drinking, how many are actually caught? not very hi percentage im guessing

In 1984, I was enjoying life in the Marine Corps, specifically, in North Carolina. The drinking age, both on and off base, was 18 for beer and 21 for hard liquor. Fast forward a few years to Okinawa, Japan. The drinking age(s) on base was/were the same. Fast forward another year ahead and on a God forsaken base in California, the same rules applied, but off base, the age was 21...period. Shortly after this, the "21" law went into affect everywhere in the U.S.

How about this twist: A person can enlist in the military at 17 but not vote. He/she can vote at 18 but not drink. We ask out young adults to put their lives on the line and in the same breath say, "You aren't responsible enough to cast a ballot, let alone consume alcohol". Don't get me wrong, I'm not in favor of selling alcohol to avery 18 year old that comes along and I know several 40....ish people that still cast their vote based on the candidate's appearance. My parents "allowed" me to drink at home when I was 17. I came home slightly inebriated one evening and woke up the next morning wishing I only had to deal with a hangover. Rarely since then have I "tied one on".

As with anything, supervision and moderation are very important factors here. If my under-21 kids wanted to have a drink at home, I would probably allow it. Would I let them leave afterwards? No way! Nor would I want them to seek out alcohol providing resources outside the home. Bottom line--if they want to try alcohol, I would rather they do it at home under my supervision and, as weird as this may sound, under my guidance. With me, being allowed to have a beer at home took the majority of the mystique and "coolness" out of it when it was offered in public.

Legally in the state parents can let their own children drink with them at home. Parents are allow to provide their own children with alcohol, however it crosses the law when you start to give alcohol to people who are not your kids.

Just with your Point?

My Kids, as little ones, used to compete with each other to get Dad a Beer from the Refridgerator? Winner got the last few sips from Dads beer? They were like little Hawks waiting to pounce on a Rabbit?

Neither one has any interest in Alcohol, except for the odd Party? Then only in moderation.

I agree with Abacus, it's how you're taught at home to respect or not respect alcohol and crazy laws don't help.

Kids want to be grown up by drinking but because they're not grown up they can't handle it.

The one thing that the USA would do well to sort out is the differences in state legal drinking ages. What all countries need to address is anamolies such as in the UK where it is okay to have sex at 16 but illegal to have a cigarette afterwards.

No they should raise it to 25 or more.

Aw, just what America needs in these Troubled times? No income from yet more Taxes to the under 25s

Smart Move?