Some college presidents are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws encourage binge drinking. Would you be in favor of having the law changed?

Hell no! Kids will drink no matter what, but they are certainly not mature enough to be legal drinkers.

Hell no! Kids will drink no matter what, but they are certainly not mature enough to be legal drinkers.

I agree!

It's funny that when your 18 you can live on your own, vote, drive, even be tried for murder as an adult (sometimes even yonger can be tried as an adult for murder) but you have to wait 3 years till you can actually legally drink. So why isn't the legal "adult" considered 21?

It's funny that when your 18 you can live on your own, vote, drive, even be tried for murder as an adult (sometimes even yonger can be tried as an adult for murder) but you have to wait 3 years till you can actually legally drink. So why isn't the legal "adult" considered 21?


Alchohol is very dangerous if given to the wrong person. It's no secret that young adults abuse drinking. A lot of maturity can develop in those 3 years.

the less f_ckhead drunks we have running around this planet, the better. sure, there are still plenty of under-21's who will drink anyway, but believe it or not, there ARE people in this world who follow the rules, either because they want to or because they're afraid to otherwise get caught, but the reason doesn't matter.

i hate it when people use the "IT SHOULD BE LEGAL BECAUSE MINORS WILL DRINK ANYWAY" argument. right, i guess we might as well legalize murder and rape since people do it anyway.

Some college presidents are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws encourage binge drinking. Would you be in favor of having the law changed?

Yes, they need to change the law. If you're old enough at 17 or 18 to go fight for your country then you should be old enough to drink. PERIOD!

18

You're old enough to fight.
You're old enough to smoke.
You're old enough to do anything...but drink.

Yes, they need to change the law. If you're old enough at 17 or 18 to go fight for your country and possibly die then you should be old enough to drink. PERIOD!

Fixed your thread,and you took the words out of my mouth.

Fixed your thread,and you took the words out of my mouth.

Why Thank You my fellow Nashvillian. *pouring the man a shot of Whisky*:lol:

Definately! if your old enough to die in battle for your country your old enough to have a beer. :cheers:

Yeah they can change the law, it wouldn't matter. Teens these days are drinking at 13/14. So lowering the age limit wouldn't make a difference. Teens will get alcohol anyway and a lot of the time it's the parents who are giving it to them.

I would say no, but I also find it interesting how other cultures either have a young drinking age or don't really enforce it, and yet have less problems. I think the problem in America is that it's taboo your whole life, so when you get to a certain age you to it to rebel in a way. But I don't drink so I don't care either way what the drinking age is.

I thinking the drinking should stay 21.

Yes, they need to change the law. If you're old enough at 17 or 18 to go fight for your country then you should be old enough to drink. PERIOD!

A person at the age of 18 may be old enough to fight for their country but that doesn't mean they're also old enough to drink. If you take a group of 18 year olds in the military and another group of 18 year old ordinary citizens, In three years time the maturity levels of each group will be as different as day and night. The military group will not only have fought for their country but will have learned discipline, honor and respect along the way while the ordinary citizens will have matured to some extent but not on the same level. Also, Alot of 18 year olds are careless when behind the wheel of a car and allowing them to drink will only make the situation worse.

Well in most countries the legal age limit is 18, and they haven't had a problem with it so far.

In the 70's couldn't you drink legally at 18? I'll have to ask my mom LOL

NO, it should stay. If they changed it to 18 Kids will come to school drunk or after Lunch. also they will give to the younger kids that are not allowed to drink.

Well in most countries the legal age limit is 18, and they haven't had a problem with it so far.

Maybe this will explain why:

Link (http://webpages.charter.net/ricknet/duilaws.htm)

Drunk Driving Penalties in other Countries

Australia:
The names of the drivers are sent to the local newspapers and are printed under the heading "He's Drunk and in Jail".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malaysia:
The Driver is jailed and if married, his wife is jailed too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Africa
A 10 year prison sentence and the equivalent of a $10,000.00 fine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turkey
Drunk drivers are taken 20 miles outside of town by police and are forced to walk back under escort
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norway
Three weeks in jail at hard labor, one year loss of license. Second offense within five years, license revoked for life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finland & Sweden
Automatic jail for one year of hard labor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Costa Rica
Police remove plates fron car
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Russia
License revoked for life
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England
One year suspension and a $250.00 fine and jail for one year
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
France
Three year loss of license, one year in jail and a $1000.00 fine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poland
Jail, fine and forced to attend political lectures
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bulgaria
A second conviction results in execution
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
El Salvador
Your first offense is your last---execution by firing squad

Zoneboy, is that for real? It ranges from walking 20 miles in Turkey to being executed in El Salvador?

Alchohol is very dangerous if given to the wrong person. It's no secret that young adults abuse drinking. A lot of maturity can develop in those 3 years.
That's the whole point they're trying to make. They abuse it because it is illegal. Making it legal would take away that aspect of it. Or so they say.

Well in most countries the legal age limit is 18, and they haven't had a problem with it so far.

In the 70's couldn't you drink legally at 18? I'll have to ask my mom LOL

I remember when they moved it back to 21, so it had to be in the 1980s sometime.

My sister could drink at 18. It changed to 21 before I turned 18 though so I think you're right about it being in the 80's.

Zoneboy, is that for real? It ranges from walking 20 miles in Turkey to being executed in El Salvador?

As far as I know it is.

Yes, it should be lowered to 18, and the penalty for drunk driving/intoxicated while at school should be an immediate suspension of your driver's license.

Maybe this will explain why:

Link (http://webpages.charter.net/ricknet/duilaws.htm)

Drunk Driving Penalties in other Countries

Australia:
The names of the drivers are sent to the local newspapers and are printed under the heading "He's Drunk and in Jail".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malaysia:
The Driver is jailed and if married, his wife is jailed too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Africa
A 10 year prison sentence and the equivalent of a $10,000.00 fine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turkey
Drunk drivers are taken 20 miles outside of town by police and are forced to walk back under escort
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norway
Three weeks in jail at hard labor, one year loss of license. Second offense within five years, license revoked for life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finland & Sweden
Automatic jail for one year of hard labor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Costa Rica
Police remove plates fron car
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Russia
License revoked for life
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England
One year suspension and a $250.00 fine and jail for one year
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
France
Three year loss of license, one year in jail and a $1000.00 fine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poland
Jail, fine and forced to attend political lectures
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bulgaria
A second conviction results in execution
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
El Salvador
Your first offense is your last---execution by firing squad


Other than the firing squad and the walking back 20 miles, the other laws are the same here. No matter what the law is, they can change the legal drinking age 25. Teens will still drink and some will still drink and drive, thinking it's cool. So changing the law is moot point, it will not make a difference. I went to many parties in High School and there was always alcohol at the parties. The only thing that our current law does, is that it makes it to where teens themselves can't go into a liquor store to buy alcohol, But they can get another adult to do that for them.

When a bunch (NOT ALL) of teens gets together more than likely a few will bring alcohol. Every spring break thousands of teens go to Mexico and they will drink and get drunk. College kids (who aren't 21) will go to the Bahamas for spring break and get wasted. A LOT of college kids (who aren't 21) go out and drink every weekend.

Also, Alot of 18 year olds are careless when behind the wheel of a car and allowing them to drink will only make the situation worse.

Most teens can't drive worth a damn sober, so drunk, they might as well have a machine gun. But then, many 21 year olds are the same way.

NO WAY

I think drunk drivers should have their license revoked for life like in Russia.

Other than the firing squad and the walking back 20 miles, the other laws are the same here. No matter what the law is, they can change the legal drinking age 25. Teens will still drink and some will still drink and drive, thinking it's cool. So changing the law is moot point, it will not make a difference. I went to many parties in High School and there was always alcohol at the parties. The only thing that our current law does, is that it makes it to where teens themselves can't go into a liquor store to buy alcohol, But they can get another adult to do that for them.

When a bunch (NOT ALL) of teens gets together more than likely a few will bring alcohol. Every spring break thousands of teens go to Mexico and they will drink and get drunk. College kids (who aren't 21) will go to the Bahamas for spring break and get wasted. A LOT of college kids (who aren't 21) go out and drink every weekend.
there ARE people who obey the law. plus not all teens are even able to acquire alcohol through an adult to begin with.

That's a tough call, for sure. But it is sad but true that teens manage to get the booze anyway. So, I'm divided on this issue.

It should stay where it is.:mad:

Yeah they can change the law, it wouldn't matter. Teens these days are drinking at 13/14. So lowering the age limit wouldn't make a difference. Teens will get alcohol anyway and a lot of the time it's the parents who are giving it to them.

Please don't put all parents down. Some of them are doing a very good job.

I personally think no age should be legal drinking age. Social drinking is wrong
and it is a sin in god's eyes. The bible proves that it is.

I'd lean towards no, though ultimately I'm somewhat ambivalent. There's nothing I hate more than stupid teenagers and twentysomethings drunk off their [expletive], but I'm not sure the law stops that many people at the end of the day.

It does seem to me that this is just a very convenient way to put a smiley face on a serious problem, though.

Other than the firing squad and the walking back 20 miles, the other laws are the same here.

Really?

In what state am I subject to execution for my second offense?

I've never heard of anyone in this country being forced to attend to political lectures.

I'm unaware of any U.S. Newspaper that uses the headline He's Drunk and In Jail.

A man's wife cannot be jailed in the U.S. simply because he's been convicted of drunk driving.

Other than picking up trash from the roadside, What type of so-called hard labor are prisoners in this country subjected to?

Please don't put all parents down. Some of them are doing a very good job.

Brieannas doesn't mean all parents Lee, she's just trying to make a point.

Really?

In what state am I subject to execution for my second offense?

I've never heard of anyone in this country being forced to attend to politcal lectures.

I'm unaware of any U.S. Newspaper that uses the headline He's Drunk and In Jail.

A man's wife cannot be jailed in the U.S. simply because he's been convicted of drunk driving.

Other than picking up trash from the roadside, What type of so-called hard labor are prisoners in this country subjected to?

There are prisons who make their prisoners dig graves, dig ditches all with a shovel in the heat. There use to be this sheriff who would post pics of dumb criminals (AKA drunks, thieves and men who pick up hookers) on a cable access channel. There are people who have to go to morgues, or have to go to lectures (be it not political) they still have to go there and sit and listen, learn about drunk driving.

And there are 20++, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 year olds who are pulled over for DUI's. I was watching tv the other night and this one guy who had 18 DUI's and a revoked licenses and he was WAY WAY over 21. I just don't see what has changed from 1984-2008. If you could drink legally in 1983 at the age of 18, I don't see the difference now.

And it still doesn’t refute the fact that a lot of teens drink anyway. So changing or not changing the law will not make a difference. If teens want alcohol they will get alcohol and they will get it the illegal way.

And it still doesn’t refute the fact that a lot of teens drink anyway. So changing or not changing the law will not make a difference. If teens want alcohol they will get alcohol and they will get it the illegal way.
why are you generalizing? there are people, even 18-20 year olds who will follow the rules, whether it be because they respect the law, because they're afraid of the consequences, or because they don't have the means to do otherwise. not everyone has the same levels of desperation and not everyone has the same resources for things.

why are you generalizing? there are people, even 18-20 year olds who will follow the rules, whether it be because they respect the law, because they're afraid of the consequences, or because they don't have the means to do otherwise. not everyone has the same levels of desperation and not everyone has the same resources for things.

I agree, Sarah. Brieannas21 is basically insinuating that teenagers as a
general rule are rebellious and break the rules and that todays parents
do not act like parents. Parents and teenagers do make mistakes sometimes
and they should be forgiven for those mistakes. But instead she sits there
generalizing like she knows how society is supposed to run. I feel truly sad
for people like her and Dean Winchester.

Well, I personally wouldn't have a problem with the drinking age being lowered (but then I live in England where the legal drinking age is 18 anyway, so it's what I'm used to.)

I agree, Sarah. Brieannas21 is basically insinuating that teenagers as a
general rule are rebellious and break the rules and that todays parents
do not act like parents. Parents and teenagers do make mistakes sometimes
and they should be forgiven for those mistakes. But instead she sits there
generalizing like she knows how society is supposed to run. I feel truly sad
for people like her and Dean Winchester.

There was nothing in her post that even remotely suggests that she was insinuating what you claimed. She said a lot of teens drink and they do just as a lot smoke and eat fast food every day. There was no generalizing on her part, If she had said that 90% of teens drink then that would be generalizing but saying that a lot of them do isn't. She's also right about another thing, Regardless of how many underage drinkers are out there, They will find ways to get it whether it be through their friends, parents or any other source.

why are you generalizing? there are people, even 18-20 year olds who will follow the rules, whether it be because they respect the law, because they're afraid of the consequences, or because they don't have the means to do otherwise. not everyone has the same levels of desperation and not everyone has the same resources for things.


How was I generalizing? I did not say that all teens, I said a lot of teens. The fact is there are a lot of teens who do drink, who can get alcohol from other adults. There are adults who will buy teenagers alcohol for money. A few years ago here did this story on the news where they would have a teenager ask different adults outside of a liquor store if they would go inside and buy them alcohol. There were a lot of adults who did buy the teenagers alcohol, and there were a lot who did not. The fact is teens who want alcohol will get it no matter what the legal age limit is set to.

I agree, Sarah. Brieannas21 is basically insinuating that teenagers as a
general rule are rebellious and break the rules and that todays parents
do not act like parents. Parents and teenagers do make mistakes sometimes
and they should be forgiven for those mistakes. But instead she sits there
generalizing like she knows how society is supposed to run. I feel truly sad
for people like her and Dean Winchester.

A lot of teenagers are rebellious that is a fact, my grandmother is a counselor at the juvenile detention center and she sees the ramifications of rebellious teens and teens who are on drugs. When I was 10, she took me on a personal tour of the juvenile center so that I could see what the penalty was for breaking the law punishment. My dad is a lawyer so in the summer I would sometimes go to sentencing with him so that I could see what punishments some of the teenagers would get. And I never said that all parents gave their children alcohol, I never said that all parents are bad parents. I’m a parent of two little girls and there’s no way that I would be so closed minded and discriminatory towards all parents.

There was nothing in her post that even remotely suggests that she was insinuating what you claimed. She said a lot of teens drink and they do just as a lot smoke and eat fast food every day. There was no generalizing on her part, If she had said that 90% of teens drink then that would be generalizing but saying that a lot of them do isn't. She's also right about another thing, Regardless of how many underage drinkers are out there, They will find ways to get it whether it be through their friends, parents or any other source.

Exactly

I feel truly sad
for people like her and Dean Winchester.

That was appropriate. :rolleyes:

That was appropriate. :rolleyes:
Dean isn't even in this thread!

Dean isn't even in this thread!

He hasn't been in any thread for quite awhile.

Dean isn't even in this thread!

Yes, someone ran him off a while back.

Here where I live the legal age is 18! So I'm voting for yes because it is the norm.

Absolutely not, if anything binge drinking would go up because it would be easier for students to get as much alcohol as they want because they wouldn't have to try and dodge the law to get it.

I cannot even believe that this is being proposed!:eek: I saw something yesterday on the Internet about the drinking age, but I didn't get the whole story.

I'm 40 and as nuts as this is going to sound, I think that the driving age should be raised to 18. Most kids at 16 are not responsible enough to get behind the wheel of a car. I know that has nothing to do with drinking offtopic: but it's somewhat related. Both have to do with responsibility.

Actually (and this will sound even worse...) I think they would be smart to move the drinking age to 25.

I remember when they moved it back to 21, so it had to be in the 1980s sometime.

I'm pretty sure it was 1986, because I was a senior in high school. I remember that I was in English class and this gyy found out that they had raised the drinking age. He found it hilarious that I was now (at 18) not old enough to drink. I could have cared less!

I think drunk drivers should have their license revoked for life like in Russia.

I agree with this to a certain extent. Our drunk driving laws should be more strict than they are now. If someone drives drunk and causes any kind of accident, they should have their license revoked for life. Especially if they kill or injure someone!

Hopefully no one will bash: :bash: :bash: me over these crazy :idea: : I have in my head. They are just things that I think would help make things better.


Andrea

']Here where I live the legal age is 18! So I'm voting for yes because it is the norm.

I thought the age was 19 in Canada? Was it changed recently?

Maybe what would be a good idea is to lower the drinking age but to restrict the amount of alcohol that people under 21 can have. So, in theory, people 18 and above could drink, but people under 21 would not be allowed to have more than, say, 5 or 6 units of alcohol when they go out. That way they'd have some of the nicer effects of alcohol but wouldn't be getting off their face drunk. (When I drink, I limit myself to about 5 or 5.5 units and I usually only drink about one night per week. I actually count the number of units I'm taking in as I drink; it's important to me to drink responsibly.)

Something like that might possibly work. Although now I've said that I have no idea how they'd manage to regulate something like that large-scale and under-21s who wanted more alcohol would probably still find ways to get it...but the idea sounded good when I thought of it.

Drinking age is 18 in most provinces of Canada (and 19 here) and I rarely hear of any alcohol-related incidents in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I thought the age was 19 in Canada? Was it changed recently?Some provinces/states are 18, others are 19. I can't remember which ones specifically, though it's 19 in NL.

the less f_ckhead drunks we have running around this planet, the better. sure, there are still plenty of under-21's who will drink anyway, but believe it or not, there ARE people in this world who follow the rules, either because they want to or because they're afraid to otherwise get caught, but the reason doesn't matter.

i hate it when people use the "IT SHOULD BE LEGAL BECAUSE MINORS WILL DRINK ANYWAY" argument. right, i guess we might as well legalize murder and rape since people do it anyway.

its worse in the uk because our teens not only drink booze but also smoke, do drugs, have unprotected sex, and a lot of them- not all of them have no respect for their elders or society for that matter.

although technically, one is legally an adult as soon as he/she turns 18

I thought the age was 19 in Canada? Was it changed recently?
In Alberta and Quebec it is 18 I think and all the rest are 19.

No, it should certainly not be lowered. Infact, I think the drinking age should be raised to 25 years old.

No, it should certainly not be lowered. Infact, I think the drinking age should be raised to 25 years old.
I thought I was the only one who felt this way! Good for you!

Andrea

I thought I was the only one who felt this way! Good for you!

Andrea


Thanks :)

I simply do not feel that most people are mature enough at 21 to be allowed the drink. If you ever read the police blotter in the newspaper, many of the DUIs reported are people 21, 22 years old.

Yeah they can change the law, it wouldn't matter. Teens these days are drinking at 13/14. So lowering the age limit wouldn't make a difference. Teens will get alcohol anyway and a lot of the time it's the parents who are giving it to them.
That's the norm, though. I was 13 over a decade ago, and teens were doing it then. That's been commonplace for as long as alcohol has been around.

Well in most countries the legal age limit is 18, and they haven't had a problem with it so far.

In the 70's couldn't you drink legally at 18? I'll have to ask my mom LOL

Yes, most places in the US allowed you to drink legally at 18 in the 70s. But there were some other states, even in the 70s, that had 21 as the limit. They passed a law about that in 1984 that every single state needed to raise the legal age limit to 21.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Minimum_Drinking_Age_Act_of_1984

I thought the age was 19 in Canada? Was it changed recently?
Most provinces in Canada have this as their legal age... But there are actually a few where the age is 18 (Manitoba, for instance -- I live directly south of Manitoba, and teens here will head up to Manitoba on the weekend to go drink).

That's the norm, though. I was 13 over a decade ago, and teens were doing it then. That's been commonplace for as long as alcohol has been around.
We have a police station right down town and I see teens drinking and smoking right in front of it and nothing is ever done. Crazy... you can't buy it legally but once you get it, it's yours. :lol:

That's the norm, though. I was 13 over a decade ago, and teens were doing it then. That's been commonplace for as long as alcohol has been around.


I'm 27 and I've been to my fair share of teenage parties when I was in my teens. I've seen a lot of underage drinking, that's why I said it doesn't matter if they change the law or not. Some teenagers will drink no matter what the age limit is, some will bing drink not matter what the age limit is. They can raise the age limit to 25 and it still would not matter. People will get alcohol no matter what.

Yes, most places in the US allowed you to drink legally at 18 in the 70s. But there were some other states, even in the 70s, that had 21 as the limit. They passed a law about that in 1984 that every single state needed to raise the legal age limit to 21.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Minimum_Drinking_Age_Act_of_1984


That's why in my other post I said what has changed between 1983-2008? Nothing

The fact is teens who want alcohol will get it no matter what the legal age limit is set to.
that's simply not always true. i didn't have the means to get alcohol when i was in high school and neither do many other teenagers.

i found this article from today interesting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/23/AR2008082301748.html

In 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed 49 studies published in scientific journals and concluded that alcohol-related traffic crashes involving young people increased 10 percent when the drinking age was lowered in the 1970s and decreased 16 percent when the drinking age was raised.

it does make a difference.

Absolutely not, if anything binge drinking would go up because it would be easier for students to get as much alcohol as they want because they wouldn't have to try and dodge the law to get it.

precisely.

that's simply not always true. i didn't have the means to get alcohol when i was in high school and neither do many other teenagers.

i found this article from today interesting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/23/AR2008082301748.html

In 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed 49 studies published in scientific journals and concluded that alcohol-related traffic crashes involving young people increased 10 percent when the drinking age was lowered in the 1970s and decreased 16 percent when the drinking age was raised.

it does make a difference.

If a teen wants alcohol they will find a way to get it. Same with drugs, in my hometown there has been an increase of teens who are OD'ing on Heroin. So if they can get Heroin, what makes people think that they can't get alcohol if they want it.

If a teen wants alcohol they will find a way to get it. Same with drugs, in my hometown there has been an increase of teens who are OD'ing on Heroin. So if they can get Heroin, what makes people think that they can't get alcohol if they want it.
many don't have any adults who will give it to them, nor any means of acquiring a fake ID, or anything else that will get them the alcohol. some are afraid of getting caught and a few simply respect the law. there's no sense in implying that every teenager who wants alcohol is already getting it.

many don't have any adults who will give it to them, nor any means of acquiring a fake ID, or anything else that will get them the alcohol. some are afraid of getting caught and a few simply respect the law. there's no sense in implying that every teenager who wants alcohol is already getting it.


Just because they do not get it the first time, it does not mean when they try again they won‘t score the second, odds are they will. I never said that every teen would break the law, that every teen will drink alcohol, and that every teen will find a way to get it. However, there are teens that do. I live in a world where not every one is perfect, not every one will follow the law, and not every teen gives a damn. All those drunken teenagers and college kids are getting from somewhere and from someone.

The effects of a bit of alcohol are very nice, though. (Note that I'm talking about drinking sensibly and moderately.) Where I live you can legally drink at 18. I turned 18 in August 2006 but didn't start drinking until January 2008. Now that I drink, I do like how relaxed a few units can make me feel. It's also easier for me to talk to people after I've had something to drink, since I'm normally quite shy.

I think when used wisely alcohol is your friend. Used unwisely it's your enemy.

Just because they do not get it the first time, it does not mean when they try again they won‘t score the second, odds are they will. I never said that every teen would break the law, that every teen will drink alcohol, and that every teen will find a way to get it. However, there are teens that do. I live in a world where not every one is perfect, not every one will follow the law, and not every teen gives a damn. All those drunken teenagers and college kids are getting from somewhere and from someone.
i don't think either of us have gotten anything through to each other in this discussion, so it's my suggestion that we both quit wasting our time. :wave:

Yes, let's all go fo a drink...or ten. :)

Yes, most places in the US allowed you to drink legally at 18 in the 70s. But there were some other states, even in the 70s, that had 21 as the limit. They passed a law about that in 1984 that every single state needed to raise the legal age limit to 21.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Minimum_Drinking_Age_Act_of_1984

Actually there is no law that says it has to be 21. It says if it's not 21, the government will withhold federal money for anyone who doesnt.

I think alcohol is a bad for you, no matter what age you are. But since many people want to drink it, we can't forbid it. I still agree though, that since you're an adult in so many other ways, when you're only 18, it only makes sense to lower the drinking age to 18 too. Even if you might mature in three years, there's a much bigger difference between say 15 and 18 than between 18 and 21.

But even here in Sweden, you have to be 20 years old to go buy alcohol at licor stores. (Our licor stores are called Systembolaget ("the system company"), and that's a public-owned chain. No one but "Systembolaget" may legally sell stronger beverages. That's supossed to give us some control over how much people drink. I wonder how much it works though. Many people drink too much anyway. )

But you still only have to be 18 years old to order alcohol to a meal in a restaurant, or buy a can of beer or a pack of cigarettes in a grocery store. I guess alcohol is less dangerous, when you have something to eat with it, so that's why the age is lower at restaurants than otherwise. And the kind of beer, that you can buy in ordinary grocery stores, isn't the strongest kind either.

So I think the Swedish rules could also work for the US. You should be allowed to order alcohol with a meal at restaurants at 18, but you might have to wait another couple of years before you can go buy it in a licor store. You might also be allowed to buy light beer in a grocery store already at 18. What do you say?

I don't have all day to read every post, so I'm just going to say my piece even if it might have already been said. I don't think they should lower the drinking age at all. Someone mentioned that at 18 you can sign up to fight for your country. That's fine if you want to do that. That's your decision to go overseas and go to war and possibly put your life at risk for the sake of our country. The difference is that by getting drunk and going out on the road you aren't just endagering yourself, you could possibly hurt or kill an innocent person who was out at the wrong time. I've lost a few members of my family to underage drunk drivers, and it still hurts me to this day. At 18, people are still growing and have a lot of growing up to do. Most don't know their limit on how much they can drink. Others assume they are fine to drive, when they obviously aren't. At 18 a lot of kids feel that "oh nothing bad will happen to me, I'm young!" They feel invisible and don't think about the concequences that they could change not only their life forever, but other people's lives as well. Just because at 13 you have easy access to alcohol doesn't make it right, and it certainly doesn't mean we should make the age 18 legal just because teenagers are going to drink anyway.

Well, when you're eighteen, you're still young. But most of us have stopped growing at that age. So that's not an arguement against lowering the legal drinking age.

However, I like what you're saying about even though teenagers drink anyway, we shouldn't make it legal for them to drink. You do a lot of growing during your teenage years though, and 18 is worlds apart from 13 and 14.

Well, when you're eighteen, you're still young. But most of us have stopped growing at that age. So that's not an arguement against lowering the legal drinking age.

However, I like what you're saying about even though teenagers drink anyway, we shouldn't make it legal for them to drink. You do a lot of growing during your teenage years though, and 18 is worlds apart from 13 and 14.


Most 18 year olds make stupid decisions. I meant they aren't done growing emotionally at 18. They are done physically, there is a difference.

Well yeah, but if a Swedish 18-year-old may order alcohol in a restaurant, shouldn't an American 18-year-old be able to do so too?

Most 18 year olds make stupid decisions. I meant they aren't done growing emotionally at 18. They are done physically, there is a difference.
that's true. i can't speak from experience because i'm only 19, but the mind usually doesn't finish growing until one is around their mid-20's.

HELL NO!!!!!!!

I mean, I am fairly liberal on issues like this, but I see no benefit. 18 year old male drivers are speed demons, and that's when they're not drinking. Now place a bunch of drunk 18-20 year olds on the road, there'd be accidents everywhere. Let them wait. I turned 21 and had a glass of wine on my birthday and that was the last glass of wine I've had as well :lol:

But again, if a Swedish 18-year-old is considered responsible and mature enough to order alcohol at a restaurant, why shouldn't an American 18-year-old be able to do the same?

But again, if a Swedish 18-year-old is considered responsible and mature enough to order alcohol at a restaurant, why shouldn't an American 18-year-old be able to do the same?
are frat boys as rowdy in Sweden as they are in the US? I didn't get my license until I was 19, so I would always get driven home from high school and I swear, every single day I would see fellow classmates who were pulled over for speeding after school let out. And we're talking 17-18 year olds at 3 pm without any alcohol in the system and they are speeding, imagine what happens when it turns to night and they have booze in their system? I see nothing that could benefit anyone except for insurance companies who would make a lot more $$$$ by all the insurance costs that skyrocketed because of the accidents by 18-19 year old drivers on the road with alcohol on their breath.

But again, if a Swedish 18-year-old is considered responsible and mature enough to order alcohol at a restaurant, why shouldn't an American 18-year-old be able to do the same?
well instating a law just because it applies somewhere else would just be ridiculous. the swedish government thinks 18 is old enough and the american government doesn't. there's nothing unfair about it...they don't need to agree.

well instating a law just because it applies somewhere else would just be ridiculous. the swedish government thinks 18 is old enough and the american government doesn't. there's nothing unfair about it...they don't need to agree.
I agree. Every country varies. It seems to be generally agreed upon that Japanese children are more responsible (on average) than American children. They could lower the drinking age to 12 there and it wouldn't be a big difference, whereas I can't begin to imagine the troubles if we were allowed to booze it up while we're going through puberty. :lol:

when i originally clicked into this thread, i picked to change the drinking age to 18 in the poll above. i was thinking, if there was a draft, 18 year olds would be drafted into the war (possibly against their will) so how is it fair that these same individuals would not be able to drink? also, you can buy cigarettes and vote at age 18 so why not drink too?

then after actually reading everyone else's responses and thinking it through, i realized, we already have enough problems with drunk driving so why add to that? many (not all) teenagers do not drive responsibly anyway so why add drinking to that? i don't feel the "people are just going to do it anyway so why not change the law" argument is valid either.

But why would the same 18-year-olds, who are considered old enough to drive a car, get married, vote in every election and join the army, not be considered old enough to order alcohol with their meal at a restaurant? I don't like alcohol, and I wish no one would drink it. But I still don't see why 18-year-olds would be too young to drink, when they're old enough for every other kind of responsibility.

Doesn't matter to me....

A) I will be 21 in 300 some days lol
B) Kids are 14-20 that are already drinking, for parents on here, it is just the fact that kids can get away with it, is why they mostly drink
I know some of my friends drank a lot still when they turned 21 but some only did it because it was territorial with being a teen and being able to get away with it most of the time

But why would the same 18-year-olds, who are considered old enough to drive a car, get married, vote in every election and join the army, not be considered old enough to order alcohol with their meal at a restaurant? I don't like alcohol, and I wish no one would drink it. But I still don't see why 18-year-olds would be too young to drink, when they're old enough for every other kind of responsibility.
drinking is different than those things in the way that if you do it irresponsibly, you can lose control of your own mind and end up doing drastic like killing someone. you can certainly kill someone if you drive irresponsibly, but that's different as long as you're sober because 18-year-olds often have the maturity to drive properly, but not the maturity to drink safely and prevent themselves from doing something harmful that they wouldn't do while sober.

drinking is different than those things in the way that if you do it irresponsibly, you can lose control of your own mind and end up doing drastic like killing someone. you can certainly kill someone if you drive irresponsibly, but that's different as long as you're sober because 18-year-olds often have the maturity to drive properly, but not the maturity to drink safely and prevent themselves from doing something harmful that they wouldn't do while sober.
I agree. I think the reason the law is 21 is because 21 year olds are expected to have enough willpower and responsibility that they know how to drink the right way. 18 year olds fresh out of high school would abuse the ability IMO.

Its hard to say.Its true if your old enough to go to war you should be old enough to drink, which is the way it used to be. Most 18 year olds are irresponsible with no clue about the world around them but that could be said for even some 25 year olds or 30 year olds, its a tough decision.

drinking is different than those things in the way that if you do it irresponsibly, you can lose control of your own mind and end up doing drastic like killing someone. you can certainly kill someone if you drive irresponsibly, but that's different as long as you're sober because 18-year-olds often have the maturity to drive properly, but not the maturity to drink safely and prevent themselves from doing something harmful that they wouldn't do while sober.
Still, if 18-year-olds are mature enough to drive a car, they should also be mature enough to know not to drink and drive. I think there are as many 21-year-olds as 18-year-olds, who are stupid enough to drive under the influence of alcohol. While 18-year-olds still are young, they're also legal adults in so many other matters, so I don't see what the big deal is in this issue.

I don't like alcohol, but if people have to drink, I like the Swedish alcohol laws. They say you can order alcohol at a restaurant or at a bar, when you're 18 years old, but you have to wait until you're 20 years old to buy it at a licor store. I think that would be the way to go in the US too. Why don't you let your 18-year-olds order alcohol at restaurants or bars, while you keep the 21 years old rule for the licor stores?

Still, if 18-year-olds are mature enough to drive a car, they should also be mature enough to know not to drink and drive.
they aren't, though. the statistics showed while the minimum age was at 18.

Really? Now that's sad. :(

I'm 18, and I drink. I'm not going to lie, I enjoy having a drink with my friends, so it would make it easier sometimes to get alcohol, but if you have the right connections then it's just as easy to get it when you're under 21. I really don't think there's anything wrong with social drinking if you're at least 18.