The US Drinking Age

[Palamon]

I've been thinking about how the drinking age in the United States is 21. While I realize this is an amendment... do you feel the drinking age in the United States should be lowered, or god forbid, raised? I've always found it ridiculous myself that you can vote at eighteen, serve our country at eighteen, but not drink wine at eighteen, which is why I want to discuss the US drinking age.

 

[Bobby_the_potato]

I think 21 is a little bit too much overall. In The Netherlands

, you could (I don't know if that's still around) get alcoholic drinks when you were 16, mild ones of course. But to be 21 to even start drinking alcohol is kind of weird to me. I think they should lower it to 18 or maybe 19.

 

[Sir Codin]

It's three more years to get your act together. Yes, it's overprotective, but not necessarily without reason.

You sound perfect for California. We just raised the smoking age to 21. Further helping our reputation as a state that hates fun and autonomy.

 

[Somewhere_]

If you can die for your country, you should be able to drink.

Ultimately, its really down to parents to limit drinking.

 

[Jetfire]

I'm cool with 16 being the legal age

 

[Sir Codin]

If you can die for your country, you should be able to drink.

^This^

If you're considered old enough to make the decision to enlist into a public service that often goes into armed conflicts with a high likelihood that you will get shot, you should be considered old enough to throw back the contents of a hip flask.

It's that simple and I don't why a lot people find that so hard to understand.

 

[Neil Peart]

It's interesting to note that Reagan and his band of crooks and liars, a week before raising the drinking age, declared ice cream a "nutritious" food. They raised the drinking age because of drunk driving, and while it cut down on drunk driving, it didn't stop kids from drinking. Another example of no matter what you make illegal, people will do it anyway.

 

[ShinyUmbreon189]

It doesn't really matter considering teens still drink. It's like tobacco, teens under 18 still get their hands on it. It's just a law you can't exactly regulate especially if minors know someone 21+ willing to buy booze for them. I personally don't give a shit, even legal age drinkers are irresponsible and get behind the wheel, start fights, act like morons, etc. Responsible drinking doesn't come with an age. You can be 16 you can be 18, if you're responsible it shouldn't matter, it's just liquor. It's all about learning your limit and knowing when to stop.

 

[Pebbles]

i think around 21 is a right age to start, if you must drink that is

because... it is ridiculous that nowadays kids at a young age like 14 already start to drink and get drunk
i mean, how sad is that
sure , it is their own choice to do that but is it a smart choice? especially health wise?
yes it is bad for you no matter what age , so why give a fak some may think but .... don't we always say that you shouldn't do stuff like this whilst your young because you still growing and stuff

​

 

[Nah]

^This^

If you're considered old enough to make the decision to enlist into a public service that often goes into armed conflicts with a high likelihood that you will get shot, you should be considered old enough to throw back the contents of a hip flask.

It's that simple and I don't why a lot people find that so hard to understand.

Funnily enough that was the exact same argument used to get the voting age lowered from 21 to 18. Why it doesn't seem to work now for drinking, I don't know.

 

[Fannie]

i think around 21 is a right age to start, if you must drink that is

because... it is ridiculous that nowadays kids at a young age like 14 already start to drink and get drunk
i mean, how sad is that
sure , it is their own choice to do that but is it a smart choice? especially health wise?
yes it is bad for you no matter what age , so why give a fak some may think but .... don't we always say that you shouldn't do stuff like this whilst your young because you still growing and stuff

​

No matter what the legal drinking age was teens are stilling going to drink. Not that I'm saying it's smart. I am saying that drinking is something everyone should have the right to choose to do as an adult. If I was in your country paying taxes, voting, able to get drafted, etc but not drink. Noooooo thanks.

 

[Lycanthropy]

I think 21 is a little bit too much overall. In The Netherlands

, you could (I don't know if that's still around) get alcoholic drinks when you were 16, mild ones of course. But to be 21 to even start drinking alcohol is kind of weird to me. I think they should lower it to 18 or maybe 19.

They raised the age from 16 to 18 in January 2014.

It was total nonsense though, because they enforced the law retroactively. I was able to buy alcohol for almost a year, then suddenly wasn't allowed to anymore and had to wait another year. I don't see the point of this, at all. People who want to drink alcohol will find ways to do so anyway, a simple law isn't going to withhold them in any way. In my opinion it's a lot more effective to make it clear to teens why they shouldn't be able to drink alcohol, then they can decide whether to do so for themselves. 18 or even 16 looks like an age you're responsible enough to make a decision like that to me.

Note: the above is an opinion from a guy who has never touched a drop of alcoholic beverage in his life even while he was able for three years (sorta).

 

[antemortem]

If you can die for your country, you should be able to drink.

Ultimately, its really down to parents to limit drinking.

Except at the same age you can "die for your country", you are no longer considered a child, therefore no longer within the realm of parental dictation. In some states that age is even lower - 17 in the likes of Texas - and in some it is higher - 19 in Alabama - so such an argument is entirely dependent on the region.

 

[Livewire]

18 is a reasonable age and a nice benchmark for voting rights and drinking rights and general "adult things" across the board, and is more reasonable than 21. You can drink, vote, serve in the armed forces, give consent, etc.

 

[Somewhere_]

Except at the same age you can "die for your country", you are no longer considered a child, therefore no longer within the realm of parental dictation. In some states that age is even lower - 17 in the likes of Texas - and in some it is higher - 19 in Alabama - so such an argument is entirely dependent on the region.

I know the age is arbitrary, which is why I do not like it.

 

[Spiff]

If you can die for your country, you should be able to drink.

well it's not like you enlist and just get thrown into battle, you get physically and physiologically adjusted to perform in those scenarios. not everyone can do it, but everyone has the right to volunteer. with drinking any feral chav with no decision-making skills can pop into the store and purchase one of the most dangerous drugs known to mankind. I still think the drinking age should be 18, because of freedom and such, but it's something to think about.

 

[baceevee]

The drinking age should be lowered to 18. If you are old enough to join the military, to be charged as an adult for any crime you may commit, to vote, to buy a car or a house, rent an apartment, to be responsible for your bills, apply for a credit card, etc., you should be old enough to drink.

I also think that regardless of what the drinking age is, there should be more of a focus on educating people about what alcohol can do to your body if it is abused. There is not enough information given to kids of middle and high school age about alcohol. Thus, many abuse it, not knowing the consequences of "binge drinking", drinking on a constant every day basis, or even an every weekend basis, etc.

Although I don't think education will completely stop the abuse of alcohol, I do think it will make people of all ages think twice about it at the least.

 

[Somewhere_]

well it's not like you enlist and just get thrown into battle, you get physically and physiologically adjusted to perform in those scenarios. not everyone can do it, but everyone has the right to volunteer. with drinking any feral chav with no decision-making skills can pop into the store and purchase one of the most dangerous drugs known to mankind. I still think the drinking age should be 18, because of freedom and such, but it's something to think about.

That isn't exactly my main reason for lowing it, but its the easiest to say if you know what I mean.

 

[Lunaris Adamantine]

I don't drink alcohol, and don't ever intent to. But I do think that the age needs to be lowered. I mean, it's not even difficult for those that are under 21 to get a hold of it anyways. If they want to drink, they're probably going to drink.

I'm certain the biggest issue regarding alcohol consumption is the lack of education regarding it. I don't think people comprehend to what extent it affects you, and that's why they drink irresponsibly. I'm not just talking about the short term, either. Most people I've met don't even seem to comprehend the long term effects it can have on your body. Even though, at least to me, it should be common sense that something that obviously alters the way you think would be bad for you. A couple drinks here and there aren't so bad, but I know there are a lot of people who get drunk every night. (I work with a few, actually)

Besides, most people don't change in maturity between 18 and 21. I think the biggest problem between those ages is peer pressure, which is going to be a problem no matter what age you can buy alcohol.

 

[El Héroe Oscuro]

I don't drink alcohol, and don't ever intent to. But I do think that the age needs to be lowered. I mean, it's not even difficult for those that are under 21 to get a hold of it anyways. If they want to drink, they're probably going to drink.

I'm certain the biggest issue regarding alcohol consumption is the lack of education regarding it. I don't think people comprehend to what extent it affects you, and that's why they drink irresponsibly. I'm not just talking about the short term, either. Most people I've met don't even seem to comprehend the long term effects it can have on your body. Even though, at least to me, it should be common sense that something that obviously alters the way you think would be bad for you. A couple drinks here and there aren't so bad, but I know there are a lot of people who get drunk every night. (I work with a few, actually)

Besides, most people don't change in maturity between 18 and 21. I think the biggest problem between those ages is peer pressure, which is going to be a problem no matter what age you can buy alcohol.

Couldn't agree more with this.

(Related I promise) When I was in high school, I took a course called "Child Care and Development" where part of the class, on top of learning about contraceptives and the works, consisted of having to take care of a baby doll for three days. However, as you can probably imagine, it wasn't just a normal toy - rather, it contained a super computer which tracked how many times it pooped, cried, burped, fed, etc. and your response times to it. Parents weren't allowed to help out with the caring of the child, and thus the student was left to take care of the baby, leaving many - including myself - to wake up many many times in the night to take care of it.

I think an education similar to this should be implemented within school systems (preferably Freshman level) and make it a mandatory class. Maybe not make it a "scare straight" program like this may have done, but a hands-on, immersive class which helps you cope with the realities that your actions may result in. As I said, I don't think it should be governed to scare you away from alochol and such, but rather educate students as to how the situation will unfold if extreme choices are made.