Should America Lower the Drinking Age?, 21 to 18? Rating Options

[angelshortipnai]

i dont' think so...but A LOT of underage teenagers drink already -_-

[Paradox of Life]

Agreed.

But tobacco and alcohol aren't even in the same ballpark. Nicotine is a sugar overdose compared to alcohol.

I like cigars, though.

Ehh, then cut out everything I said about cigarettes. I guess it was a bad reference.

[fameONE]

Since a prohibition would directly cause an icnrease in competition in the organized crime world, and since we're nowhere near ever getting rid of alcohol, I guess I'll contribute to the debate a bit.

The driving age is too low, the drinking age is too high.

Level them out at 18. If 18 is the steppingstone into adulthood, then let 18 be the steppingstone into adulthood for EVERYTHING. If I can get sued for everything I'm worth and have bad credit for the next 21 years of my life, then I ought to be able to drink a beer and purchase a handgun to end my worries.

[*CrackedRearView*]

Everyone overlooks the fact that this has been the way things are for decades.

People just need new things to fuss about and they go on whining about lowering the drinking age.

Leave it where it is; it has served its purpose well.

[Paradox of Life]

Since a prohibition would directly cause an icnrease in competition in the organized crime world, and since we're nowhere near ever getting rid of alcohol, I guess I'll contribute to the debate a bit.

The driving age is too low, the drinking age is too high.

Level them out at 18. If 18 is the steppingstone into adulthood, then let 18 be the steppingstone into adulthood for EVERYTHING. If I can get sued for everything I'm worth and have bad credit for the next 21 years of my life, then I ought to be able to drink a beer and purchase a handgun to end my worries.

No way. People are stupid as it is in what they do with alcohol. Making some kind of "step into adulthood" at 18 for alcohol is just creating potential accidents already. There are so many accidents that happen even now because people don't know how to drink in moderation and that's a common sense issue. What makes you think that 18 year olds are going to have more common sense than someone that's 21 years old? What good is that going to do?

And yeah, I agree, driving should be at 18, but keep the drinking limit at 21. You need some experience in driving before it's legal for you to drink. Otherwise, you might just go crazy in your excitement to get to drive, go to a party or something, get drunk and start driving and kill yourself and other innocent people.

Sorry, this was the most pointless thing I've written. My dad is blaring movie previews and sneakpeaks on the computer near me (internet) over and over and I can't think right now.

[andriaalazing*]

helll no.

[sammi rules you]

i think we should be like europe. most european countries have it that you're allowed to drink at 16, drive at 18. that reduces the probability of accidents due to drunk driving since these kids are already used to alcohol.

[andriaalazing*]

ehh i'd rather be able to drive at 16. drinking isn't that great anyway..

[xsweetxcandyx]

in some other countries, its lower

most reason people under 21 drink is to look cool
but if its legal it would just be like "bigg deal, its not like hes doing something that great"

i think it should be like 18 or 19

[Paradox of Life]

helll no.

Read the posts and post something in response to contradict them. It's debate; not 2-word posting time.

[hummppff]

I grew up in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. I live in the U.S. and spend most of the summers back in Austria.

The drinking ages in these countries (and most other countries in continental Europe) was and is: 16 (sixteen) for beer and wine, and 18 (eighteen) for spirits (Schnaps, Whiskey etc.). This works out well in those countries as people learn responsible social drinking instead of hidden binge style drinking as I've seen in the U.S.. In Europe you'll see a few young people get together in beer gardens or quaint pubs and have a beer or two with friends. Here in the U.S. you'll hear of high schoolers go to a "party" at someone's house whose parents have gone for the weekend for example. This usually turns into a mad binge drinking exercise with 'beer bongs' and people vomiting on themselves. Then you'll see 'spring break', where young people engage in the same type of activity, only out in the 'open' like Ft Lauderdale but still hidden from their parents.

My point is that in the U.S. people learn how to become alcoholics rather than responsible social drinking in moderation. Sneaking around and binge drinking are traits of an alcoholic. The problem is in the way people are raised. In the U.S. people are treated like children until a much later time in life when compared to the rest of the world and this has some negative repercussions. If the drinking age is lowered it has to be done slowly with the understanding that at the same time society must begin treating young people (16+) more like young adults rather than like children. If they are treated like children, and are expected to act like children, then they will be just that. If they are treated more like young adults and expected to act more like young adults around this age they will, in response, become young adults. This is what must change first, in order for the drinking age to be lowered. This is my experience from what I've seen growing up in Europe and then living in the U.S..

[blurrr]

NOOOOOOO ok im tottaly gonna sound liek a loser grandma freak but i think everything with teens "now a days" is starting wayyy too young...no one used to lose their virginity when they were like...14....15 and 16 yr olds didnt used drink and smoke n stuff....if its lowered...everyones gonna be drinking and stuff and then ill be a loser lol

[*Libertie*]

It's a little strange that people learn how to drive before they learn how to drink. But, as I'm sure many people have already said, the age isn't necessarily set because 21yrolds are more responsible, but because their bodies are more mature. I'm almost 18, and being a lightweight, I puke after one drink. No lie. I don't know if I'll even be ready to hold any alcohol by the time I'm 21, but I can't expect a majority of people under 21 to handle it much better than I can.

To me, however, drinking is completely pointless. Why even do it? What do people get out of it? It tastes bad (IMO), it inhibits your senses.. I'm not seeing any pleasure about any of this. The only time I ever consumed an alcoholic beverage and enjoy the taste is when I use it to marinate a steak, and by the time I'm eating it, the alcohol has all been cooked out.

Maybe a lot of people under 21 are mature, right? Maybe if we removed the laws, everything would be peachy because everyone would use alcohol wisely and we wouldn't have anything to worry about. Maybe. You can't rely on what-ifs, it's just not good enough.

[hummppff]

It's a little strange that people learn how to drive before they learn how to drink. But, as I'm sure many people have already said, the age isn't necessarily set because 21yrolds are more responsible, but because their bodies are more mature. I'm almost 18, and being a lightweight, I puke after one drink. No lie. I don't know if I'll even be ready to hold any alcohol by the time I'm 21, but I can't expect a majority of people under 21 to handle it much better than I can.

To me, however, drinking is completely pointless. Why even do it? What do people get out of it? It tastes bad (IMO), it inhibits your senses.. I'm not seeing any pleasure about any of this. The only time I ever consumed an alcoholic beverage and enjoy the taste is when I use it to marinate a steak, and by the time I'm eating it, the alcohol has all been cooked out.

Maybe a lot of people under 21 are mature, right? Maybe if we removed the laws, everything would be peachy because everyone would use alcohol wisely and we wouldn't have anything to worry about. Maybe. You can't rely on what-ifs, it's just not good enough.

Hi Lib,

The idea is to drink in moderation. A social drink shouldn't be 1/2 gallon of moonshine and a trip to the ER.

I don't like the taste of straight spirits, but if it's mixed - like a Bailey's Irish Cream - it tastes pretty good sipping it over a nice conversation with someone. The alcohol does give you a nice feeling - i.e. it relaxes you. But it's something that shouldn't be overdone. If you can't drink more than 1/2 of a drink then don't drink more than that - and sip the 1/2 that you are drinking sloooowwwwwly!

The reason why the drinking age is 21 in America isn't because people under 21 are little children and it'll immediatly rot their poor little livers - It's because the Reagan Administration in the early 1980's threatened to stop federal highway money to any state that didn't raise its' drinking age to 21. This was a pure political move to quiet down screaming interest groups such as MADD and the like. I remember when it was 19 in the State of Maine and when I moved to OHIO for college we had to get 21 year olds to buy it for us.

So, if anyone asks you why the drinking age is so high in America you can tell them it was extortion by the Reagan Administration against the States to gain political brownie points by hysterical special interest groups!

[hummppff]

CrackedRearView -

'...Leave it where it is; it has served its purpose well.'

No it hasn't. America's got one of the worst problems with alcoholism in the Western World. People don't learn how to drink socially because they have to sneak around and hide it - and then when they do get a chance to drink they do it in excess. I submit to you that having the highest legal drinking age in the world has had the opposite effect on society from that which was desired by raising it. It's the same old problem. If America has an issue just make it illegal - but for god sake don't do anything dramatic to resolve it like USING OUR MINDS!

[enyceXaddiction]

nope. i think it should go UP.

[*mipadi*]

nope. i think it should go UP.

Any particular reason to support that opinion?

[im_aGERM]

i think it should be.

[Mulder]

i think it should be. if the government thinks that 18 yr olds are old enough to fight for their country, and smoke, then they should be able to drink too. if those were raised though then no.

[YourSuperior]

I don't think the age should be lowered. I think it should stay the way it is.

[lKVNiiKINKYl]

No because the higher it is, the more people are going to want to drink...just my opinion.

[jjc66]

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[censored. this has NOTHING to do with the topic. don't mess with the debate forum-fae]

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[jam4eva]

ppl do drink illegally so if the age was lowered the illegal drinking age would be lowered

[Biblesterr743]

no. young people dont deserve to be able to drink at younger ages. lowering it would mean increasing the driving age.

think about that!

[*disco infiltrator*]

^ Uhm, ok, I'll think about it.

I think it works pretty well in Europe. What's your point?