Reducing Drinking Age to 18???

[glking]

I was probably 25 before I started drinking responsibly, and I started drinking when I was 14 or 15.

It is only because of pure dumb luck that I lived to tell about it.
(and I have never had an alcohol-related accident)

I'm pretty sure that everyone here thought they were "mature enough" to drink before they were the legal age.
I would also bet that almost everyone can look back and say that they were not.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

This goes back the freedom arguments as we feel the need to legislate freedom that virtually the rest of the world has. Outside of the Islamic or Communist nations, we are the most restrictive and conserative modern country.

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

In Germany, they do 10% of salary as a DUI fine. Doesn't matter how much you make. That deters drunk driving and would here.

Dude, we don't live in other nations or Germany.

If anything needs to be improved, which I don't doubt does as ridiculous to think there isn't anything, lets do it but heck if I will compare it to other nations on the face of this Earth and like a small child say "Tommy has one and I don't".
No country exists that can remotely resemble the US and none can come close.
The day I don't feel that way, I will leave to where suits me or return to Cuba.

It was fun while it lasted for me.

[4thtry]

Originally Posted by glking

I'm pretty sure that everyone here thought they were "mature enough" to drink before they were the legal age.
I would also bet that almost everyone can look back and say that they were not.

Exactly

[AAlmeter]

Originally Posted by 4thtry

That's the problem, mine & your parents are the exception rather than the rule.

I think thats not because every kid is some wayward orphan with useless parents, but too often a lot of well intentioned parents rely on the "village" instead of using their own damn heads.

I'd say half of the parents on here have used the line "nope, its against the law" when their teenager asked for a beer.

[glking]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

This goes back the freedom arguments as we feel the need to legislate freedom that virtually the rest of the world has. Outside of the Islamic or Communist nations, we are the most restrictive and conserative modern country.

The US is the most successful and prosperous country in the history of the world! Must be something to that.

[4thtry]

Originally Posted by AAlmeter

I think thats not because every kid is some wayward orphan with useless parents, but too often a lot of well intentioned parents rely on the "village" instead of using their own damn heads.

I'd say half of the parents on here have used the line "nope, its against the law" when their teenager asked for a beer.

Oh god i hope that's not what you thought i was trying to imply. By no means am i thinking that every kid is some badass breaking not only the law but his parents rules....

i agree 100000% with what you just said....too many parents rely on the "takes a village to raise a child" mentality rather than just doing what they know is right/common sense digging in said childs ass to straighten them out.

[AAlmeter]

Originally Posted by Blueface

Dude, we don't live in other nations or Germany.

If anything needs to be improved, which I don't doubt does as ridiculous to think there isn't anything, lets do it but heck if I will compare it to other nations on the face of this Earth and like a small child say "Tommy has one and I don't".

Hey, you know me. Im as pro-America and anti-Europe as anyone can be...but sometimes you gotta do that, get some ideas. While we're on the subject of drunk driving, it was Germany that gave us the idea of a organized automobile transportation system...and the engineering behind it.

I doubt many of you out there would be enjoying the rides in your BMWs (hey, we nabbed that from them too) if you spent your time motoring over poorly constructed cobblestone and mud roads.

[MikeyC]

From what I've read in the past, the U.S. has not only the highest drinking age but also some of the highest rates of drunk driving, alcoholism, and alcohol abuse.

Personally, I would attribute this to the "soft" parenting prevalent in the U.S. which was already mentioned in this thread (discussing this is a whole other thread in itself) and also the high drinking age. Think about it. Because the drinking age is 21 kids must drink in secret when younger under age. Then when they're finally of age most kids live away from their parents. So, they've never been parented on how to drink responsibly.

[j6ppc]

Originally Posted by Blueface

21 is a law enacted through the popular vote. That is what we do in the US. The day the popular vote says 18 is fine, then 18 will in fact be fine.

If I recall correctly this was ultimately a result of federal legislation that basically said "If you want to continue to receive Federal Highway Funds then your state's drinking age must be 21.

The remaining states that had permitted alchohol purchase/consumption for those under 21 quickly changed it.

IIRC a great example of how state's rights can be trumped by federal legislation (not a good thing IMHO).

I do feel that if you are old enough to vote and old enough to serve our country then you should be permitted to drink as well. I think it used to be that the drinking age on military bases was 18 regardless of which state the base was in.

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by j6ppc

. I think it used to be that the drinking age on military bases was 18 regardless of which state the base was in.

Jon that used to be but when I was in the military (85 - 8 taht was changed. Not only were you not allowed to drink in the clubs on post but you were not even allowed to buy alcohol from the Class XI (military liqour store).

[mdtaggart]

Originally Posted by 4thtry

I would disagree with the change in age. I do realize the "if you can fight for the country than you should be allowed to drink'' mentality but the problem is, not all that are of age are mature enough to handle situations involving alcohol.

I wont even lie, when i was 18 years old, I had plenty of friends that were not of the maturity level of what we would consider to be "adult." yes legally you are an adult but let's be honest here, plenty of 18 year olds act quite differently.

If you want to use fighting for the country as a grounds for allowing 18 year olds to drink than i think it should be an incentive for those who are fighting for our country. I do agree with you on that point, If you fight you should be allowed to have a cold one at the end of the day (or whenever). But to change it across the board would be a HUGE mistake i belive.

What he said!

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Blueface

No country exists that can remotely resemble the US and none can come close.

You don't think Canada remotely resembles the US? Sure looked similar to me...

[AAlmeter]

Originally Posted by j6ppc

If I recall correctly this was ultimately a result of federal legislation that basically said "If you want to continue to receive Federal Highway Funds then your state's drinking age must be 21.

The remaining states that had permitted alchohol purchase/consumption for those under 21 quickly changed it.

IIRC a great example of how state's rights can be trumped by federal legislation (not a good thing IMHO).

I do feel that if you are old enough to vote and old enough to serve our country then you should be permitted to drink as well. I think it used to be that the drinking age on military bases was 18 regardless of which state the base was in.

We have a weiner!


Correct, one of the few times I will ever disagree with what Ronnie did. He had initially opposed the bill as it clearly violates states rights, then he did an about face and signed the blasted thing.

[Dr_Trac]

Regardless of age...they'll still find a way to get alcohol when they're >21. I started drinking @ 19, but then again, I wasn't stupid like most of my peers. I knew my limit and would only take it so far due to fear of wrath from my folks.

[Padron42]

I think a big part of this that has been barely touched on but not to a full effect is that kids are going to drink no matter what the age is. As MikeyC touched on, the reason American kids go crazy on the drinking is because it is the forbidden fruit when you're young. You don't understand why you can't have a beer or 2 with your dad when you're 16 and his only explanation is "it's illegal until you're 21, but then you can drink with me all you want." Then in later high school (or college or early high school or hell, middle school) most kids get introduced to alcohol through friends or older brothers or something and then sneak around doing it. I have several friends who have died or gotten seriously hurt from alcohol and alcohol related incidents and half of them were because they had to sneak around. I can't tell you how many times my friends knew they shouldn't drive but decided to because it was worth it to not get in trouble with strict parents by not going home or calling them and telling them the problem. The 2nd biggest reason my friends have gotten into trouble is because of strict parenting. Their parents guarded them and wouldn't let them near a drop of alcohol in High school and then college roles around and they're knocking out a few handles a week and going crazy while the "experienced" drinkers from HS have already learned control. I think if parents were better at handling this and could teach kids responsible social drinking, many of the problems discussed above would be avoided. I think a law at least giving parents the ability to serve alcohol to their children from the ages of 16-18 under their supervision in the home (somewhat like a learner's permit with driving) would benefit this country a lot. Although there would be some abusers of this rule (alcoholics and bad parents), those people would probably still be letting their kids do whatever anyways so I don't see a big downside.