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sig32 · Nov 13, 2007, 11:29 pm

come on drinking age is 21. That's the highest in the world. If you can go to war at 18, then i don't understand why you cant drink at that age.

nerdvincent · Nov 14, 2007, 12:01 am

I agree. Our body can be drunk with no more harm at 16-17 than at 21. Lower it to 18 or 16 wouldn't change anything.
And anyway, nowaday's kids are drunk at 13...
*This said I've never been drunk...

sig32 · Nov 14, 2007, 12:09 am

Quote:

Quote by: nerdvincent

I agree. Our body can be drunk with no more harm at 16-17 than at 21. Lower it to 18 or 16 wouldn't change anything.
And anyway, nowaday's kids are drunk at 13...
*This said I've never been drunk...

it would change the fact that people wouldn't be getting in trouble with the law for drinking. In some states they take you to jail for drinking underage. They should modify those gay laws into something more reasonable like community service.

another day · Nov 14, 2007, 01:10 am

Community service? Maybe if you drank and did something illegal. But there should be no punishment for drinking underage at all. There should still be a drinking age, because let's face it, kids are irresponsible drunks, but only to prohibit the SALE of alcohol to minors. Once a minor obtains alcohol, the state should not punish them for putting it into their bodies. Crimes they commit while drunk are different.

That being said, 21 is just hilarious. 18 is more reasonable.

gallo · Nov 14, 2007, 01:36 am

I presume that both sig32 and nerdvincent are not yet 21.

Actually, as I remember, the laws in many states were changed in the past and the drinking age was lowered to 18 in many states when I was younger. If I am correct about the ages of sig32 and nerdvincent, they have no memory of that. However, in 1984 a law was passed that cut off federal funds of any kind for any state that allowed drinking at less than the age of 21. All states that allowed drinking at 18 very quickly changed the legal drinking age to 21. Thus, underage drinking is not a violation of federal law.

It is quite short sited to think that reducing the drinking age to 18 would reduce the number 'people' (that means teens) getting in trouble with the law. They still got in trouble for public drunkenness, DWI, and buying for minors (their friends). Worse, just as those over 21, they maim and kill themselves and other innocent people because they drive while drunk. The hope was that by increasing the drinking age, there would be a better chance that drinkers would be more mature and responsible. In some places, those 'gay' laws revoke the license of anyone under 21 until they are 21 or one year, whichever comes last. Those over 21 loose their license for a year for a first offense. Where I live, a third offense is a felony with mandatory prison time.

I'm not quite sure of the logical link between a desire to serve one's country and a right to drink. When I was in the Army, any soldier could buy beer at the PX, or hard liquor at the Enlisted Club. Technically, they could have also done so at the NCO Club or the Officer's Club except for the fact that NCOs were rarely less than 21 and officers never were. As I understand it, that has also changed and the drinking age on most posts has been raised to 21. One exception is Ft. Bliss in El Paso, TX where it was deemed preferable to allow drinking on post rather than having underage troops crossing into Mexico and drinking. Lots of problems there! Arrested in Ciudad Juarez - arrested while trying to cross back - arrested by El Paso police - arrested while trying to get back on post. Not a good out come for any of those scenarios. My son (a SSGT stationed at Ft. Bliss) tells me that an arrest for DWI will probably mean some stockade time and require the commanding officer to come down and get you out. It's going to cost a stripe (pay grade) if you are lucky.

brien · Nov 14, 2007, 04:48 pm

The legal drinking age should be the same as enfranchisement and the age to join the armed forces. The only reason it is 21 is b/c organizations like MADD pressure legislators into keeping the age at 21but driving an auto is not necessarily correlated to the consumption of adult beverages. When a person between age 18 - 20 drives inebriated, and they are caught, they lose their license to drive just like anyone else. If it means less 18- 20 year olds driving, so be it.

Chancellor · Nov 14, 2007, 05:30 pm

Quote:

Quote by: sig32

come on drinking age is 21. That's the highest in the world. If you can go to war at 18, then i don't understand why you cant drink at that age.

With parental consent you can go to war at 17.

There are drug stores here where I live that when you're buying alcohol or tobacco they card anyone under 40.

jose · Nov 14, 2007, 05:36 pm

used to be you could get a drink at 14 in Spain,Ole

brien · Nov 14, 2007, 05:45 pm

Quote:

With parental consent you can go to war at 17

With parental consent, a 14 year old can drink a glass of wine at home with a meal, and probaly not be prosecuted for child endangerment.

18 year olds should be allowed to legally drink, period . It is a duplicitious and hypocritical government that restricts their right to drink yet welcomes them to be killed in war.

The Bacon Guy · Nov 14, 2007, 05:52 pm

It doesn't really matter what the drinking age is for regulating whether kids will drink. If someone wants to get alcohol, they aren't going to be deterred by being underage. So make it eighteen for consistency, but don't expect it to change much.

One thing I do think a drinking age could do is to regulate where kids drink. Currently Britain has problems with people drinking in public and causing trouble. I can say from personal experience that you never see 21 year olds getting drunk in parks and on street corners; you only ever see 14-16 year olds who can't get into bars but are determined to drink anyway. So if the legal drinking age were lowered, we would perhaps at least get drinkers off the streets.

grandpa · Nov 15, 2007, 09:59 am

Quote:

Quote by: The Bacon Guy

It doesn't really matter what the drinking age is for
regulating whether kids will drink.
If someone wants to get alcohol, they aren't going to
be deterred by being underage.

It just doesn't matter too much to me. But yes, 18 year olds should be allowed to drink alcohol.

Grandpa h.

shawmutt · Nov 15, 2007, 10:09 am

Just for clarification, 21 is the minimum purchase age, not the minimum drinking age in most states. Check APIS - Summary of Underage Drinking Laws for your local laws.

Praxius · Nov 15, 2007, 10:26 am

The majority of Canada's age limit is 19 (Quebec is 18, and I think PEI as well)

Lowering the age to 18 or 19 doesn't seem like a bad idea in the US..... but seriously come off it.... 16?

Think about it for a second.... who here wants to goto the bar with a bunch of high school students? 16 year olds at that.

Sure 18 or 19 is only a few years above that... but you're considered an adult at that age anyways around most of the world.....

I think teenagers need to learn how to drive a car decently with responsibility before you pass them acohol legally at the same age..... that'd be a great mix, kids hitting 16, getting their license, being able to drink legally, feeling like kings of the world, go out and party, drink, drive, crash, die. The End.

Besides practicality and all that, 18 or 19 isn't that bad..... but if they are permitted to drink and purchase alcohol around the age of 16, then that would also mean they'd be in the bars as well..... and who wants their bars filled up with a bunch of 16 year old thug wanna-bes getting all drunk and acting all cool?

You know? Shoot'in some B-Ball up-side the school.... when a couple of guys, up to no good, started making trouble in my neighborhood..... I got in one little fight and my mom got scared, said "you're move....

Ah that's enough of that.

Nov 13, 2007, 11:29 pm	#1 (permalink) (top)
sig32 Sedimentary Rock Posts: 7	should the drinking age in the states be lowered? come on drinking age is 21. That's the highest in the world. If you can go to war at 18, then i don't understand why you cant drink at that age.

Nov 14, 2007, 12:01 am	#2 (permalink) (top)
nerdvincent Indie Commie Location: New Caledonia Posts: 1,101	I agree. Our body can be drunk with no more harm at 16-17 than at 21. Lower it to 18 or 16 wouldn't change anything. And anyway, nowaday's kids are drunk at 13... *This said I've never been drunk... I think, I'm free.

Nov 14, 2007, 01:36 am	#5 (permalink) (top)
gallo Homo sapiens Location: Houston, TX Posts: 2,160	I presume that both sig32 and nerdvincent are not yet 21. Actually, as I remember, the laws in many states were changed in the past and the drinking age was lowered to 18 in many states when I was younger. If I am correct about the ages of sig32 and nerdvincent, they have no memory of that. However, in 1984 a law was passed that cut off federal funds of any kind for any state that allowed drinking at less than the age of 21. All states that allowed drinking at 18 very quickly changed the legal drinking age to 21. Thus, underage drinking is not a violation of federal law. It is quite short sited to think that reducing the drinking age to 18 would reduce the number 'people' (that means teens) getting in trouble with the law. They still got in trouble for public drunkenness, DWI, and buying for minors (their friends). Worse, just as those over 21, they maim and kill themselves and other innocent people because they drive while drunk. The hope was that by increasing the drinking age, there would be a better chance that drinkers would be more mature and responsible. In some places, those 'gay' laws revoke the license of anyone under 21 until they are 21 or one year, whichever comes last. Those over 21 loose their license for a year for a first offense. Where I live, a third offense is a felony with mandatory prison time. I'm not quite sure of the logical link between a desire to serve one's country and a right to drink. When I was in the Army, any soldier could buy beer at the PX, or hard liquor at the Enlisted Club. Technically, they could have also done so at the NCO Club or the Officer's Club except for the fact that NCOs were rarely less than 21 and officers never were. As I understand it, that has also changed and the drinking age on most posts has been raised to 21. One exception is Ft. Bliss in El Paso, TX where it was deemed preferable to allow drinking on post rather than having underage troops crossing into Mexico and drinking. Lots of problems there! Arrested in Ciudad Juarez - arrested while trying to cross back - arrested by El Paso police - arrested while trying to get back on post. Not a good out come for any of those scenarios. My son (a SSGT stationed at Ft. Bliss) tells me that an arrest for DWI will probably mean some stockade time and require the commanding officer to come down and get you out. It's going to cost a stripe (pay grade) if you are lucky. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion;... --From Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli passed unanimously by the Senate 1797

Nov 14, 2007, 04:48 pm	#6 (permalink) (top)
brien Iceberg Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,703	The legal drinking age should be the same as enfranchisement and the age to join the armed forces. The only reason it is 21 is b/c organizations like MADD pressure legislators into keeping the age at 21but driving an auto is not necessarily correlated to the consumption of adult beverages. When a person between age 18 - 20 drives inebriated, and they are caught, they lose their license to drive just like anyone else. If it means less 18- 20 year olds driving, so be it. Brien the Iceberg If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything. M.T.

Nov 15, 2007, 10:09 am	#12 (permalink) (top)
shawmutt Slightly Dangerous Location: Greencastle, PA Posts: 1,334	Just for clarification, 21 is the minimum purchase age, not the minimum drinking age in most states. Check APIS - Summary of Underage Drinking Laws for your local laws. I don't believe in polls, and 62% of Americans agree with me ~Steven Colbert

Nov 14, 2007, 01:10 am	#4 (permalink) (top)
another day slipping sand Posts: 1,996	Community service? Maybe if you drank and did something illegal. But there should be no punishment for drinking underage at all. There should still be a drinking age, because let's face it, kids are irresponsible drunks, but only to prohibit the SALE of alcohol to minors. Once a minor obtains alcohol, the state should not punish them for putting it into their bodies. Crimes they commit while drunk are different. That being said, 21 is just hilarious. 18 is more reasonable.

Nov 14, 2007, 05:36 pm	#8 (permalink) (top)
jose Volcanic Erupter Location: España Posts: 2,625	used to be you could get a drink at 14 in Spain,Ole

Nov 14, 2007, 05:52 pm	#10 (permalink) (top)
The Bacon Guy Away Location: Scotland, Central Lowlands Posts: 3,317	It doesn't really matter what the drinking age is for regulating whether kids will drink. If someone wants to get alcohol, they aren't going to be deterred by being underage. So make it eighteen for consistency, but don't expect it to change much. One thing I do think a drinking age could do is to regulate where kids drink. Currently Britain has problems with people drinking in public and causing trouble. I can say from personal experience that you never see 21 year olds getting drunk in parks and on street corners; you only ever see 14-16 year olds who can't get into bars but are determined to drink anyway. So if the legal drinking age were lowered, we would perhaps at least get drinkers off the streets.

Nov 15, 2007, 10:26 am	#13 (permalink) (top)
Praxius Mass'Debator Posts: 4,730	The majority of Canada's age limit is 19 (Quebec is 18, and I think PEI as well) Lowering the age to 18 or 19 doesn't seem like a bad idea in the US..... but seriously come off it.... 16? Think about it for a second.... who here wants to goto the bar with a bunch of high school students? 16 year olds at that. Sure 18 or 19 is only a few years above that... but you're considered an adult at that age anyways around most of the world..... I think teenagers need to learn how to drive a car decently with responsibility before you pass them acohol legally at the same age..... that'd be a great mix, kids hitting 16, getting their license, being able to drink legally, feeling like kings of the world, go out and party, drink, drive, crash, die. The End. Besides practicality and all that, 18 or 19 isn't that bad..... but if they are permitted to drink and purchase alcohol around the age of 16, then that would also mean they'd be in the bars as well..... and who wants their bars filled up with a bunch of 16 year old thug wanna-bes getting all drunk and acting all cool? You know? Shoot'in some B-Ball up-side the school.... when a couple of guys, up to no good, started making trouble in my neighborhood..... I got in one little fight and my mom got scared, said "you're move.... Ah that's enough of that.