This is not necessarily what I believe, but I am trying to see some other viewpoints. I am looking for people who are against lowering the legal drinking age from 21 years, to say, 18. I am simply wondering what your arguments are for this... why do you personally believe that it should NOT be lowered?
2007-05-15 08:13:40 · 5 answers · asked by Sage 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Back in the 70's some states lowered it to age 18. The numbers of deaths associated to alcohol rose so dramatically in the 18-21 age group, that they rose it back up to 21 and again the results were immediate in the opposite direction.
2007-05-15 08:18:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, it's not so simple unfortunately. The problem with lowering the drinking age in the US is that we have a very "sheltering" mentality in this country. This means that a most adults don't introduce their kids to alcohol early on. Note we have the same problem with sex. Because of our puritanical values, we avoid talking about sex until we absolutely have to (like 2 years after our kids have started becoming sexually active). As a result, we have the second highest teenage pregnancy rate in the Western world. Our rate is twice as high as the country that comes in 2nd btw. Similarly, we have a real problem with under age drinkers getting trashed and wrapping themselves around trees. Why? Because we don't prepare our young for this. We just tell them "Don't do it until it's legal to do so."
Nothing could be more tempting to a young adult, which is why you see so much binge drinking once kids go off to college. In Europe they don't have anything like this as people introduce their children to alcohol early on and teach them to appreciate it and teach them moderation. Simiarly, the Dutch have the lowest teenage pregnancy rate in the world. Why? you asked completely stupefied? Because they speak openly about sex with their children as soon as they can speak. As a result there are no taboos, and children and primed for it.
So, changing the drinking age one way or the other isn't likely to change anything. It's how we prepare our young that will ultimately make a difference. I think that if you lower the drinking age to 16 and encourage parents to teach their kids about alcohol, and teach them to appreciate it at an early age, you would see a dramatic drop in under age drinking related deaths.
2007-05-15 15:33:30 · answer #2 · answered by largegrasseatingmonster 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't matter what you think, and many states would lower it if they could.
The increase in the age limit was brought about by the government threatening states to take all their highway funds away. That isn't going to change any time soon!
See, it is even OK for the government to hold the states hostage!
2007-05-15 15:27:53 · answer #3 · answered by cantcu 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
18-20 year olds have a high rate of alcoholic deaths, but it doesent make sense to raise it, you just shift alcohol related deaths upwards. If we expose youth to alcohol and encourage temperance at younger ages this situation would not be the problem it is today.
2007-05-15 15:19:38 · answer #4 · answered by trigunmarksman 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think alcohol should be limited to use as a CLEANING fluid, which the U.S. Army defines it as!
2007-05-15 15:21:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋