Silver Stars without Champagne: Why is the legal drinking age 21?

Question

In the United State, citizens get more rights as they get older: When one turns 16, they can get a provisional drivers license. At 18, they become "legal adults" and they get the right to buy firearms (but not handguns), pornography, tobacco, spray paint, lottery tickets, and most importantly, the right to vote and the right to serve in the military.

Now why is it that an 18 year old can join the military, recieve Silver Stars and Purple Hearts for valor in combat, but cant come home and go to a bar in downtown Washington, DC? How come the US government can trust the 18-21 age group with owning firearms, bearing the burden on defending freedom, and choosing the nation's leaders but can't trust them with the responsibilty of drinking alcohol? What is the reasoning behing this logic and why did the US government change the law back in the 70's from 18 to 21? Why did the government feel they had to hold federal highway funds from states that didn't obey?

And for all the morons who don't know anything about anything... Purple Hearts are awarded for being WOUNDED in combat, not necessarily dying (but you do get one for that, too) My 83 year old grandfather and former 101st Airborne paratrooper recieved two.

The question is why can an 18 year old enlist in the Marines, serve 2 tours in Iraq, get his arm blown off, and not be able to come back home and have a drink? Why am I able to choose the leaders of my country but not be able to have a drink? Doesn't it seem to you that the legal drinking age is suspiciously misplaced when compared to the more serious right you get when you are younger?

Answer 1

Why 21? because no one would let "them" make it 26, or more.
" At 18, blah blah" and then you quote restrictions in your own rant...you're right- Permissions increase as one moves into maturity. 18 is no magic number, neither is 21- you are presumed to be able to handle certain decisions at 18, others later. Rent a car? Not unless you're about 25 [ or pay higher rates].


18 and join the military? Sure. This is because you are considered to be able to assess your goals in life.

Restrict highway funds on age change? 1964- the Surgeon General of the US announced findings that indicated just how much damage smoking causes. It was thought that 18 year-olds would make good decisions about a long-term poison like tobacco, but weren't ready for a quick-acting poison like alcohol. The funding restriction was in place to ensure that states did not allow ALL rights and privileges at 18.


further response: "...serve 2 tours in Iraq, get his arm blown off, and not be able to come back home and have a drink?"

I'll buy you that drink.

Answer 2

That's the problem, in other societies, the 18 age limit or no limit works well. With our society, it's difficult to answer. Although some 18 year olds are certainly more than responsible enough to handle it, a lot are not. Also, it would have to be the federal government making the change, not state. There were MANY fatalities to both pedestrians and drivers on the NY-NJ border back in the day because NY had an age limit set at 18, while NJ was 21. So NJ drivers would cross the border and drink at NY bars, then drive back. This is while the federal government would need to make a national age limit.

Answer 3

it depends what that state or country feels a 18yo or 21yo is mature enough to use responcibly...
in the US firearms are more legal because back at the start of the USA standing armies were seen as terrible things, and the USA didn't want a standing army but a gurillea style force that could arise from the general populations when needed and subside when not... the US has a standing army (or 4) and so it's slightly redundant...
armies (bless their camoflauged socks) don't like older people... the older you get the more likely you'll think before following an order and if the order is blaintly wrong an 18yo soldier is more likely to obey than a 21 or 30yo...
in australia everything is legal at 18 (except you're considered a consenting adult at 16 and able to get a learners permit[driving] at 14 and 9months), where as firearms need 18, a damn good reason and a licence and you have a responcibilty to use them within the terms of the licence or like your car they can be taken away (british colonies had no problem with standing armies lol)...

Answer 4

The reason that they raised the legal drinking age in the U.S. from 18 to 21 was because they wanted to get the alcohol seperated from underage high school students because there were a lot of deaths and accidents involving the kids and alcohol. See, at 18, some of the kids were still in high school and had a lot of underage friends, to whom they provided alcohol illegally. So, by raising the legal age from 18 to 21, the government got the alcohol farther away from the high schools. They were assuming that not a lot of high school kids hung out with people who were 21 or above. I personally hate the law, because I am 20 and I am the youngest of all my friends, but I can understand why it was put in place. Kids who are still in high school really do not need to be near alcohol. They are not mature enough to handle the responsibility that alcohol requires one to carry.

Answer 5

I agree. The minumum age for joining the military should be raised to 21.

Seriously though - most 18 year olds simply aren't responsible enough to handle alcohol.

Answer 6

There is absolutely no logical answer to this question..guess one could also ask why cannabis is illegal when it is harmless, why ecstasy is illegal when the only serious side effect proven everywhere else but the US, is that it kills the cocaine industry...one can only guess that the reason for the drinking age is to increase the desire by being denied something...then when you turn 21 it will seem like the right thing to do.

Answer 7

Well bud if he has a purple heart he is dead u have to die in combat to achieve that award. But i see wat ur sayin. Its because they think they are are parents until we are fullygrown and we arent until 21. Its wrong but yet my idea is based in my anarchist view of govermenfly. They hide to much from us. Y do thee y care at wat age we drink they get the taxes they should start off early the law would fly win unanimously i mean everyone wants a freedom and here is another. They will let us rule our country at 18 but not drink. I no to the 2 dont mix but comeon

Answer 8

cause kids will drink catch them fine them catch them again fine them more money for the goverment coffers to grow on then they waste it