I am doing a college debate and I got pro for lowering the drinking age..
I do believe it would be good to lower it because it WILL lower the amout of underage drinkers because since it is allowed it wont be as fun since less people will be breaking the law...
I need more information on why we should lower it in the US
Please help
THNX
BRM
2007-10-19 05:29:20 · 21 answers · asked by Riley 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
"Equal protection under the law"
At 18 people are considered adults, and as such have all the responsibilities of adults. They can join the armed forces, they can marry, they can make binding contracts, and they can be jailed in adult jails for crimes that they commit. They can vote in elections, and give permission for medical treatments that they want or need themselves.
Why should we have a class of citizenship that gives all the responsibilities, but not all of the rights, to people between the ages of 18-21?
How can you charge an adult (over 18) with being a minor in possession of alcohol? If you are an adult, which we define as over 18, you should have ALL the rights of an adult!!
In case it matters, in my late 40's.
2007-10-19 06:03:14 · answer #1 · answered by fire4511 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm from NC, and when I was 18, you could buy beer and wine. They changed it to 19 the next year, but I was already 19 at that point. The following year they changed it to 21 for ALL alcoholic beverages.
I never drove after drinking and never got into trouble due to drinking. Of course, I had a very trusting mother and a good relationship with her, and I think that helped me be responsible. Also, my father was an alcoholic, and who wants to be like him? I was also smart enough to realize that alcohol wasn't the problem, his pathetic weakness was.
I think it would be perfectly fine for 18+ to drink. After all, 18+ can get married, legally have sex, join the military, smoke, and vote. In other words, at 18, you are an adult.
As for MADD, maybe they should have tried parenting skills, openness, and honesty. That could have saved a lot of lives, I think. Parents should take responsibility for their kids, not the mall or television. Sorry to get off subject...
I have had many a drink, and I'm sure I'll have plenty more! BTW, I had a complete physical last Feb, and I am super healthy as well.
2007-10-19 05:45:29 · answer #2 · answered by tombollocks 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
definite it is going to be decreased. Im 17 and that i know that maximum all young human beings already drink. so why no longer decrease the ingesting age to 18 so i dont could bypass in the process the difficulty of looking a place to sell me beer. all young human beings drink already so what may be the harm of a minimum of letting it relatively is legal.
2016-10-04 04:06:47 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
from the 60s
If you can die for your country, you should be able to drink for your country.
France doesn't have an age for drinking ( as best i recall) but they don't have more alcoholics. ( that used to be true- i don't have recent data)
BEST reason might be political - the 18 year olds who could now drink would vote for the politicians that enabled this.
What i would argue:
Alcohol strength and safety are monitored by the govt.
Since people can't drink till they are 21 ( depending on their state) they can get other drugs easier than alcohol. those other drugs are not monitored for strength or safety.
How many people under 21 die of overdose of some other drugs every year, because alsohol is easy to get?
2007-10-19 05:38:45 · answer #4 · answered by nickipettis 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Marcelo has a point about being old enough to vote, marry, die for your country etc. at 18 and I truly understand that view point.
Having said that. I'm from Canada where I was legal at 18 and when I think back I scare myself. Drinking and driving was common practice not common sense. Choosing to be a passenger knowing the driver had drank as much or more than I had, could have seen me killed at least a dozen times. God was looking out for us and all those we could have killed as well. I am eternally grateful.
I was a responsible person who held a job, lived away from my parents, owned a car. I was smart enough to leave it at home when I went out. But, after drinking not smart enough to question how sober my friends who were doing the driving were. That was my thought process after having a few beer...need I say more.
I lost a few friends during those years as well to drinking and driving,(all under 21) could have done without that.
I'd like to see it go up to 21 here but can't see it happening.
2007-10-19 05:48:59 · answer #5 · answered by Choqs 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
stick with facts and statistics to debunk your opponent's statistics. your opponent will probably focus on 1) more drunk driving deaths 2) lead to alcoholism. compare other first country nations that have drinking age of 18 and pull statistics to show there is no spike in alcohol related accidents. as for health related, you can find stats too. as for moral reasons, it is common for 18 or younger in Europe to begin drinking but because it is condoned by the family so there is no abuse; you're right, kids in US drink not because they love the taste of beer, but like the thrill of breaking the law and being rebellious and cool. remove that motivation and you remove the problem.
2007-10-19 05:59:20 · answer #6 · answered by Mightie Mouse 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Noooooooooo.....For God's sake. I do not think that is a good idea to lower the legal drinking age to 18. There is a reason why the age is 21. It allows only mature individuals who have at least 3 years experience at being mature to make the decision to drink instead of someone who is straight off the boat of immaturity, just eager to get his/her hands on a drink so they can feel more adult like. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!
2007-10-19 05:45:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
My experience in the UK is that the ONLY positive is that it will provide more work opportunities for para-medics and police.
The streets of cities, towns and villages are regularly awash at the weekends with teens and early 20s paraletic on booze, either drinking themselves into unconsciousness or trying to fight anyone who they happen to come across in the street. It's a major problem over here - one that is regularly brought up in government.
Do yourself a favour - be different - and say in your debate that you cannot find anything to support a lowering of the age.
**EDIT**
The guy above who says it "works for us" in the UK obviously doesn't live here.
And as for the ponce Barry C who says the answers above him are "trite" - I would ask him to consider the increase in alcohol-related crime, deaths and injuries that we suffer in the UK because civil liberties dictate that the drinking age should be 18 - what about the civil liberties of those of us who have to pick up the pieces afterwards? I, for one, am sick of clearing puke and piss away from my front door after yet another night of uncontrolled boozing from the local youth population.
2007-10-19 05:36:07 · answer #8 · answered by the_lipsiot 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Personally, I think if the drinking age were lowered to 18, then it would have no effect. People may think otherwise, but I guess that's why it's a debatable topic right?
2007-10-19 05:38:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
Your claim doesn't make sense so I wouldn't go with that.
The other answers above me are trite frankly, not debate-worthy material.
The reason that will be difficult to rebut is this:
- There are no other laws, exept qualifications for US Senator and President which are listed in teh Constitution itself, that carry age restrictions over the age of majority.
- There is no stated or compelling Constitutional reason why this issue should be an exception, let alone the sole exception to deprive adult citizens of the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that other adult citizens are alowed to enjoy without restriction.
Good luck!
2007-10-19 05:38:41 · answer #10 · answered by Barry C 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋