Why should the drinking age be lowered to at least 18?

Question

i am doing a report on the drinking age and wondering why it is set so high. teenagers start to drink at at least 13 and continue until they are older. i am trying to support my case that the drinking law be lowered to at least 18. please help me.

Answer 1

MJ

I believe the question ought to be "Why have a minimum drinking age at all?"

My parents never had a drinking age per se (Europe) and neither did I nor my children. Alcohol is food -- it is to be consumed in moderation and with instructions and manners.

Just as you may be punished for tossing your spaghetti and sauce all over the table --- you would get punished for excessive drinking.

My children all have learned how to make beer which they are permitted to drink at family meals. Wine is served at family meals. They are not permitted to provide either to any guest unless the parents of the guest are present --- verbal okays do not win the argument.

I was told that during Vietnam people complained "old enough to fight Old enough to drink" Laws were changed to change the age of majority to 18 for both drinking and voting. Voting at 18 became a national right --- Drinking at 18 was granted in some states but then over time MADD (the new Prohibitionist party) mangled statistics and forced Congress to blackmail each state to raise the drinking age and lower the BAC levels --- using FUD.

If people are permitted to vote which enables them to steal another's money via taxes --- one ought to trust them to drink responsibly.

You should look into what happened to age of office holding. Some states who once allowed anyone of voting age to run for office --- have been upset when an 18 yo actually runs and g-d forbid wins --- In has happened in OH, PA since the 70's. This age was in the news recently when a 19 yo almost won -- the political unit immediatly raise the age to 21 or more.

Hell, if you are 21 you ought to run -- you have the time, winning a seat would earn you $32,000 for a part time job and once elected you don't have to do anything. So while you are living at home or have a small apartment --- run for city counsel --- the average voter will not know you anymore than they know their current elected official --- If you are female and pretty --- you may get a lot of free "news coverage" [Bright colors, tight knit blouses, low neck lines --- TV news of a city race.] If you think you can do better then the jerks who have sexual connnections to the wallets of others --- then run. Do not waste your youth --- Get elected, vote NO on every spending bill and you will get re-elected.

Answer 2

In the US a man is old enough to be drafted into the armed forces and face the possibility of dying for his country, but is not old enough to drink a beer before he trots off to war. That is absurd.
The legal age to buy alcohol in the State of Texas when I came of age was 18. A few months later it was raised to 19. About a year later my 19th birthday it was raised once again to 21. These prohibitions did not sway me from consuming the juice, they just made me a criminal. I was, however, still required to register for Selective Service and be ready to be called in the service of my country, the one which made me a criminal.
There was no real drop in alcohol related accidents by raising the age to 21, I would venture a guess that the rates have increased substantially.

As to the post above:
I would love to help you, but I don't agree with that. Just because some teens are drink at an early age does not mean that we should allow them to do it earlier. The reason it is set so high is because when you are 21 you are much more...cautious with your things. Your in college, and own a car. You are not going to go drink and drive. You will be more careful. Also your brain is more developed.
What world do you live in where college students are responsible, take a trip to the coast for spring break and report back to us how the mature college kids are behaving like adults.

Answer 3

This is an uphill battle, because, maybe you know, the drinking age WAS lowered to 18 in the 70s and 80s, but an explosion of alcohol-related fatalities (especially on the road) made everyone rethink that.

Your best evidence should be from Europe, where most places have no set drinking age, or a very low and relaxed one (like 14 if you're not with your parents). Alcohol fatalities are low there; binge drinking is rare in most parts of Europe because kids grow up with alcohol... there's no mystery.

The other thing you can try to argue is that, since a majority of kids drink at a young age, the only thing that the law does is allow people who aren't smart about not getting caught to endure penalties. Plus, it allows cops to discriminate on who they charge and punish.

Start there... good luck. But remember the most important thing is not to support your position, but be ready to refute the other side's position (that lowering the drinking age will seriously affect car accident fatalities, binge drinking among youth, and other nasty effects).

Answer 4

I used to think the drinking age should be lowered when I was 18, but now that I am older I understand why it is 21. Most 18 year olds are not mature enough to drink. I know a lot of them do anyway, but they shouldn't be allowed to legally.

Answer 5

talking on cell phones and texting while driving cause a lot of accidents too and there is no age limit on that. smoking marijuana doesn't seem to cause much of a problem and that is illegal ajll together.

the answer is who knows and there's nothing you can do about it - some day, some entity with a **** load of money and some sincere interest in making the drinking age lower or higher for whatever reason will lobby and lobby until the age is lowered or raised.

the point is that there isn't anything you can do, the machine is far to big for your small pockets; and as far as the argument about eighteen year olds being able to decide to go to war or to vote - just look at what the idiots do with that decision - given the chance they decide to go kill people and don't wake up early enough to cast a ballot.

if you're eighteen and want to drink make friends with a 21 year old.

Answer 6

I would love to help you, but I don't agree with that. Just because some teens are drink at an early age does not mean that we should allow them to do it earlier. The reason it is set so high is because when you are 21 you are much more...cautious with your things. Your in college, and own a car. You are not going to go drink and drive. You will be more careful. Also your brain is more developed.

Answer 7

You are under a misconception...few countries have a legal drinking age, usually they have an age restriction on purchase and on drinking on licensed premises...In UK you may drink at any age , what you may not do is purchase alcohol below the age of 18.

Answer 8

I think it should be lowered to 18, because it just doesn't make any sense to allow people to vote, serve their country, marry, pay taxes, and buy tobacco, but not let them buy alcohol at that age. There should be a uniform rule regarding what age people should be in order to be treated like adults by the legal system.

Answer 9

If by age 18, you are allowed to join the military and kill people, then I think at 18 you should also be allowed to drink alcohol.

Answer 10

Because i thought 18 was when you were considered an adult? Adults cant make that decision? Also we are able to go play the war game at 18 and able to vote at 18. If we are able to do that responsibly why not swig down a few brews?