US Drinking Age- Lowered to 18!?

[Teapot]

A big debate I've heard going around is lowering the United States drinking age from 21 to 18. I was curious on what you guys thought of this. Do you think it should be lowered down to 18? Why or why not?

 

[Thomasss]

I think it's a good idea. Most 18 year olds drink anyway so I don't see a big deal. It's up to the person to be responsible drinking, law or no law. If you cannot be responsible, you should not drink, whether you are 50 or if you are 18.

 

[Teapot]

Didn't Obama pass that law already? 😵

Anyway, I think it's a good idea. Most 18 year olds drink anyway so I don't see a big deal. It's up to the person to be responsible drinking, law or no law. If you cannot be responsible, you should not drink, whether you are 50 or if you are 18.

I am pretty sure for the most part that President Obama passing that law was a rumor out on Daily Buzz or something.

However, I too think the drinking age should be lowered to 18. If you are considered an 'adult' at 18, why can't you do things most adults at age 21 can do? I mean let's be real here. You can vote, get married, do all kinds of things you couldn't before the age of 18. Why be restricted to drinking?

 

[mistm_0]

I think its cool. People younger than that get their hands on alcohol.

 

[Joshua Farrell]

I don't care whether or not people think that everyone is doing it, but contrary to popular belief, not everyone younger than 21 drinks in the U.S.. Infact, there is actually a larger portion of the population that actually follows the laws regarding age restrictions, than those who do not.

But anyways, if more were allowed to drink at a earlier age, you will have more issues regarding social situations, mental capabilities, and generally good behavior in situations that require a little bit more time to develop ones' brain.

 

[Hissae2]

Infact, there is actually a larger portion of the population that actually follows the laws regarding age restrictions, than those who do not.

I'm not sure where you're from, but that is not the case here at all. lol. When my doctor asked how much alcohol I drink last year at my check up, and I told him zero, he responded with "How do you manage that these days?". I was 18 at the time. 😛

I think it should be lowered. If you can join the army at 18, it doesn't make a lot of sense to not be able to drink. Especially when everyone does it anyway.

 

[Sharon]

Actually a lot of states already allows underage drinking. (http://drinkingage.procon.org/view.reso ... eID=002591) The question is should people under 21 be able to BUY alcohol? Sure it's a plus for the states because the more people buy alcohol the more tax they can collect.

I personally don't think the age should be lowered because if people are now thinking they can drink at 18 when the law states 21. What is next? 15 year olds should be able to buy alcohol?

I understand that there are some benefits to drinking alcohol in moderation (e.g. wine) but there are MANY people who abuse alcohol. There are so many side effects of alcohol and negative impact to our bodies when consumed too often.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs349/en/
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-m ... -poisoning

 

[Mozzie]

It has always bees 18 here in Oz

 

[Thomasss]

I personally don't think the age should be lowered because if people are now thinking they can drink at 18 when the law states 21. What is next? 15 year olds should be able to buy alcohol?

15 year olds are already drinking and getting drunk so I highly doubt that would be more of an issue if things were to drop down to 18. I honestly think if people can drink it, they should be able to buy it. The parents need to teach their kids how to handle it, how not to abuse it, etc. but even then if the kid really thinks it's cool to drink and what not and they get drunk and maybe poisoned by this, they won't be doing it again now will they?

I don't want to sound all devilish but if they are not smart enough to incorporate common sense while drinking, and they happen to get drunk and do something or happen to get sent to the hospital because they drank too much, then they should be smart enough after that not to do it again. If you cannot listen to warnings and things of that nature, you might as well learn the hard way.

 

[Sharon]

I personally don't think the age should be lowered because if people are now thinking they can drink at 18 when the law states 21. What is next? 15 year olds should be able to buy alcohol?

15 year olds are already drinking and getting drunk so I highly doubt that would be more of an issue if things were to drop down to 18. I honestly think if people can drink it, they should be able to buy it. The parents need to teach their kids how to handle it, how not to abuse it, etc. but even then if the kid really thinks it's cool to drink and what not and they get drunk and maybe poisoned by this, they won't be doing it again now will they?

I don't want to sound all devilish but if they are not smart enough to incorporate common sense while drinking, and they happen to get drunk and do something or happen to get sent to the hospital because they drank too much, then they should be smart enough after that not to do it again. If you cannot listen to warnings and things of that nature, you might as well learn the hard way.

Of course you are entitled to your own opinion sir Thomasss 😉

At 15 years old I was into musical instruments, playing basketball, video games, and watching movies. I never cared for drinking and my older siblings and friends never introduced me to drinking - only after I was 18 did they start offering but I usually declined because I didn't like the way it tasted. Too often do people so young get caught up in drinking due to peer pressure - they would be seen as "uncool" if they didn't accept. I think teens should continue to spend their allowance (because let's face it kids nowadays don't usually get jobs until they are forced to and their parents give them money) buying clothes, watching movies, playing video games. There is no sense in getting drunk with people at that age in my opinion. I can't help but think that if they were to lower the drinking age that there will be more accidents, more deaths, and more injuries overall because parents are not always there to protect their children especially during social events.

 

[Thomasss]

I personally don't think the age should be lowered because if people are now thinking they can drink at 18 when the law states 21. What is next? 15 year olds should be able to buy alcohol?

15 year olds are already drinking and getting drunk so I highly doubt that would be more of an issue if things were to drop down to 18. I honestly think if people can drink it, they should be able to buy it. The parents need to teach their kids how to handle it, how not to abuse it, etc. but even then if the kid really thinks it's cool to drink and what not and they get drunk and maybe poisoned by this, they won't be doing it again now will they?

I don't want to sound all devilish but if they are not smart enough to incorporate common sense while drinking, and they happen to get drunk and do something or happen to get sent to the hospital because they drank too much, then they should be smart enough after that not to do it again. If you cannot listen to warnings and things of that nature, you might as well learn the hard way.

Of course you are entitled to your own opinion sir Thomasss 😉

At 15 years old I was into musical instruments, playing basketball, video games, and watching movies. I never cared for drinking and my older siblings and friends never introduced me to drinking - only after I was 18 did they start offering but I usually declined because I didn't like the way it tasted. Too often do people so young get caught up in drinking due to peer pressure - they would be seen as "uncool" if they didn't accept. I think teens should continue to spend their allowance (because let's face it kids nowadays don't usually get jobs until they are forced to and their parents give them money) buying clothes, watching movies, playing video games. There is no sense in getting drunk with people at that age in my opinion. I can't help but think that if they were to lower the drinking age that there will be more accidents, more deaths, and more injuries overall because parents are not always there to protect their children especially during social events.

Most people today are not you. 😛 Just because you were into other things at that age doesn't mean no one else is now. 😛 Peer pressure is the reason why everyone drinks, even as adults. However again being "uncool" in this day and age can literally end any social life in highschool, you can get teased and bullied to the point where you want to die, so of course peer pressure will get to people. It's something that affects more people than anything in today's schools, honestly drinking is least of peoples worries because at least that can be monitored. More and more teens are into prostitution and drugs rather than drinking, so again lowering the age probably won't do a thing.

I was literally in the middle of all of this before I left for homeschooling, schools now are quite different from schools 10 years ago, even 5 years ago. Each year schools get worse as far as peer pressure, and not many teens even get an allowance now. I know I don't, and the school I went to most kids stole all the money they got and then used it on drugs, people were drug dealing in the middle of the halls and the teachers did nothing. Alcohol is the least of your worries. 😛

 

[Kino]

If I can go and sacrifice my life as a Marine at the age of 18 for the pleasures of the United States, then I should be able to have a beer.

 

[MrDawn]

If I can go and sacrifice my life as a Marine at the age of 18 for the pleasures of the United States, then I should be able to have a beer.

I agree. Also, kids in high school are drinking, smoking, and having sex too. So might as well.

 

[Thomasss]

If I can go and sacrifice my life as a Marine at the age of 18 for the pleasures of the United States, then I should be able to have a beer.

This^^^^

I mean if people are worried about more DUI's than we can do what most other countries do (I think in Germany?) and have the driving age at 21 and the drinking age at 18. 😛

However with lowering it I think classes on Alcohol and Wine would be nice, teach people the differences, how to serve it properly, how much you should drink, etc.

 

[Kino]

If I can go and sacrifice my life as a Marine at the age of 18 for the pleasures of the United States, then I should be able to have a beer.

This^^^^

I mean if people are worried about more DUI's than we can do what most other countries do (I think in Germany?) and have the driving age at 21 and the drinking age at 18. 😛

However with lowering it I think classes on Alcohol and Wine would be nice, teach people the differences, how to serve it properly, how much you should drink, etc.

Another problem in the U.S. is that sex education and things relating to alcohol aren't taught at a younger age like in Europe. I was brought up in a European household, both of my parents being from Poland. I knew what sex was probably by 3rd grade and understood what alcohol was before I went to middle school and probably had my first vodka in like 6th grade. If you teach kids this at a younger age, the older they get they won't make stupid mistakes.

I mean if sex education begun much earlier and safe sex was preached like Common Core is then you would have such a decrease in teenage pregnancies and all of that. I mean you just won't see that here because America is sheltered compared to the rest of the world.

 

[segru]

In the US you can serve, but can't get served. Think about that one for a minute.

 

[OtabekAltin]

If you can choose to die for your country at 18, you should be able to choose to drink at 18 as well.

 

[Deleted member 5665]

That's what we need younger adults getting drunk and stupid getting behind a wheel and running more people over. That'll turn out well. /s

 

[Jax]

A big debate I've heard going around is lowering the United States drinking age from 21 to 18. I was curious on what you guys thought of this. Do you think it should be lowered down to 18? Why or why not?

UNITED KINGDOM

I am from the UK... The drinking age is 18, to drive you have to be 17.

In the US, you have to be 21 to drink blah, 15 (and six months) to drive...

Should the drinking age be lowered? yes, just because someone tells you legally can't doesn't stop a lot of young people. I believe that there should be no drinking age. If we take the classic Italian method, of teaching moderate drinking then there will be fewer alcohol abuses.

I never understood that you can drive a car but can't drink... but that is me...

That's what we need younger adults getting drunk and stupid getting behind a wheel and running more people over. That'll turn out well. /s

It's the way alcohol is a show to us. if we were shown from a young age how to drink responsibly there would not be this issue, it's our pop-culture that has created this mess
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[Page]

I have had an nice drink but I look younger then what they think!!!!! It's an pain in the ass when your ID doesn't get approved