Do you think the drinking age should be 18 again?

[starmom]

Maybe we should be talking about instead raising the age to go into the military, vote, etc, to 21 from 18...I know more than a few 18 years olds that wouldn't even be able to point to Afghanistan or Georgia (the country) on a map, much less made educated decisions on politics, public service, and alcohol consumption.

Yep, I'm digging this line of reasoning

[snakey68]

Ok I have a rather differing opinion than most here it seems so bare with me please

Ahe risk of being hung drawn and quatered I voted no, because I believe that there are too many negatives attached to drinking at a young age and the more rouned , grounded and mature you are the better you will handle drinking.

I believe that there are alot of youngsters who just are not mature enough or resposible enough to handle it. I know there are many youngsters and I see some on here that seem very well put together etc and come across very well but whatever way you look at it drinking is mind altering and does influence behavior.

I do sympathise with the if you can fight for your country etc you should be able to drink but thats a seperate issue. Drinking is not something that will have an adverse affect on your growth as a human being if your not allowed it when a teenager.

There are no positives, or anything, that would substantiate an arguement for drinking at a young age imo that offer any kind of incentive to encourage it.

Drunk driving, rapes, muggings,assualts,unwanted pregnancy all kinds of erratic behavior can and have been documented as such as being due to or part of alcohol abuse whether it be a regular or infrequent thing.

The worst thing to happen imo from "Not" lowering the age is the statistics will be slightly less in drunk related crime in whatever form, than if it is reduced.


I think in terms of maturity overall there is a huge difference from your early to late teens when talking a couple of years as apposed to some one in their 30's or 40's. By that I mean someone 15 if you see them 3 years later at 18 there is both physical and mental growth as apposed to seeing a 30 year old at 33.

In short I think there are more positives than negatives to not lowering the age now where is my beer I put down

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Well I was born and raise in a country where the drinking age is 18 (which is the legal age for everything driving, drinking, voting etc) and I can tell you from my experience that binge drinking and other alcohol related issues are not encountered as much as they are here.

Not sure if it is the age or the fact that people are more open about alchol (among other things) in France but there is definitely a respect and more moderation where I come from.

[Drew87]

I say NO!!!!!! i just turned 21 let me live it up for like a year then they can change it haha

[MontyNSpike]

I think the drinking age should be 21 still. I'm probably alone on this, but I don't care. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the drinking age is lowered to 18, then you're going to have more driving fatalities and accidents because more kids will have access to alcohol. Plus, like someone else said crimes will go up as a result. I think only negative consequences can come from this.

[SoCaliSon]

Last time I checked we weren't forcing people to enlist anymore. People who are fighting right now for our country signed up to be there, And while I personally think they all Deserve a huge Beer,I don't think we should reconsider the drinking age for civilians because you can volunteer for the military at 18? Voting is one thing, and that age has been changed...and rightfully remains at the legal age for enlistment. A 20 yo Navy Private volunteered to serve a country that enforces a drinking age, and our country enforces these limits for a reason. Military duty, the policies surrounding it, and the enlistment age should have nothing to do with the legallity of alcohol, or the age at which civilians should be able drink it. Unless I am mistaken once you join the miltary you sign away a lot of the rights that you posses as a civilian anyway, and you live under a whole different set of rules. Civilian Life and Military Life are completely different, and knowing how some poilicies with our military run, I am suprised alcohol is permitted in the armed forces at all. For the sake of the soldiers I am glad they are allowed to enjoy the occasional drink, But the argument about fighting for our country when you can't even have a drink lost its weight when we stopped forcively drafting kids into the military right out of highschool.

[Spaniard]

Some statistics on DWI offenders.

http://www.subboard.com/legal/inform...ackets/dwi.asp

What Age Group Constitutes the Typical DWI Offender?

Throughout the United States, 61.4 percent of those arrested for DWI offenses fall into the 25 to 44-age range, slightly above the age of the traditional college student. The second highest age range, at 24.5 percent is the college student age – individuals 18 to 24. Individuals 45 to 54 composed 8.5 percent, 55 to 64 accounted for 3.3 percent, and individuals under 18 constituted 1.0 percent.

These statistics indicate that the effects of DWI touch all groups and ages in the United States. There is not single isolated group that persistently violates DWI laws. This class of criminal activity is not confined to a single race or age, but is a problem that effects all groups. Education and awareness efforts must be aimed at all individuals to prevent the potentially destructive consequences of DWI.

[LAWReptiles]

at 18.. You can get married.. move out.. die for your country... choose the president..buy ciggarettes... and many more.. Hell, all of that makes me want a shot right now

[envy_ld50]

No, Simply because I am 21 now and I feel that it's something to look forward to! As well as Vegas. I love Vegas and I just got back, you really should be an adult before you can get the booze. As for the military thing, they will take young people to fill positions, you are made to be responsible in the military while giving a 18yr old alcohol is often the opposite of responsible.

[andwhy6]

anyone that says no is rediculous!
the people voting no are most likely parents of a teen or had no friends in high school... either way... you ALL know you were drinking before 21

we are the ONLY country in the world were you have to be 21. I drank more when i was 18 than i do now (21) even when it was illegal so legallize it. I also wont have to worry bout gettin a ticket for hookin up my lil bro and his friends (who are 18) up cuz the country is ran by a buch of prudes with too tight of an A hole. thats just how i feel..

PARTY!