AnitaPeterson
Diamond Member
Yes.
What you're saying makes sense.
Then again, many things in the U.S. legal system don't make much sense....
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College Presidents want drinking age dropped to 18..
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Yes.
What you're saying makes sense.
Then again, many things in the U.S. legal system don't make much sense....
dainthomas
Lifer
They're the ones behind .08 too. Someone who's had a couple drinks can have a .08, but be far less impaired than someone messing with their radio, falling asleep, or yapping on their phone.
As someone said earlier, MADD is the new Temperance movement. They'd be happy if the limit was anything over zero.
Aharami
Lifer
this is what I was thinking also. I agree that lowering the drinking age to 18 might alleviate the college binge drinking problem, but will it introduce binge drinking to high school kids now? Maybe not since in HS, kids are still living at home under their parents - so they might not be as free to access alcohol as a college student living in a dorm might be.
lowering the age would have tons of benefits:
1) it decreases the mysticism involved with drinking often found in under agers. drinking isn't always as fun when it is legal.
2) kids can drink more responsibly. they wont have to go through other people to get booze and can go to establishments as opposed to parties.
3) banning something only makes it more appealing and adds more criminalization to the matter.
while we're at it lets drop all the stupid drug laws 🙂
1) it decreases the mysticism involved with drinking often found in under agers. drinking isn't always as fun when it is legal.
2) kids can drink more responsibly. they wont have to go through other people to get booze and can go to establishments as opposed to parties.
3) banning something only makes it more appealing and adds more criminalization to the matter.
while we're at it lets drop all the stupid drug laws 🙂
jonks
Lifer
If you are responsible and trusted enough to vote for the most powerful man in the world, responsible and trusted enough to enlist in the army and be sent overseas to kill people, responsible and trusted enough to be given a drivers license, you sure as shit should be responsible and trusted enough to have a fucking drink.
imported_Champ
Golden Member
i dont know what the big deal is...in Alberta its 18 and i've been drinking since i was 14 (house parties) and had my first fake at 17
house parties are ALOT more dangerous then pubs or bars...I would even say lower the drinking age to 17 because at that age alot of my friends had fakes and a house party at that age prtty much always goes out of control and I can only imagine what goes down when 20 year olds can't get into bars
MADD and the government are way of base on this...you can't expect a rule like this to be followed...i still remember when my parents found my fake and gave me the lecture...they had no argument when I ask what exactly will change in 7 months when I am 18 besides it was illegal (my mom got PISSED...my dad brought me to the pub the next week😛)
Thats why I am happy to be in one of the greatest countries in the world where a man who can join the army, buy smokes, buy a gun, be tried as adult, vote, can adopt and run for office (and all the other great things at 18) can go out a have a beer
house parties are ALOT more dangerous then pubs or bars...I would even say lower the drinking age to 17 because at that age alot of my friends had fakes and a house party at that age prtty much always goes out of control and I can only imagine what goes down when 20 year olds can't get into bars
MADD and the government are way of base on this...you can't expect a rule like this to be followed...i still remember when my parents found my fake and gave me the lecture...they had no argument when I ask what exactly will change in 7 months when I am 18 besides it was illegal (my mom got PISSED...my dad brought me to the pub the next week😛)
Thats why I am happy to be in one of the greatest countries in the world where a man who can join the army, buy smokes, buy a gun, be tried as adult, vote, can adopt and run for office (and all the other great things at 18) can go out a have a beer
Bibble
Golden Member
My college is cited in this article! Woot?
I would say my school as a whole has a drinking problem (although a significant minority does not drink/party much). I am part of the partying majority, however, and I could name more than a few people who are well on their way to alcoholism (carrying SoCo around in your purse is a good sign). I am sure that doing their drinking 'underground' contributed to such behavior. If they had learnt to drink in a legal and legitimate environment I think their habits might be less dangerous.
I think it is safe to say that if the drinking age was lowered to 18 far fewer freshmen would be sent to the hospital the first weekend of the semester. This is a huge problem at my school. DUI is also fairly frequent, but in most cases the driver's BAC is under .08, but since they are under 21 it doesn't matter. My friend blew a .03 and was kicked out for the semester. This leads me to believe that if the age was lowered to 18 there would be far fewer DUIs on campus.
While some of these college presidents may believe that lowering the drinking age to 18 will be a positive thing, I can all but guarantee their main motive behind wanting it is because they do not want the responsibility/liability of under age drinking occurring on campus.
I would say my school as a whole has a drinking problem (although a significant minority does not drink/party much). I am part of the partying majority, however, and I could name more than a few people who are well on their way to alcoholism (carrying SoCo around in your purse is a good sign). I am sure that doing their drinking 'underground' contributed to such behavior. If they had learnt to drink in a legal and legitimate environment I think their habits might be less dangerous.
I think it is safe to say that if the drinking age was lowered to 18 far fewer freshmen would be sent to the hospital the first weekend of the semester. This is a huge problem at my school. DUI is also fairly frequent, but in most cases the driver's BAC is under .08, but since they are under 21 it doesn't matter. My friend blew a .03 and was kicked out for the semester. This leads me to believe that if the age was lowered to 18 there would be far fewer DUIs on campus.
While some of these college presidents may believe that lowering the drinking age to 18 will be a positive thing, I can all but guarantee their main motive behind wanting it is because they do not want the responsibility/liability of under age drinking occurring on campus.
SneakyStuff
Diamond Member
:thumbsup:
nakedfrog
No Lifer
I'm just saying that personally I feel this will do absolutely nothing to address the problem, based on my experience as a teen with legal access to alcohol. I also feel it will increase drinking in lower ages.
And the stats I read in the newspaper article on this did in fact show a decrease in underage drinking at college over the last 11 years.
manowar821
Diamond Member
You're not looking at this the right way. If the drinking age is 18, they have time to drink with their family and learn the ropes. The drinking age at 21, I would argue, causes a sort of sudden binge of alcohol consumption as soon as they turn. If it's lowered to 18 they have more time to learn what is appropriate, and they have time to drink with their family before heading out on their own.
If the drinking age is 21, they have no supervision when they finally come of age. If it's at 18, the burden is pushed back to where it should be, on the parental figures. Right now legal drinkers are all alone when they finally are allowed to purchase it. The "role models" they are around at 21 are not real role models in any sense of the term.
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
I've been saying this for many years... the age should be lower. You can search my old posts and find other instances of me pointing it out here. MADD uses faulty reasoning and analysis of statistics in its claims that raising the drinking age reduced DWI deaths. Did the rate of deaths in DWI accidents go down after the age went from 18 to 21? Certainly - but MADD attributes that to causation, not correlation. Around the same time (at least in NY), mandatory seat belt laws came into effect. Airbags were just starting to become more common. It's like draining a bathtub, and after the water has already been going down for a minute or two, tossing in a rubber ducky & claiming that the water is continuing to go down because of the presence of the duck.
If we wait til "children" are 21 years of age before they're allowed to have alcohol, then who is going to be present to help them learn to drink in moderation and respect alcohol? At my son's graduation party, my wife and I would have each risked our professional licenses if we provided even a drop of alcohol to anyone underage at the party. Plus, we (and every other parent of a graduating student) were given a notice (sponsored in part by MADD) that said they were going to be out looking for that this year & wouldn't be stopping at a level of warning. Quite frankly, that still leaves me a bit pissed to think that not only wasn't I allowed to use my best judgement, but that they were going to be aggressively targeting parents who provided even a single drink to their graduating child.
If we wait til "children" are 21 years of age before they're allowed to have alcohol, then who is going to be present to help them learn to drink in moderation and respect alcohol? At my son's graduation party, my wife and I would have each risked our professional licenses if we provided even a drop of alcohol to anyone underage at the party. Plus, we (and every other parent of a graduating student) were given a notice (sponsored in part by MADD) that said they were going to be out looking for that this year & wouldn't be stopping at a level of warning. Quite frankly, that still leaves me a bit pissed to think that not only wasn't I allowed to use my best judgement, but that they were going to be aggressively targeting parents who provided even a single drink to their graduating child.
Bibble
Golden Member
I almost completely agree with what you have said, Deeko. No matter why the schools want it, I think lowering the drinking age to 18 will have long term benefits.
My only qualm with your statement is that motive should absolutely not be disregarded. The real reason behind why they are doing this ought to be kept in mind. It is always good to ask the all important question of 'cui bono?'. Perhaps in this case it does not change the course of action that should be taken, but it must be considered.
imported_Lothar
Diamond Member
Did any state ignore the threats?
If so, which states did?
Which states have a lower legal drinking age than the federal gov't?
SphinxnihpS
Diamond Member
WI ignored it the longest, and I believe they were denied federal funding. I had friends grandfathered into their age 19 drinking age. Let's just say I was not happy to be younger back then.
Ironically, WI has some of the best concrete roads I have driven on. Way too much asphaltic concrete garbage out there now. Some state like perpetual roadwork though.
Also, if you have a kid in WI, you can bring them to a bar and buy them a beer and a shot, so long as the bar allows it (which many do not).
Ironically, WI has some of the best concrete roads I have driven on. Way too much asphaltic concrete garbage out there now. Some state like perpetual roadwork though.
Also, if you have a kid in WI, you can bring them to a bar and buy them a beer and a shot, so long as the bar allows it (which many do not).
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