Lower drinking age?

Chrishuff1

Platinum Member
Jul 25, 2000
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We have a class debate coming up in the next week or 2 and the topic is lowering the drinking age. What do you guys think? Should it be lowered and if so why? If not, why? Just want to get input from other individuals on this subject. Thanks!
 

damiano

Platinum Member
May 29, 2002
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why not
people drink more because it's NOT legal
if it was legal to drink at 18 people would drink less
 

Chrishuff1

Platinum Member
Jul 25, 2000
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lol freegeeks. Is there a problem with alcholoics and whatnot over there? Or are things pretty stable?
 

Snapster

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 2001
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Originally posted by: damiano
why not
people drink more because it's NOT legal
if it was legal to drink at 18 people would drink less

How so? Here in the UK 18 is legal, and we still drink loads. The more north you go in the UK, the more alcohol is consumed. Up in Shetland, there's not much else to do, but drink like fishes!
 

Platypus

Lifer
Apr 26, 2001
31,046
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You can be sent to die for your country when you're 18, but you can't have a beer. Amazing logic on that one.
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,392
1,780
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Originally posted by: Chrishuff1
lol freegeeks. Is there a problem with alcholoics and whatnot over there? Or are things pretty stable?
I'd say things would be pretty stable if you were face down on the floor.
 

Chrishuff1

Platinum Member
Jul 25, 2000
2,780
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CorporateRecreation: thats a good point, i just read that on a website. kinda crazy logic there. We're all ready and willing to let these young men die for our country but yet they arent even allowed, by law to have a beer.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
24,184
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It's 19 in most of Canada, and 18 in some provinces.

My dorm at McGill was sponsored by Labatt. So were some of our chemistry classes (seriously).
 

freegeeks

Diamond Member
May 7, 2001
5,460
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Originally posted by: Chrishuff1
lol freegeeks. Is there a problem with alcholoics and whatnot over there? Or are things pretty stable?


I guess that there are no more alcoholics here then elsewhere.
we traditionally always had very liberal laws when it's about alcohol. In my 27 years I've NEVER been asked an ID to enter a pub or club. the same goes for buying alcohol in supermarkets. They don't care if you are just 15. I never understood the harsh laws about alcohol in other countries.

like someone already said before, a law is not going to prevent a college kid from getting a beer.

the same thing goes for soft drugs. It's been legalized now and I don't see an increase of potjunkies around me.

just my 0,2 eurocent
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
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Originally posted by: Chrishuff1
We have a class debate coming up in the next week or 2 and the topic is lowering the drinking age. What do you guys think? Should it be lowered and if so why? If not, why? Just want to get input from other individuals on this subject. Thanks!

I think that if you are old enough to vote, enter contracts, and die for your country then there is no valid reason to deny you this one particular adult activity. All it does is encourage abuse by putting alcohol on a pedestal that it should not be put on.
 

Red

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2002
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We had a debate out this... it came down to the fact that American conservatives AND liberals feel that increasing the drinking age is the only way to control drunk driving and prevent alcohol related crimes / problems. It is mostly fact that people who want to drink are going to get access to alcohol anyway, but trust me, the 21 legal limit DOES prevent a lot of alcohol from being purchased.
 

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,529
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Originally posted by: Linflas
Originally posted by: Chrishuff1
We have a class debate coming up in the next week or 2 and the topic is lowering the drinking age. What do you guys think? Should it be lowered and if so why? If not, why? Just want to get input from other individuals on this subject. Thanks!

I think that if you are old enough to vote, enter contracts, and die for your country then there is no valid reason to deny you this one particular adult activity. All it does is encourage abuse by putting alcohol on a pedestal that it should not be put on.
Nah they should leave it where it is at. A lot of people over 20 have problems with booze, could you imagine how much worse it would be if 18 yr olds were allowed to drink legally? The roads would definately become more dangerous.
 

KidViciou$

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Corporate Recreation,

my sister was telling me about some guy convicted at age 12 to death row in texas. they executed him when he was 16

his story (4th party) is that some old white man called him some racist names, so he pushed him and the old man fell and died
 

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
2
81
I would think that if they were to lower it, to get the desired effect they'd have to remove the age entirely.
 

Dufman

Golden Member
Dec 29, 2002
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there is an actual good reason to have the drinking age at 21. becasue for a normal maturing adult, 21 is the age where your body is fully developed. including your hard working liver.
 

Ynog

Golden Member
Oct 9, 2002
1,782
1
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Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Originally posted by: Linflas
Originally posted by: Chrishuff1
We have a class debate coming up in the next week or 2 and the topic is lowering the drinking age. What do you guys think? Should it be lowered and if so why? If not, why? Just want to get input from other individuals on this subject. Thanks!

I think that if you are old enough to vote, enter contracts, and die for your country then there is no valid reason to deny you this one particular adult activity. All it does is encourage abuse by putting alcohol on a pedestal that it should not be put on.
Nah they should leave it where it is at. A lot of people over 20 have problems with booze, could you imagine how much worse it would be if 18 yr olds were allowed to drink legally? The roads would definately become more dangerous.

This is the problem with dropping the age. While I would definately support lowering the age at military bases,
lets be honest. Most people, especially in the US, are stupid. And most kids who drink, drink very heavily.
Even legal 20 somethings do this. There is a problem in the US when it comes to alcohol. Parents don't
ever explain the problems alcohol can cause, or responsibilty when it comes to drinking. and its just something kids
want to do. However people say that if it were legal kids wouldn't want to do it. Well tell you what in this country it
would take a while for that to happen. Because every kid would still do it.

 

screw3d

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2001
6,906
1
76
Many countries outside the states have a legal drinking age of 18, and yet suffer less alcohol abuse problem than the states.
 

DanTMWTMP

Lifer
Oct 7, 2001
15,908
19
81
they should leave it as is...

also, having reaching age 21 a year ago, it felt great. REAching 18, then 21 is awesome..it's just fun...

also most youngsters are pretty stupid. anyone can pick up a gun and kill another (refering to having an 18 yr old in the army). but drinking and driving and then killing someone "accidently" is infuriating.


this country should enforce 100 times more stricter laws for minors that drink
 

justint

Banned
Dec 6, 1999
1,429
0
0
Originally posted by: CorporateRecreation
You can be sent to die for your country when you're 18, but you can't have a beer. Amazing logic on that one.

You can't be president, congressman, senator, at 18 either. What's your point?
 

MacBaine

Banned
Aug 23, 2001
9,999
0
0
Originally posted by: Ynog
Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Originally posted by: Linflas
Originally posted by: Chrishuff1
We have a class debate coming up in the next week or 2 and the topic is lowering the drinking age. What do you guys think? Should it be lowered and if so why? If not, why? Just want to get input from other individuals on this subject. Thanks!

I think that if you are old enough to vote, enter contracts, and die for your country then there is no valid reason to deny you this one particular adult activity. All it does is encourage abuse by putting alcohol on a pedestal that it should not be put on.
Nah they should leave it where it is at. A lot of people over 20 have problems with booze, could you imagine how much worse it would be if 18 yr olds were allowed to drink legally? The roads would definately become more dangerous.

This is the problem with dropping the age. While I would definately support lowering the age at military bases,
lets be honest. Most people, especially in the US, are stupid. And most kids who drink, drink very heavily.
Even legal 20 somethings do this. There is a problem in the US when it comes to alcohol. Parents don't
ever explain the problems alcohol can cause, or responsibilty when it comes to drinking. and its just something kids
want to do. However people say that if it were legal kids wouldn't want to do it. Well tell you what in this country it
would take a while for that to happen. Because every kid would still do it.

The drinking age on military installations is already 18.
 

nativesunshine

Diamond Member
Jan 6, 2003
3,284
0
0
NO! Cause that would defeat my whole purpose of looking foward to turning 21. And it would give the younger kids an unfair advantage!!! >___<