Lowering the drinking age to 18 again

[maluckey]

There is already an exception for military. They can drink on-base. They have limits, but can drink.

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: maluckey
There is already an exception for military. They can drink on-base. They have limits, but can drink.

Really? I know that the Navy is required to have a drinking break for its sailors ever so often, but I didn't realize those under 21 could also drink at times. Interesting.

 

[Romans828]

The age of 18 should be the the age for everything or nothing its simply not right to pick and choose liberties for adults/people.

 

[NetGuySC]

 

[PingSpike]

We should probably make driving 18 too. God knows that would prevent enough accidents.

 

[d3n]

There is reason to believe that medically, people are more prone to making immature or rash judgments before the age of 22.

To cite some things off the top of my head:
Myelinization is a process in which neural fibers are coated with an insulating sheath (myelin) that improves message transmission (and help control impulsiveness). I believe the last region of the brain to develop and myelinate are the frontal lobes, which are responsible for thought consciousness and judgment. I believe the process is not complete in most people until about age 22- 25.


Are you willing to trust people to their own judgment not to get into a car after they've been drinking when many need as much help as they can get :-/

 

[Tab]

Legalize all drugs.

 

[glugglug]

Originally posted by: oreagan
Is anyone really against it? We all know that kids drink anyway, and while I don't really think making it legal for college kids to drink it will reduce net drinking, I can't see it exploding either.

I think you're wrong there...... Making it legal takes some of the fun out of it. I seriously think it actually would reduce net drinking.


Actually it's technically legal for them to be drinking anyway. Even those under 18. What is illegal is for them to BUY alchohol.

 

[dahunan]

I HATE alcoholics.. Alcoholics destroy life...

That being said... if most 21+yr olds cannot even drink without killing people.. then how the fvck can 18-20yr olds

 

[Cuda1447]

Originally posted by: Sahakiel
At this point in time, I see one of two options :

Allow drinking at 18.

Raise other minimum age requirements to 21.


Personally, I'd raise standards to 21.

Thats dumb, it'd shelter teens so much more and force alot more people to live at home until 21 instead of 18.

 

[markuskidd]

Originally posted by: dahunan


That being said... if most 21+yr olds cannot even drink without killing people.. then how the fvck can 18-20yr olds

lol??

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Where are all the "equal rights" people on this? This is definitely bigoted hatred towards those the gov't thinks shouldn't be able to do what other adults have the legal right to do.

CkG

 

[markuskidd]

I think it should be much more in the hands of parents to take care of teching their kids about alcohol and deciding when/how much they can drink.

 

[Sahakiel]

Originally posted by: Cuda1447

Originally posted by: Sahakiel
At this point in time, I see one of two options :

Allow drinking at 18.

Raise other minimum age requirements to 21.


Personally, I'd raise standards to 21.

Thats dumb, it'd shelter teens so much more and force alot more people to live at home until 21 instead of 18.

Lol.. that was the whole point. From my experience, 18 year olds are generally just as cocky and dumb as when they were 14 year old. I'd much rather have voters be college educated, have work experience or military training as opposed to buffoons who just graduated high school with no real grasp of reality. The same with drivers and drinkers.
Besides, I think you'd be surprised at the number of 19-24 year olds who live at home or very close to home. Somewhere on the order of 60% of just college graduates end up living at home after graduation. Imagine what the high school graduate does during the four years others are in college.

 

[oreagan]

Driving is, necessarily, a state thing...in some (Midwestern) states, the roads are flat and straight for miles and miles, as is the terrain around them. You can see cars or obstacles miles off, and in these areas licenses are issued to younger folk. Other areas the driving the trickier. Regardless, far too many 16-21-year-olds have real need to drive for it to be reasonable to raise that bar higher. Voting and drinking are national, and thus are very different from driving. There aren't really any geographic reasons why one area should be able to drink at younger ages, nor is it a necessity in anyone's life. Point is, discussions of ages and rights probably should be focused on voting, drinking, and other things, but not driving.

Now, I personally would like to see the drinking age be lowered to 18 (obviously), but I'd be content with the decision being given back to the states. There was a time in American history when prohibition was a national movement...that day is past. Some states don't allow children (or anyone) near fireworks, but some states allow all kinds for everyone. I haven't ever heard of any terrible problems with that system.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Fsck no, it's bad enough to have to deal with idiots in their early 20's in Nightclubs and bars, we don't need any teenage snotgobblers in those places.

 

[User1001]

In addition, most experts have agreed that drinking before 21 causes much more long and short term problems, mainly becuase your organs or not full developed. Congress will definately not lower the drinking age with that fact.

 

[MadRat]

The longer it takes for kids to be deemed adults the relative longer they'll take to grow up.