Need some brainstorming help for writing topic: "lowering legal drinking age to 18"

[? (=Þ)]

I need some valid points to explore for a research paper. Some ideas? angles to approach it at?


and be serious guys, i dont need dozens of replies w/ various cracks. ~thanks!

 

[XZeroII]

*sigh*
I watched a speech in my Public Speaking class on this topic. It was one of the worst speeches I ever watched in my life. I have not seen a single arguement that was not along the lines of "It would be so cool".

 

[Colt45]

Talk about how lower drinking ages work fine in other countries, etc

 

[NeuralChaos]

well, quite a bit of underage drinking is the mystification and stigma that 21+ year olds put on it. You're right it would "be so cool.", but would it be if the drinking age was actually 18?

 

[WinkOsmosis]

If 18 year olds are old enough to vote, they should be old enough to drink.

 

[silverpig]

Quebec, Alberta...

 

[Scarpozzi]

18 year olds are old enough to fight a war and kill people...they should be old enough to drink....

Hey, it worked in 'Nam.

 

[minus1972]

if I had to make the argument, I would base it around it around these points and keep it simple while trying not to sound, like Zero said, giddy:

at 18, you can vote
at 18, you can serve in the armed forces
at 18, you can drive (most since 16, but you get the point)

if you're legally responsible enough to do these things, why shouldn't you be allowed to drink? I would put a heavy emphasis on voting, and how the age to do that was lowered. Finally, I would question why it was raised in the first place, and give examples of why those reasons are no longer valid.

 

[LordMaul]

i dont need dozens of replies w/ various cracks.

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How's that for cracks?

 

[Shaka]

maybe:

1) almost everyone has the opportunity to drink before age 21. i.e. colleges, parties, etc.

2) i think ppl are legally adults when they're 18. so wouldn't it be kind of odd if you were independent (i.e. not living w/parents, having a full time job, etc.) and not being able to legally drink with your coworkers in a safe comfortable atmosphere?

 

[Evadman]

18 year olds are not smart enough to not be stupid when they drink. Wait, most people aren't. Lemme rephrase that.

Most 18 year olds are even stupider when drunk than normal. They can not deal with the sensory change well enough, and concequensly go out driving thinking they are fine.

I know this. Trust me. I was 18 very recently. I would not trust myself @ 18 with alchohol. Hell, i still don't

 

Also, do not forget it is NOT a federal law. most states set it at 21 so they get federal funding.

 

[HappyPuppy]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
18 year olds are old enough to fight a war and kill people...they should be old enough to drink....

Hey, it worked in 'Nam.

18 year olds should not have the right to vote or drink unless they are in the active military.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
18 year olds are old enough to fight a war and kill people...they should be old enough to drink....

Hey, it worked in 'Nam.

18 year olds should not have the right to vote or drink unless they are in the active military.

Agreed. And they shouldn't have the right to drive or have sex unless they're attractive females and have sex with only me.

 

[zCypher]

It's 18 here heheh

 

[? (=Þ)]

ahh keep the ideas coming guys. This is gonna be somewhere between 10-20 pages, i need some more ideas. I pretty much came up w/ the same ones you guys listed. I need some really solid ones though. =\

Anyone familar with any cases/studies where a drinking age of 18 opposed to 21 was more beneficial to have? or of any countries/areas that have recently dropped the drinking age to 18? I think new zealand or australia was one I found in a quick search, any others?

 

[Jugernot]

Terrible idea and anyone who says they should is an idiot.

 

[Jugernot]

Originally posted by: Jellomancer
If 18 year olds are old enough to vote, they should be old enough to drink.

Making a bad choice in voting doesn't kill someone if you're drunk. That kind of decision making comes with age.

 

[BatmanNate]

Being a 21 year old and remembering that it was easier than hell to get drinks when I was 18 anyway, I'm going to have to side with the apathetic team. Yay!

 

[johnjohn320]

This is a really easy topic to research, just crack a book. Drinking isn't a problem in other countries without or with lowered minimum drinking age. Start with that.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Jugernot

Originally posted by: Jellomancer
If 18 year olds are old enough to vote, they should be old enough to drink.

Making a bad choice in voting doesn't kill someone if you're drunk. That kind of decision making comes with age.

True, but you COULD vote in GW and have him invade a bunch of countries...

 

[silverpig]

Here's one: If you let 14 year olds drink, they may be smart about it, or they may make a mistake and try riding their bike home from the pub one night. They'll hit a curb, cut up their knees, elbows, and face, spend a night puking in the hospital and learn never to do it again.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

they are legal adults; why discriminate?

 

[brtspears2]

I hear that alcholohism rates in places like France are much lower than in the US due to the exposure early in life and how its "not fun" .

 

[Jeff7]

Old enough to vote and drive, not drink alcohol? Weird. Too many adults can't seem to drink responsibly, plus the age laws don't seem to stop a lot of people, so what the heck, why not lower it.