Poll: Lower the drinking age to 18?

[Bleeding Jawa]

OK..how about this:

How many people who are ALREADY over the age of 21 think that the legal age should be lowered to 18?

 

[Linflas]

One other thing occurs to me. I wish I had the time to search through this board to find out how many of you that are posting against age 18 make posts supporting the 2nd ammendment. I could probably make pro gun control arguments based on the same safety ideas that I have seen expressed here ie. deny certain rights because they may be dangerous due to irresponsible individuals. I no more believe that in regards to gun control than I do regarding alcohol.

 

[Xesh]

I think it's a great idea. People 18-21 have to get fake ID's or get their friends to buy alcohol, and then they have to consume it in a confined area where nobody can find them out - hence the huge parties. People who complain about 18-21 year olds drinking irresponsibly must realize that that's the only way 18-21 year olds can drink. If we lower the drinking age to 18, we give them a chance to drink responsibly without fear of getting trouble from authorities.

Being 18, I guess I am a tad biased, though...

 

[OutHouse]

im over 18 and i think the drinking age should be lowered back down to 18. Linflas said it the best. at 18 your an adult. Why does it have to make things "better" to change it??? It just wrong to put a magical age of 21 to make booze legal. for the most part 21 year olds are just as mature as 18 year olds.

 

If you can vote and DIE for your country, you better believe you should be able to drink.

In the case of it being dangerous, I suggest raising the draft age to 21.

 

[Red Dawn]

Yeah, the last thing we need is a bunch of punk 18 year olds frequenting Night Clubs. Just think, along with Condom and Cigarette Machines they'll need to have machines dishing out Stridex.

As for serving in the Armed Services, the reason 18 year olds are good for the Armed services is the same reason they shouldn't be allowed to drink. They are easliy trained and manipulated because they haven't aquired the ability to think for themselves yet.

 

[FrancesBeansRevenge]

I am 25 and I think the drinking age SHOULD indeed be lowered back to 18. Of course I also think pot should be legalized (or at least decriminalized)... so that probably kills my credibility amongst the right-wing bible thumpers around here. heh

Strange our country trusts 18yo with an M-16 but not a beer. Gotta love puritanical American society... not.

 

<< As for serving in the Armed Services, the reason 18 year olds are good for the Armed services is the same reason they shouldn't be allowed to drink. They are easliy trained and manipulated because they haven't aquired the ability to think for themselves yet. >>



Everything you just said is a double standard.

Why should you be able to get shot for your country, go to prison, ANYTHING else under the law except drink.
Why can you smoke at the age of 18, or look at porno.
In that case, 18yr olds are not smart enough to handle the impact naked girls and nicotine will have on them.

 

[pulpp]

idealy i would say lower it, realisticly it would probably do more harm than good

 

[Red Dawn]

<< Why should you be able to get shot for your country, go to prison, ANYTHING else under the law except drink. >>

Hmmm.. maybe it's because we don't like 18 year olds. Why do you think we send them off to war to get killed? If we do that we sure don't want them hanging out in Nightclubs with us.

 

[LordMaul]

No.

 

[aidan]

Im in england

My suggestion is to lower the drinking age to 16 (now 18), but higher the smoking age to 18 (now 16)

 

[ElFenix]

i'm for repealing the drinking age entirely. i think making it illegal leads more people to binge drinking than otherwise. you don't learn to be responsible with it your whole life. i'd like to see some cross sectional studies on the subject, i think they'd back up what i'm saying.

 

[Red Dawn]

In all seriousness, what good would come out of allowing younger people to consume poison? It is poison, why do you think you feel so bad the day after drinking too much. On top of that, younger people (especially boys)tend to be more aggresive and when combine with that poison and an automobile it's more trouble than it is worth.

 

[sharkeeper]

<< Hmmm.. maybe it's because we don't like 18 year olds. Why do you think we send them off to war to get killed? If we do that we sure don't want them hanging out in Nightclubs with us. >>



ROFL

True, true!

Cheers!

 

[bigredguy]

i am 18 but it is really is to have someone older buy it for you. just give them a 20 to go get you a bottle of your favorite drink and your good to go.

 

[ElPool]

i just considered that when i turn 21 in november, im going to want to go to some bars and nightclubs in the states (not canada, where i already frequent clubs), and i dont want 18 year olds with me in those clubs. i dont really like anyone that much younger than me. I want the drinking age lowered 3 years ago, when i was 17. still, im older than msot of my friends, and would like to throw parties without getting ticketed for suplying to minors.

how come they call it a &quot;minor in posession&quot; when, technically, your not a minor anymore.
Thats like when theaters charge teenagers &quot;adult&quot; prices, but still dont let them in adult movies.

 

Red, true. But it does not matter who you like, its your rights under the law as a voter and a fully legal citizen.

I don't mind 18yr olds and such as long as they are not pricks.
And I used to drink MORE when I was underage.

 

[Urinal Mint]

<< Simple. In this country 18 years old is considered adulthood and there is no reason why this one particular activity should be denied any legal adult. As for those who say teenagers are irresponsible I say you reap what you sow. If you treat them like they are irresponsible, tell then are irresponsible, pass laws to treat them like they are irresponsible then do not be surprised if they live down to your expectations. >>


I'm sorry, but although 18 is considered adulthood in this country, I would argue that mentally people aren't adults until they're out of college or have been on their own for a few years. You are not an adult so long as mommy and daddy are fending for you.

And Red Dawn is right... we don't want you 18-20 year old dumbasses in nightclubs with us. Nothing is worse than a pile of drunken college freshmen. I don't give a rat's ass if the girls are easier then... if they're that easy, I sure as hell don't want a piece of it.

 

[Cyberian]

<< it wouldn't really matter at all what the legal age was if parents would sit down with their kids and simply be frank with them about alcohol.
>>



Hey, it worked for the President!

 

[OutHouse]

sorry MINT your thinking is flawed. By LAW your an adult on your 18th birthday. doesnt matter if mommy and daddy are feeding or housing you. I still say if the laws of this land says your an adult on your 18th birthday you should be able to have a beer. hey like somebody said earlier you can buy smokes at 18 tell me the logic in that?

 

[Urinal Mint]

<<

<< it wouldn't really matter at all what the legal age was if parents would sit down with their kids and simply be frank with them about alcohol.
>>



Hey, it worked for the President! >>


You must be pissed that Jenna Bush didn't return your fan mail.

 

[Bleeding Jawa]

&quot;Dude, where's my car?&quot;

 

[Urinal Mint]

<< sorry MINT your thinking is flawed. By LAW your an adult on your 18th birthday. doesnt matter if mommy and daddy are feeding or housing you. I still say if the laws of this land says your an adult on your 18th birthday you should be able to have a beer. hey like somebody said earlier you can buy smokes at 18 tell me the logic in that? >>



What's flawed in my thinking? I clearly mentioned that 18 was adulthood in this country. You must not have been able to infer from my argument that contrary to popular belief, age alone doesn't make you an adult in this world. That goes for anything (booze, smokes, renting a goddamned car)... if you aren't mature enough to realize your own limitations with respect to controlled substances (alcohol and tobacco being those in question), then you don't need to have any part in it. I don't know an 18-20 year old out there who is mature enough to make sound decisions in every day life. Hell, let's move the legal smoking age to 21, too... I'm all for it. While we're at it, ban tobacco altogether... all it does it kill people.

 

[OutHouse]

I also know 30-40 year olds who can not make sound judements in life either.