Lower the Drinking age?

[Mr. Wyndham]

You can drive, have sex, and get married at 16*. You can go to war, smoke, and have a full-time job at 18*. But you cannot have a beer until you're the ripe old age of 21*....Is there something wrong with this picture, or am I looking at it wrong?

I found this online, and thought it'd make for some good discussion.

Educators Urge Lower Drinking Age to Cut Bingeing

Scores of college presidents, including the head of Maryland's public university system and the president of Johns Hopkins University, have an unexpected request for legislators: Please, lower the drinking age.

The Amethyst Initiative, launched in July, is a coalition of college presidents who say that the legal drinking age of 21 encourages binge drinking on campuses. William Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland, William Brody, president of Johns Hopkins, C.D. Mote Jr. of the University of Maryland and the presidents of Washington and Lee, Sweet Briar, Towson, Randolph-Macon, Duke, Tufts, Dartmouth and others have signed on to the effort.

It is likely to be difficult politically to change the drinking age, which has been 21 since the mid-1980s.

In a survey released yesterday by Nationwide Insurance, which is hosting a symposium on binge drinking in Washington in November with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 75 percent of adults said they support tougher enforcement of existing drinking laws.

In Maryland, the House drug and alcohol committee chairman called on local colleges to not take part.

"Far more teens die in alcohol-related incidents than [in those caused by] all the other illicit drugs combined," said Del. William A. Bronrott (D-Montgomery), who co-founded the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, which fights drunken driving and underage drinking. "Lowering the drinking age to 18 will only make the situation worse."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...081902836.html

*all ages reflective of NY state law only.

[Kyle2k]

I think they should...it takes away from the "bad-assness" of underage drinking.

[TFord]

I think it should be lowered to at least 18! Seriously Im military and I agree with dragon...I can go to war, but I cant have a beer! Seriously people (when I was underage)

[nester7929]

Yeah, it's ridiculous that you can be old enough to go die for your country but not old enough to have a cold one.

Besides, I think lowering the drinking age takes away a bit of the "taboo" factor that makes kids want to do it.

[chadrcr]

It seems like kids that REALLY want to drink, will find a way anyway... the law 21+ has not been too effective in preventing 21- from drinking, just makes it a little harder to aquire, and more exciting trying to avoid getting caught....

My point: If you are old enough to go to Iraq ......... You should be old enough to drink. I know plenty of 30 somethings who should not be allowed to drink though

[nester7929]

I'd honestly rather see us legalize drugs than lowering the drinking age though. I'm not even a pothead, I just think it's ludicrous that the two most addictive and potentially dangerous drugs (alcohol and tobacco) are perfectly legal, but then we outlaw other substances that aren't as addictive or dangerous.

[aston70]

To me it's kind of like prohibition. If you prevent those from having something they want, they'll find another way to get it. That other way is probably less safe. When I was in high school me a couple guys built our own still. Now why would we have done that if we could have just gone out and bought it. That stuff tasted awful, but it made a pretty blue flame.

[Bumble Bee '77]

I don't think it should for the simple fact that the human brain is still developing. Most doctors will tell you that the male brain continues to develop up until around 25. lower the drinking age and increase the traffic fatality's. Face it, kids do enough stupid crap when they aren't drunk.....

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by Bumble Bee '77

I don't think it should for the simple fact that the human brain is still developing. Most doctors will tell you that the male brain continues to develop up until around 25. lower the drinking age and increase the traffic fatality's. Face it, kids do enough stupid crap when they aren't drunk.....

Brilliant post.

And for the haters that don't think so....I paid my dues....MIP when I was 20 years, 9 months old. Been there, done that.

[nester7929]

Originally Posted by Bumble Bee '77

I don't think it should for the simple fact that the human brain is still developing. Most doctors will tell you that the male brain continues to develop up until around 25. lower the drinking age and increase the traffic fatality's. Face it, kids do enough stupid crap when they aren't drunk.....

Exactly. Natural Selection. MWWAAAHHHHAAAAHHAAA!

[TFord]

Originally Posted by nester7929

Exactly. Natural Selection. MWWAAAHHHHAAAAHHAAA!

lol OK Darwin...

[Mindz]

TFord, when do you play DOA? I need to test my RYU and LEON against you.

[TFord]

Originally Posted by Mindz

TFord, when do you play DOA? I need to test my RYU and LEON against you.

what you doing now? Im still woke

[Punk_rider]

Actually ... you can work and go to war at 18 ... that's true ... hopefully! When you're kicked out of highschool, you're 18 right? Hopefully you can work! What would you do then?(military's a job too)

I think we will all agree you're quite dumb when you're 16, a little less at 18 and a little less at 21. Actually, I don't see a problem at a 21 age limit for alcohol.

I DO see a problem at leeting your kid ride a car at 16. I understand you maerican mainly live in areas where without a car you're dead, but definitely, 16 is too young, way to young.

We here authorize everyhting at 18. And 18 years old people are dumb enough( highest dying rate o the streets). 16 's too young to me to drive.

So, I don't feel being able to work, smoke, get AIDS, go to war, drive, drink at 16 would be such a good thing!!!

To young people: ENJOY BEING A KID! You all want to grow up, but when you'll be an adult, you'll regret you child times!