Should the legal drinking age in America be 18?

[xXGeckoXx]

My bias is that people drink illegally because they aren't allowed. People want what they can't have. If we got rid of the law[or lowered it], no one would care to drink because it's no longer a rebellious thing.

As many have said and many will say, "Why can I choose to die for my country, yet not be allowed to drink?"

Same here. Those who are really irresponsible shouldn't ruin it for all. It's okay to get smashed sometimes but as long as you don't cause problems.

 

[Seldon2639]

From what I think I know about drinking in America (which not being American isn't much) is that it seems when people turn 21 they go crazy, have massive street parties, and generally drink far too much.

In the UK, when you turn 18, you might go out and get smashed with your mates, but that's it.

It seems that people having to wait till they're 21 makes them so eager to start that they go over the top.

This is of course ignoring the fact that, in the UK at least, nobody waits until they're 18 to start drinking. Unless they just don't want to drink in general. Drinking underage isn't really a big deal in the UK.

Statistics show that countries with lower drinking ages have lower rates of binge drinking and drinking related deaths. This is because when teens are allowed to drink legally, they don't try to cram it all into several binges, but instead go with the "glass of wine with dinner" or "a beer while watching TV". A lower drinking age results in more responsible drinking, So I am all for it.

I wanted to respond to both of these at once. This misconception that being taught to drink at a younger age somehow makes teens more responsible is not backed up by any statistic anywhere. The IAS and European Union reports back up the fact that there's a high rate of binge drinking (among, notably, younger populations) in Europe, especially England, than in America:

http://www.ias.org.uk/resources/papers/europe/phproject/bingedrinking-report.pdf

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-442312/EU-vows-curb-binge-drinking-culture.html

http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/41/4/355

Even the higher reporting threshold for binge drinking (defined by the General Household Survey) has young males binge drinking at a rate of 37% in England. Using an equivalent definition of drinking between America and England (5 standard drinks in a row during the last 30 days) America's at 44% of college students, with England at 54% of 15-16 year-olds.

So, explain to me why we're holding up England (and Europe in general) as a paragon of restraint? Do you want me to whip out the relative rates of alcoholism in America and Europe? They're not terribly different from the binge drinking statistics, and show that a lower drinking age does bugger all to "result in more responsible drinking"

In fairness, France is surprisingly good about it, but the rest of Western Europe is pretty on par (if not worse, I'm looking at you England and Ireland) about underage drinking, and binge drinking.

http://www.ias.org.uk/resources/factsheets/comparisons.pdf

Edit: A personal request, from me to everyone else who reads this. Please stop assuming that America has higher teen drinking/binge drinking rates than Europe. I've just provided about three different groups of studies saying that it's really not a big difference. We can argue about whether (given the lack of significant difference) whether the law should be what it is, but please for the love of all that's holy stop saying the equivalent of:

"Well, America has a higher drinking rate, therefore there must either be something wrong with America, or with its laws." Your premise is faulty, please stop.

 

[radioedit420]

Just to set it straight you can join the Army when your 17. And too discourage an argument, I joined when I was 17 and finishing my senior year of high school.
[*Off topic*
And not all americans are fat. Thats just a stereotype. We do have alot of fat people but we also have the 3rd largest population.
*Flame shield Activated*
Fat people are gluttonous and therefore sinners (if your religious cuz im not a beleiver in a systematic religion). But either way most Fat people (not chubby but fat) I've met are filled with a "Fat aggresion". I think it comesw from all the McDonalds. Which sucks BTW.]

 

[Weaver]

I'm Canadian so I don't have an age drinking issue, but wanted to comment on the drunk driving situation. They are seen as scum of the earth type people here, but North America has a SERIOUS public transit shortage. The Major cities have it, but even then it can be a hassle getting around after 2am (when the bars close here). Keep in mind, my Provence is about 12 times the size of the UK alone, so you pretty much NEED a car to get anywhere, especially if you aren't in a major city. For instance in my home town (I don't live there anymore) the bar we regularly went to is an hour and 10 minute walk away from my house... that's a pretty damn long walk to make when it's -30 degrees out! I can't just take a bus either cause my town has no transit. Granted there ARE still cab companies, so there is never really much of an excuse to drive drunk! A lot more expensive but I'd rather be alive than wrapped around a telephone pole.

 

[Swordsponge]

we have 18 years olds servering and dieing for there country. when they come home that little spec of hell called a war zone. they should be allowed to drink really poeple these guys and girls are shooting people in the name of freedom and you tell them they cant drink after that type of shit. to them its a real cruel j/k.

 

[Kstreitenfeld]

*snip*to the point where we are having the babbies eating the rotten carcases of their dead drunk 12 year old mothers...ok that was a MAJOR exageration but it gets my point across!

Ya such a major exaggeration that it would never happen.

Booze has indeed been around for a long time, but you know what has never happened? Exactly what you just said, or anything close to it.

-edit-
Also, I have no idea why people keep saying this. But the Drinking age in Canada is not 18, its 19. Or at least in Ontario it is, might be 18 in another Province(s).

 

[Bat Vader]

Yes, it should! 18 year old men and women can go to war and kill or die for their country yet are barred from drinking. If you are old enough to die or kill for your country you are old enough to drink.

That is my opinion.

 

[Bat Vader]

Why do you think I care about what you want?

I was asking a question, Cheeze. Now, please get off of your high horse; my neck's beginning to get a bit strained.

That's What She Said

I take it she is you.

 

[epaulet]

If an 18 year old wants alcohol, they can usually get it pretty easily so it wouldn't have too much of an effect on people who already have it readily available. Some underage drinkers don't have a reliable source of it though, so they do binge when it becomes available because it's not guaranteed they'll be able to get more any time soon.

Will lowering the drinking age work? It would probably have minimal effect in the long run. The three years in between 18 and 21 usually are either not under parental supervision or under very limited parental supervision, so they usually just do whatever they want.

 

[radioedit420]

If an 18 year old wants alcohol, they can usually get it pretty easily so it wouldn't have too much of an effect on people who already have it readily available. Some underage drinkers don't have a reliable source of it though, so they do binge when it becomes available because it's not guaranteed they'll be able to get more any time soon.

*Side note* Im just really interested in this topic, SORRY for all the posts*

I know its different everywhere you go but, I live in a smaller, predominantly white suburb. (Which some of you should know, areas like that have more drugs than most bigger cities) The supplying minors law is so harsh here in Pennsylvania (US), everyone is spooked. Of course I'm sure the dumb asses who drink and walk around calling attention to themselves are mostly to blame.

The Liquor stores will actually record your drivers license number and make it correspond to the serial numbers on a liquor bottle or 12 pack and up of beer.

Its actually easier for me to score some heron, tree, pills, or snow, than it is for me to find someone to buy me a 6 pack when they know I'm just going home to drink.

 

[epaulet]

If an 18 year old wants alcohol, they can usually get it pretty easily so it wouldn't have too much of an effect on people who already have it readily available. Some underage drinkers don't have a reliable source of it though, so they do binge when it becomes available because it's not guaranteed they'll be able to get more any time soon.

*Side note* Im just really interested in this topic, SORRY for all the posts*

I know its different everywhere you go but, I live in a smaller, predominantly white suburb. (Which some of you should know, areas like that have more drugs than most bigger cities) The supplying minors law is so harsh here in Pennsylvania (US), everyone is spooked. Of course I'm sure the dumb asses who drink and walk around calling attention to themselves are mostly to blame.

The Liquor stores will actually record your drivers license number and make it correspond to the serial numbers on a liquor bottle or 12 pack and up of beer.

Its actually easier for me to score some heron, tree, pills, or snow, than it is for me to find someone to buy me a 6 pack when they know I'm just going home to drink.

In that situation someone who gets a hold of alcohol while at a party or something that is underage would probably consume more than they would have if they had been allowed to buy alcohol on their own since, once again, it's not always available to them.

 

[radioedit420]

Agreed, like the saying, "Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em", Some People Just Don't Quit Though

 

[asam92]

My bias is that people drink illegally because they aren't allowed. People want what they can't have. If we got rid of the law[or lowered it], no one would care to drink because it's no longer a rebellious thing.

As many have said and many will say, "Why can I choose to die for my country, yet not be allowed to drink?"

yeah, i have the same view, i think the same thing about Marijuanna, its been proved, nearly all the people who smoke pot in amsterdam are tourists the locals dont really use it cuz its freely available

but back onto the subject, we have the limit set at 18 here in Australia, and it seems that it works here otherwise our uptight government we have here would have changed it by now

 

[shanshan310]

I'm not actually against substance abuse.

Come again? You're talking about substance abuse, as in, drinking tons of alcohol and beating up your family.... I hope that you are referring to substance use and not abuse, for the sake of my peace of mind.

um.... you know substance abuse doesnt mean abusing your family right? substance abuse refers to ABUSING ALCOHOL USE. as in, drinking ludicris amounts. I was gonna let this go, but for the sake of MY piece of mind, i'd rather not have another ill informed person talking about things they don't properly understand.

Also, i heard they were talking about raising the age limit of drinking in France because of problems they were having with people drinking too much. I dont know how true this is though, so don't take my word for it.

One more thing. people who want to increase the age you can start driving:
why would you want to introduce driving at the same time or after alcohol. You introduce it first, so people can get resonably decent at driving before they try it blind drunk (it is illegal, but people do it anyway..)

 

[Jamanticus]

um.... you know substance abuse doesnt mean abusing your family right? substance abuse refers to ABUSING ALCOHOL USE. as in, drinking ludicris amounts. I was gonna let this go, but for the sake of MY piece of mind, i'd rather not have another ill informed person talking about things they don't properly understand.

Also, i heard they were talking about raising the age limit of drinking in France because of problems they were having with people drinking too much. I dont know how true this is though, so don't take my word for it.

One more thing. people who want to increase the age you can start driving:
why would you want to introduce driving at the same time or after alcohol. You introduce it first, so people can get resonably decent at driving before they try it blind drunk (it is illegal, but people do it anyway..)

Oh, for goodness' sake.

I was providing examples of what can happen when substances like alcohol are abused. Just to completely shut off any other arguments, I shall post the definition of substance abuse:

Substance abuse is the overindulgence in and dependence of a drug or other chemical leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual's physical and mental health, or the welfare of others

There, I have just shown you that, when people abuse drugs, it is not necessarily only harmful to them. Welfare of others, too. Not only the ones who abuse the substances. That's why I mentioned the example I did. Yes, an alcoholic might just drink way too much of the stuff, but another alcoholic may drink too much and that might cause said person to harm his family.

Now I don't feel like as much of an idiot as you thought I was. Thank you.

 

[Inverse Skies]

It is here in Aus but it does create some problems - mainly because 18 is also the age (most) states decide to hand kids their licenses so they can drive by themselves. P platers (probationary) have the highest mortality rates of any groups so having them drinking at the same time is not always the best idea. I believe you Americans get it earlier though so that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

[samuel1380]

Nope. Twenty-one is just fine. I know eighteen-year-olds who drink, and half of them really shouldn't. It won't make people stop drinking, no, but it'll make it that much harder. Then again, I may be bias on the subject - drunk people scare me.

I know 40 year olds who drink, and half of them really shouldnt. If you can vote and be drafted, by all means they should be legal to drink.

 

[crimsonblast]

From my personal perspective, NO.

As a former 18 year old that could drink alcohol, I lost a couple of friends in auto accidents. Alcohol was involved in both. Not fond memories of high school.


An argument in favor is
If 18 year olds can vote and die for the USA, they should be allowed to drink.

The best place to drink for me
Las Vegas, NV. Why? You either walk to the bar or you take a cab. You are not driving. As long as there are no drunks on the road, drinking can be socially enjoyable.

When I visit Las Vegas I take an airplane there. Take a cab to the place I am staying. I have good time, and I am NEVER driving. I eat fine food, with the occasional over indulgence in alcohol, but as I age alcohol is losing its lustre.

 

[Jotchua7]

I always go by the idea that if you can be drafted, fight and die for your country you should at least be able to drink a beer while doing so...well, maybe not as you're doing it, but you know what I mean!

 

[Radelaide]

Um, I meant source for the fact that Canada is able to "get along fine being able to drink at 18."

The fact that it hasn't imploded yet?

I'm thinking there are degrees of consequence in between "get along fine" and "imploded."

Well the country hasn't packed up and moved, so I'm guessing they're doing okay