Drinking age

Andrew

Well-Known Member
#1
If you walk on to a college campus, most likely you will find underage people drinking. It happens everywhere, even in high school and sometimes in elementary school. I think the drinking age should be lowered to 18, because so many people 18 years old (and even many others younger) will drink regardless of the age.

What do you all think?
 
#2
Personally, I feel that the drinking age should stay where it's at. Teenagers are irresponsible and it would be even worse for one to be under the influence of alcohol. Not to mention the fact that it would be much easier access for younger kids to get some.
 

allison

Well-Known Member
#3
Personally, I feel that the drinking age should stay where it's at. Teenagers are irresponsible and it would be even worse for one to be under the influence of alcohol. Not to mention the fact that it would be much easier access for younger kids to get some.

I agree.


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kalyee

Well-Known Member
#4
I think our drinking age - here in the states - should definitely be lowered. It isn't 21 in most other countries, and they've been doing fine, so it's ridiculous that it's so high here - when you can do almost everything else at 18, and are considered an adult.

Changing the drinking age isn't going to help younger kids get alcohol... I don't see where the reasoning in that statement is. If they're going to drink underage, the legal age won't make much difference.
 

Exodus

Well-Known Member
#5
There's a reason why the drinking age is 21, it's for your own good. Drinking interferes with brain development and it's overall not good for your health. Due to the age limit, as much as there are those who love to ignore it, there are also those who wait until that age to try out drinking. Lowering the age has more negative affects than positive, as Shiloh pointed out, alcohol would be more accessible among the younger crowd as it'd be more convenient. Lowering the drinking age will also cause more road accidents/deaths as there would be more young drivers out on the road drunk. Believe it or not, majority of the people don't actually start frequently driving until they're around 17-18 as driving frequently requires a vehicle, which not every young high school student can afford.
 
#6
I think our drinking age - here in the states - should definitely be lowered. It isn't 21 in most other countries, and they've been doing fine, so it's ridiculous that it's so high here - when you can do almost everything else at 18, and are considered an adult.

Changing the drinking age isn't going to help younger kids get alcohol... I don't see where the reasoning in that statement is. If they're going to drink underage, the legal age won't make much difference.

I said it's easier for younger gets to alcohol because there are MANY 18 year-olds who would be willing to buy some for younger kids. From my experience, I see kids trying to find alcohol for parties and such but have a hard time because adults 21 and older won't supply for them being underage.

And secondly, there are many things that you can do at 18, but those things don't essentially impair your normal functioning.
 
#7
Changing the drinking age isn't going to help younger kids get alcohol... I don't see where the reasoning in that statement is. If they're going to drink underage, the legal age won't make much difference.
I think it would.

Underage drinking happens when underage people have access to 21 year olds willing to buy for them. Thus, underage drinking happens more in college, where the 21 year olds are. Drop the age to 18, and now seniors in high school can buy for high school students.

Not that underage drinking isn't happening in high school as well, it just isn't as common as it is in college. Drop the age, and it might get more common.


I think a key difference the US has over other countries is terrible public transportation. This is a bit speculative, I will admit, but I think drinking and driving isn't so much of a concern in Europe because people don't drive like they do over here. Most people live in cities and walk, bus, etc. to where they need to go. Suburbs don't exist on the same level they do in the States, as far as I know.
 

Andrew

Well-Known Member
#8
I think our drinking age - here in the states - should definitely be lowered. It isn't 21 in most other countries, and they've been doing fine, so it's ridiculous that it's so high here - when you can do almost everything else at 18, and are considered an adult.

Changing the drinking age isn't going to help younger kids get alcohol... I don't see where the reasoning in that statement is. If they're going to drink underage, the legal age won't make much difference.
I completely agree. No matter what the age is people will find a way to get alcohol and drink. Also, not all underage drinkers resort to people 21 years or older to get alcohol. Some people have fake ID's. Others go places where the stores don't card anyone. High school kids may even steal alcohol from their parents.
 

kalyee

Well-Known Member
#9
I think our drinking age - here in the states - should definitely be lowered. It isn't 21 in most other countries, and they've been doing fine, so it's ridiculous that it's so high here - when you can do almost everything else at 18, and are considered an adult.



Changing the drinking age isn't going to help younger kids get alcohol... I don't see where the reasoning in that statement is. If they're going to drink underage, the legal age won't make much difference.




I said it's easier for younger gets to alcohol because there are MANY 18 year-olds who would be willing to buy some for younger kids. From my experience, I see kids trying to find alcohol for parties and such but have a hard time because adults 21 and older won't supply for them being underage.



And secondly, there are many things that you can do at 18, but those things don't essentially impair your normal functioning.

With that logic, smoking, access to pipe shops and hookah products, and intimate items should also be changed to an older age.
 

Exodus

Well-Known Member
#11
Changing the drinking age isn't going to help younger kids get alcohol... I don't see where the reasoning in that statement is. If they're going to drink underage, the legal age won't make much difference.
I think it would.

Underage drinking happens when underage people have access to 21 year olds willing to buy for them. Thus, underage drinking happens more in college, where the 21 year olds are. Drop the age to 18, and now seniors in high school can buy for high school students.

Not that underage drinking isn't happening in high school as well, it just isn't as common as it is in college. Drop the age, and it might get more common.


I think a key difference the US has over other countries is terrible public transportation. This is a bit speculative, I will admit, but I think drinking and driving isn't so much of a concern in Europe because people don't drive like they do over here. Most people live in cities and walk, bus, etc. to where they need to go. Suburbs don't exist on the same level they do in the States, as far as I know.
This is very true. In the UK and majority of Europe, the drinking age is set to 18 as the importance of knowing how to individually drive to commute is not heavily needed for their lifestyles. It's sort of like New York, majority of the population is heavily depended on public transportation.
 

Andrew

Well-Known Member
#12
There's a reason why the drinking age is 21, it's for your own good. Drinking interferes with brain development and it's overall not good for your health. Due to the age limit, as much as there are those who love to ignore it, there are also those who wait until that age to try out drinking. Lowering the age has more negative affects than positive, as Shiloh pointed out, alcohol would be more accessible among the younger crowd as it'd be more convenient. Lowering the drinking age will also cause more road accidents/deaths as there would be more young drivers out on the road drunk. Believe it or not, majority of the people don't actually start frequently driving until they're around 17-18 as driving frequently requires a vehicle, which not every young high school student can afford.
A lot of teenagers already drink underage, so I doubt it would really be "more accessible" to the younger crowd. While drinking does have negative affects, that doesn't stop the millions of teenages who drink underage (or who have drank underage in the past).
 
#13
Knowing the negative effects of alcohol, I don't see why you would want to lower the legal age, and I am talking about being able to BUY it. Even older adults themselves aren't fully responsible with the effects of alcohol in their system. As Thrill stated, what's done in other countries isn't the same as what's done here, but they also have different environments with different means of transportation. Exodus also mentioned the fact that many teenagers don't start fully driving until they are 17-18 years old, meaning that they are far from experienced drivers.

Saying lower the drinking age is basically like saying lower the legal age to buy tobacco products. The difference with that though, is that one physically and mentally impairs you. Both however are not healthy and shouldn't be consumed by kids at all.

The other thing with lowering the drinking age to 18 is that many of those teenagers are still in high school and live at home while college kids are out on their own. So just because we are considered young adults at 18 does NOT mean that most 18 year olds are fully developed and fully matured individuals. We are still TEENAGERS at 18 meaning we are still going make irresponsible decisions and judgement at this age.
 

aceastrofan

The one and only...
#14
In Utah, they try to hide drinking as much as physically possible. All mixed drinks have to be hidden behind the "Zion Curtain" (basically a frosted glass screen) https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...T0PO5zywH_60fBQkXujNJy_U00633wDsT6CZ2d6BKmd_n

It is completely out of fear that this still exists in 2014. Since the majority church here controls most of the alcohol, they hide it out of fear that children might be influenced into drinking.

However, just being taught about alcohol should be enough. I learned the effects and consequences of drinking too much early on. I know what should and shouldn't happen

However, it has basically turned into a thing where parents claim "Someone think of the children" as their only valid argument.

I think there should be a lower drinking age, but to a limit.
 

kalyee

Well-Known Member
#15
Knowing the negative effects of alcohol, I don't see why you would want to lower the legal age, and I am talking about being able to BUY it. Even older adults themselves aren't fully responsible with the effects of alcohol in their system. As Thrill stated, what's done in other countries isn't the same as what's done here, but they also have different environments with different means of transportation. Exodus also mentioned the fact that many teenagers don't start fully driving until they are 17-18 years old, meaning that they are far from experienced drivers.

Saying lower the drinking age is basically like saying lower the legal age to buy tobacco products. The difference with that though, is that one physically and mentally impairs you. Both however are not healthy and shouldn't be consumed by kids at all.

The other thing with lowering the drinking age to 18 is that many of those teenagers are still in high school and live at home while college kids are out on their own. So just because we are considered young adults at 18 does NOT mean that most 18 year olds are fully developed and fully matured individuals. We are still TEENAGERS at 18 meaning we are still going make irresponsible decisions and judgement at this age.

News flash, 21 year olds are often just as irresponsible as 18 year olds, and make plenty of poor decisions with alcohol. However, there are a lot of 18/21 year olds who are very much the opposite of that.
I live with my boyfriend, who is 22, and have more "adult responsibilities" than a vast majority of early to mid twenties individuals that I know. It'd be great if my boyfriend and I could go out to a show in a bar or 21+ venue, or grab a drink together after work, instead of consistently having to spend nights in because of our sleep schedules and the law - whereas when we go to other countries, we can enjoy these things together. Fortunately forged documents exist, but it shouldn't have to be that way.
If you're worried about irresponsibility, realize that other countries with lower drinking ages. Are their teenagers somehow different than ours, and therefore it's not a worry? Transportation isn't the biggest topic in the drinking age debate, so it's kind of silly to focus purely on that. My friends who've grown up in countries with a lower drinking age express how much less appealing going out and partying beyond reason became over the years after being able to get a drink with their parents in a pub, and having alcohol and the risks be introduced and explained at a younger age.

It's hard to argue for a lower drinking age because it is so trivial, but I much prefer how other countries handle these things, honestly.
 
#16
Knowing the negative effects of alcohol, I don't see why you would want to lower the legal age, and I am talking about being able to BUY it. Even older adults themselves aren't fully responsible with the effects of alcohol in their system. As Thrill stated, what's done in other countries isn't the same as what's done here, but they also have different environments with different means of transportation. Exodus also mentioned the fact that many teenagers don't start fully driving until they are 17-18 years old, meaning that they are far from experienced drivers.

Saying lower the drinking age is basically like saying lower the legal age to buy tobacco products. The difference with that though, is that one physically and mentally impairs you. Both however are not healthy and shouldn't be consumed by kids at all.

The other thing with lowering the drinking age to 18 is that many of those teenagers are still in high school and live at home while college kids are out on their own. So just because we are considered young adults at 18 does NOT mean that most 18 year olds are fully developed and fully matured individuals. We are still TEENAGERS at 18 meaning we are still going make irresponsible decisions and judgement at this age.

News flash, 21 year olds are often just as irresponsible as 18 year olds, and make plenty of poor decisions with alcohol. However, there are a lot of 18/21 year olds who are very much the opposite of that.
I live with my boyfriend, who is 22, and have more "adult responsibilities" than a vast majority of early to mid twenties individuals that I know. It'd be great if my boyfriend and I could go out to a show in a bar or 21+ venue, or grab a drink together after work, instead of consistently having to spend nights in because of our sleep schedules and the law - whereas when we go to other countries, we can enjoy these things together. Fortunately forged documents exist, but it shouldn't have to be that way.
If you're worried about irresponsibility, realize that other countries with lower drinking ages. Are their teenagers somehow different than ours, and therefore it's not a worry? Transportation isn't the biggest topic in the drinking age debate, so it's kind of silly to focus purely on that. My friends who've grown up in countries with a lower drinking age express how much less appealing going out and partying beyond reason became over the years after being able to get a drink with their parents in a pub, and having alcohol and the risks be introduced and explained at a younger age.

It's hard to argue for a lower drinking age because it is so trivial, but I much prefer how other countries handle these things, honestly.

News flash, allowing such a young person to drink is not only dangerous for themselves but others as well. I've seen things happen first-hand with even the most responsible of people, so that's all I have to say about that.
 

kalyee

Well-Known Member
#17
Knowing the negative effects of alcohol, I don't see why you would want to lower the legal age, and I am talking about being able to BUY it. Even older adults themselves aren't fully responsible with the effects of alcohol in their system. As Thrill stated, what's done in other countries isn't the same as what's done here, but they also have different environments with different means of transportation. Exodus also mentioned the fact that many teenagers don't start fully driving until they are 17-18 years old, meaning that they are far from experienced drivers.

Saying lower the drinking age is basically like saying lower the legal age to buy tobacco products. The difference with that though, is that one physically and mentally impairs you. Both however are not healthy and shouldn't be consumed by kids at all.

The other thing with lowering the drinking age to 18 is that many of those teenagers are still in high school and live at home while college kids are out on their own. So just because we are considered young adults at 18 does NOT mean that most 18 year olds are fully developed and fully matured individuals. We are still TEENAGERS at 18 meaning we are still going make irresponsible decisions and judgement at this age.

News flash, 21 year olds are often just as irresponsible as 18 year olds, and make plenty of poor decisions with alcohol. However, there are a lot of 18/21 year olds who are very much the opposite of that.
I live with my boyfriend, who is 22, and have more "adult responsibilities" than a vast majority of early to mid twenties individuals that I know. It'd be great if my boyfriend and I could go out to a show in a bar or 21+ venue, or grab a drink together after work, instead of consistently having to spend nights in because of our sleep schedules and the law - whereas when we go to other countries, we can enjoy these things together. Fortunately forged documents exist, but it shouldn't have to be that way.
If you're worried about irresponsibility, realize that other countries with lower drinking ages. Are their teenagers somehow different than ours, and therefore it's not a worry? Transportation isn't the biggest topic in the drinking age debate, so it's kind of silly to focus purely on that. My friends who've grown up in countries with a lower drinking age express how much less appealing going out and partying beyond reason became over the years after being able to get a drink with their parents in a pub, and having alcohol and the risks be introduced and explained at a younger age.

It's hard to argue for a lower drinking age because it is so trivial, but I much prefer how other countries handle these things, honestly.

News flash, allowing such a young person to drink is not only dangerous for themselves but others as well. I've seen things happen first-hand and that's all I have to say about that.

You do realize that kids do this regardless of the drinking age? Are you blind to the fact that other countries have much lower drinking ages and do just fine - honestly better than our country in a lot of cases. Just because it's what you're used to doesn't mean it's the best.
 
#18
Knowing the negative effects of alcohol, I don't see why you would want to lower the legal age, and I am talking about being able to BUY it. Even older adults themselves aren't fully responsible with the effects of alcohol in their system. As Thrill stated, what's done in other countries isn't the same as what's done here, but they also have different environments with different means of transportation. Exodus also mentioned the fact that many teenagers don't start fully driving until they are 17-18 years old, meaning that they are far from experienced drivers.

Saying lower the drinking age is basically like saying lower the legal age to buy tobacco products. The difference with that though, is that one physically and mentally impairs you. Both however are not healthy and shouldn't be consumed by kids at all.

The other thing with lowering the drinking age to 18 is that many of those teenagers are still in high school and live at home while college kids are out on their own. So just because we are considered young adults at 18 does NOT mean that most 18 year olds are fully developed and fully matured individuals. We are still TEENAGERS at 18 meaning we are still going make irresponsible decisions and judgement at this age.

News flash, 21 year olds are often just as irresponsible as 18 year olds, and make plenty of poor decisions with alcohol. However, there are a lot of 18/21 year olds who are very much the opposite of that.
I live with my boyfriend, who is 22, and have more "adult responsibilities" than a vast majority of early to mid twenties individuals that I know. It'd be great if my boyfriend and I could go out to a show in a bar or 21+ venue, or grab a drink together after work, instead of consistently having to spend nights in because of our sleep schedules and the law - whereas when we go to other countries, we can enjoy these things together. Fortunately forged documents exist, but it shouldn't have to be that way.
If you're worried about irresponsibility, realize that other countries with lower drinking ages. Are their teenagers somehow different than ours, and therefore it's not a worry? Transportation isn't the biggest topic in the drinking age debate, so it's kind of silly to focus purely on that. My friends who've grown up in countries with a lower drinking age express how much less appealing going out and partying beyond reason became over the years after being able to get a drink with their parents in a pub, and having alcohol and the risks be introduced and explained at a younger age.

It's hard to argue for a lower drinking age because it is so trivial, but I much prefer how other countries handle these things, honestly.

News flash, allowing such a young person to drink is not only dangerous for themselves but others as well. I've seen things happen first-hand and that's all I have to say about that.

You do realize that kids do this regardless of the drinking age? Are you blind to the fact that other countries have much lower drinking ages and do just fine - honestly better than our country in a lot of cases. Just because it's what you're used to doesn't mean it's the best.

I'm not talking about underage kids doing so now am I? I clearly was talking about being able to legally buy it and what the effects would be if it was lowered to a younger age. So kids might be fine in other countries with a lower drinking age, but as it was said earlier, those kids grow up in different environments than in another country. And that is why transportation was brought up.

And just because it's what YOU'RE used to, doesn't mean it's best either.

Now I'm done with this topic. I'd rather not be insulted with little remarks just because of my opinion.
 

Andrew

Well-Known Member
#19
Knowing the negative effects of alcohol, I don't see why you would want to lower the legal age, and I am talking about being able to BUY it. Even older adults themselves aren't fully responsible with the effects of alcohol in their system. As Thrill stated, what's done in other countries isn't the same as what's done here, but they also have different environments with different means of transportation. Exodus also mentioned the fact that many teenagers don't start fully driving until they are 17-18 years old, meaning that they are far from experienced drivers.

Saying lower the drinking age is basically like saying lower the legal age to buy tobacco products. The difference with that though, is that one physically and mentally impairs you. Both however are not healthy and shouldn't be consumed by kids at all.

The other thing with lowering the drinking age to 18 is that many of those teenagers are still in high school and live at home while college kids are out on their own. So just because we are considered young adults at 18 does NOT mean that most 18 year olds are fully developed and fully matured individuals. We are still TEENAGERS at 18 meaning we are still going make irresponsible decisions and judgement at this age.

News flash, 21 year olds are often just as irresponsible as 18 year olds, and make plenty of poor decisions with alcohol. However, there are a lot of 18/21 year olds who are very much the opposite of that.
I live with my boyfriend, who is 22, and have more "adult responsibilities" than a vast majority of early to mid twenties individuals that I know. It'd be great if my boyfriend and I could go out to a show in a bar or 21+ venue, or grab a drink together after work, instead of consistently having to spend nights in because of our sleep schedules and the law - whereas when we go to other countries, we can enjoy these things together. Fortunately forged documents exist, but it shouldn't have to be that way.
If you're worried about irresponsibility, realize that other countries with lower drinking ages. Are their teenagers somehow different than ours, and therefore it's not a worry? Transportation isn't the biggest topic in the drinking age debate, so it's kind of silly to focus purely on that. My friends who've grown up in countries with a lower drinking age express how much less appealing going out and partying beyond reason became over the years after being able to get a drink with their parents in a pub, and having alcohol and the risks be introduced and explained at a younger age.

It's hard to argue for a lower drinking age because it is so trivial, but I much prefer how other countries handle these things, honestly.

News flash, allowing such a young person to drink is not only dangerous for themselves but others as well. I've seen things happen first-hand and that's all I have to say about that.

You do realize that kids do this regardless of the drinking age? Are you blind to the fact that other countries have much lower drinking ages and do just fine - honestly better than our country in a lot of cases. Just because it's what you're used to doesn't mean it's the best.

I'm not talking about underage kids doing so now am I? I clearly was talking about being able to legally buy it and what the effects would be if it was lowered to a younger age. So kids might be fine in other countries with a lower drinking age, but as it was said earlier, those kids grow up in different environments than in another country. And that is why transportation was brought up.

And just because it's what YOU'RE used to, doesn't mean it's best either.

Now I'm done with this topic. I'd rather not be insulted with little remarks just because of my opinion.
You do realize that if you go to almost any college campus (that's not a community college or one that has strict rules on alcohol) you will always find underage people drinking? On a lot of college campuses, it's commonplace for kids of any grade (who are in college) to drink. Usually if they get caught they just get written up or have to pay a fine or something.
 
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Exodus

Well-Known Member
#20
You do realize that kids do this regardless of the drinking age? Are you blind to the fact that other countries have much lower drinking ages and do just fine - honestly better than our country in a lot of cases. Just because it's what you're used to doesn't mean it's the best.
American lifestyle and culture is far different from other countries. As I've mentioned before... "In the UK and majority of Europe, the drinking age is set to 18 as the importance of knowing how to individually drive to commute is not heavily needed for their lifestyles. It's sort of like New York, majority of the population is heavily depended on public transportation." America is #1 in the amount of teen drivers on the road. And the minimum drinking age being set to 21 also has to do with psychological manipulation. Monorail has a great example of how it would psychologically effect the younger crowd into having an incentive to drink more when the age gets lowered. If you're 16 and know you're only two years away from drinking (rather than five), you're most likely to experiment it. It is a fact drinking among the younger crowd (14-16) will increase significantly if the age lowers.
 
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