Drinking Age in the USA

[GoCougs]

Practically it's not possible. It's to the point that modern youth are simply far too immature (and not the current crop, mine too, and probably a generation before that). There would be untold number of stories of inebriated youth and their crimes and deaths. Let it go long enough and it will eventually settle out but society won't tolerate that adjustment period, if it has an option not to.

[dazzleman]

Raza has a point.  Maturity comes not only with age, but with experience.  Postponing experience delays maturity.

[dsred]

Ah screw it. Let's just do what women want and bubble wrap the world. Why, we could eliminate all risks and live happily after after.

Couldn't we?

[dazzleman]

No

[Rupert]

Practically it's not possible. It's to the point that modern youth are simply far too immature (and not the current crop, mine too, and probably a generation before that). There would be untold number of stories of inebriated youth and their crimes and deaths. Let it go long enough and it will eventually settle out but society won't tolerate that adjustment period, if it has an option not to.

No. Illegal things would still be illegal. Kids can, and clearly do, already drink. Basically, there is only a very small percentage of the under-21 population that would start to drink because it was legal.

[Rupert]

I know a lot of college kids too. From what I can tell the drinking habits of the seniors are vastly different from those of the freshmen.

[TBR]

No. Illegal things would still be illegal. Kids can, and clearly do, already drink. Basically, there is only a very small percentage of the under-21 population that would start to drink because it was legal.

And, those of us who let the law deter us currently are likely to be more moderate anyway.

[Rupert]

That has been my experience.

[bing_oh]

Raza has a point.  Maturity comes not only with age, but with experience.  Postponing experience delays maturity.

Not totally true. See FoMoJo's post about development of the adolescent brain. There is a distinct physiological maturing of the brain over time, epecially as it applies to the parts of the brain governing reasoning and decision-making. Adolescents make bad decisions not just because of a lack of life experience, but because the parts of their brains that govern decision-making have not yet fully matured. That reason alone is a good reason to limit the use of alcohol (a substance that impairs judgement) for people whose brains have not yet fully developed their decision-making centers.

[Rupert]

AFAIK, you have to drink a LOT as a 17-21+ year old for brain development to be affected.

[Eye of the Tiger]

AFAIK, you have to drink a LOT as a 17-21+ year old for brain development to be affected.

o/
I didn't get this stupid overnight.

[Rupert]

Ha!

[TurboDan]

A major factor in how I judge a particular law's relevance is whether or not it actually is followed. Aside from a rare few, has ANYONE in the 18-21 age group EVER been dissuaded from drinking because it was illegal? I would think that those who choose not to drink wouldn't anyway, and those who would... still would.

As I see it, it's not about the "allure of doing something illegal" but taking the opportunity when alcohol is readily available to party harder than one would if they 24/7 access all the time. There's no thrill in doing something illegal, but there is certainly something to be said for having fun you're not "supposed" to be having and taking those opportunities to really go overboard with your fun. I think the present laws on alcohol actually make young people act less maturely, since it's another factor that prolongs childhood and overtly breeds rebellion and crafty ways to get around the law. When you're not supposed to be drinking anyway, are you going to act mature in your drinking?

[ifcar]

A major factor in how I judge a particular law's relevance is whether or not it actually is followed. Aside from a rare few, has ANYONE in the 18-21 age group EVER been dissuaded from drinking because it was illegal? I would think that those who choose not to drink wouldn't anyway, and those who would... still would.

As I see it, it's not about the "allure of doing something illegal" but taking the opportunity when alcohol is readily available to party harder than one would if they 24/7 access all the time. There's no thrill in doing something illegal, but there is certainly something to be said for having fun you're not "supposed" to be having and taking those opportunities to really go overboard with your fun. I think the present laws on alcohol actually make young people act less maturely, since it's another factor that prolongs childhood and overtly breeds rebellion and crafty ways to get around the law. When you're not supposed to be drinking anyway, are you going to act mature in your drinking?

Even if alcohol consumption were legal for 18-year-olds, binge drinking is still something you're not supposed to do. It just wouldn't be the cops insisting on it.

[bing_oh]

AFAIK, you have to drink a LOT as a 17-21+ year old for brain development to be affected.

I'm not looking at it from a perspective of brain development being effected but by young people making bad decisions because of a combination of lesser decision-amking skills due to natural brain physiology and the effects of alcohol causing poor decision-making. People whos brains have fully developed do stupid enough things while under the influence of alcohol. Adding that to the natural poor decision-making of someone whos brain has yet to fully develop is what causes kids who are drunk to act in extremely reckless and dangerous ways.

[GoCougs]

No. Illegal things would still be illegal. Kids can, and clearly do, already drink. Basically, there is only a very small percentage of the under-21 population that would start to drink because it was legal.

False. Lowering the age drinking age to 18 will result in many more 18-20-year-olds drinking, especially to excess and especially where they will cause the most damage to themselves and to others (bars, clubs, etc.).

It'll never happen.

[Minpin]

False. Lowering the age drinking age to 18 will result in many more 18-20-year-olds drinking, especially to excess and especially where they will cause the most damage to themselves and to others (bars, clubs, etc.).

It'll never happen.

How many 18-20 years olds do you know? How many of those don't drink?  

The under 21 segment already contributes 17% of all alcohol sales in America. You sir, need a reality check that the drinking age actually stops underagers from drinking.

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-145219085.html   

[Rupert]

A major factor in how I judge a particular law's relevance is whether or not it actually is followed. Aside from a rare few, has ANYONE in the 18-21 age group EVER been dissuaded from drinking because it was illegal? I would think that those who choose not to drink wouldn't anyway, and those who would... still would.

As I see it, it's not about the "allure of doing something illegal" but taking the opportunity when alcohol is readily available to party harder than one would if they 24/7 access all the time. There's no thrill in doing something illegal, but there is certainly something to be said for having fun you're not "supposed" to be having and taking those opportunities to really go overboard with your fun. I think the present laws on alcohol actually make young people act less maturely, since it's another factor that prolongs childhood and overtly breeds rebellion and crafty ways to get around the law. When you're not supposed to be drinking anyway, are you going to act mature in your drinking?

I've met a few people who were concerned enough about not breaking rules that they did wait until they were 21 to drink. They didn't become ridiculous binge drinkers then, and it is a pretty small number. I think it's pretty insignificant, but might as well get the facts right.

[TBR]

False. Lowering the age drinking age to 18 will result in many more 18-20-year-olds drinking, especially to excess and especially where they will cause the most damage to themselves and to others (bars, clubs, etc.).

That is an incredibly ridiculous thing to say and completely false.

[MrH]

I think I know more college students than, say, you.

All I've been saying in this thread is that my experience isn't at all lining up with the statements people who are not in college have been making about college students. Take that as you will.

I'm with Tave.  Seniors drink much differently than freshman.  And let's be honest, you're not out hanging with the drunkards on campus.

[MrH]

The real problem here isn't age; it's the ability to use alcohol responsibly. That's a cultural thing.

Personally, I think anyone who is actively serving in the military or defending our country's freedoms should be able to purchase alcohol legally regardless of age. As it is, an 18-year-old can purchase Everclear on a military base without much of a problem here. I know people who have, and Everclear is illegal in PA.

But responsibility -- how do you instill that in people so that it's not abused as frequently and so that people don't act as recklessly under the influence of alcohol?

It's illegal to sell Everclear in PA.  That's a state law.  Military bases don't have to follow state laws, only federal laws.  That's why it's sold on base.  Not because they're some sort of rebelling group of bad asses.

[ifcar]

I'm with Tave.  Seniors drink much differently than freshman.  And let's be honest, you're not out hanging with the drunkards on campus.

Not intentionally. But I do live with three of them and constantly see dozens of people's Facebook photos.

[bing_oh]

That is an incredibly ridiculous thing to say and completely false.

Actually, that's not really false. Lowering the drinking age will put more 18-21 year olds in the bars and clubs. And, putting them in the clubs will naturally make any poor decisions they make a more public issue because they're making them in a public place. Seems totally logical, really.

[Raza]

I'm not looking at it from a perspective of brain development being effected but by young people making bad decisions because of a combination of lesser decision-amking skills due to natural brain physiology and the effects of alcohol causing poor decision-making. People whos brains have fully developed do stupid enough things while under the influence of alcohol. Adding that to the natural poor decision-making of someone whos brain has yet to fully develop is what causes kids who are drunk to act in extremely reckless and dangerous ways.

People of all ages make bad decisions, sober or drunk.  What percentage of DUIs are underage? 

[Raza]

False. Lowering the age drinking age to 18 will result in many more 18-20-year-olds drinking, especially to excess and especially where they will cause the most damage to themselves and to others (bars, clubs, etc.).

No.

[GoCougs]

As stated by bing_oh I think, alcohol is already pervasive enough, and a very powerful (read: terrible) drug. The last thing we need is to encourage its use beyond what is already done, and lowering the drinking age will do just that. Try circular logic to state the opposite but that is exactly what will happen.

[nickdrinkwater]

Practically it's not possible. It's to the point that modern youth are simply far too immature (and not the current crop, mine too, and probably a generation before that). There would be untold number of stories of inebriated youth and their crimes and deaths. Let it go long enough and it will eventually settle out but society won't tolerate that adjustment period, if it has an option not to.

I'm surprised at your opinion Cougs, given your vocal criticism in the past of laws that supposedly restrict freedoms.

[bing_oh]

People of all ages make bad decisions, sober or drunk.  What percentage of DUIs are underage?

But you're compounding a biological issue with the effects of alochol.

And, we're not just talking about DUI. We're talking about all of the issues associated with poor decisions made by people under the influence that have an effect on the greater society. The percentages of underage DUI's is irrelevant because it's impossible to make a comparison. You have a very limited segment of the population (ages 15-21) compared to a much larger segment of the population (21+), so the percentages are naturally going to be skewed. Not to mention that you have to consider the percentages of the two segments who drink on a regular basis and do so in a setting where they're inclined to drive.

[TBR]

Actually, that's not really false. Lowering the drinking age will put more 18-21 year olds in the bars and clubs. And, putting them in the clubs will naturally make any poor decisions they make a more public issue because they're making them in a public place. Seems totally logical, really.

That part is not false (I shouldn't have said that it was completely false, and don't really know why I did), but I think that it is false to say that lowering the drinking age would result in many more 18-20 year olds drinking. More yes, but considering how many 18-20 year olds already drink, many more doesn't seem likely.

BTW, plenty of 18-20 year olds go to bars/clubs. They just get drunk first. Yeah, that's safe.

[bing_oh]

BTW, plenty of 18-20 year olds go to bars/clubs. They just get drunk first. Yeah, that's safe.

Wouldn't someone who chooses to drive to a bar drunk now because the bar won't serve them because of their age be pretty likely to drive away from a bar drunk if they could be legally served there? You're not really solving a problem by lowering the drinking age when it comes to people like that.