Lower the drinking age movement? A rational look at the issue.?

Question

There's been a recent debate about lowering the drinking age, similar to right after vietnam. People who agree that it should be lowered have a good argument; Fighting and dying for thier country, voting, working, raising kids. People who defend the age state that it makes the roads safer ( An argument that is irrational because 18 and 21 year olds are held to the same criminal responsibility). Every time people think about the debate it's defended with drunk driving stats and deaths. I'm from Detroit, a city that suffers around 400 homicides every year from gun violence. Many people in the inner cities fight for much stricter gun laws, with the NRA fighting with "It's our right to have guns". If we can't stop people from getting killed from guns because of the NRA, doesn't this prove the importance of personal freedoms. I'm also a strong believer that the law is counterproductive anyway because of the very real forbidden fruit syndrome. Freedom VS stability.

9 hours ago

Answer 1

Someone from Germany once told me (don't know if it's true) that they can drink there when they are sixteen, but they can't drive until they are eighteen.  Makes sense to me.

Answer 2

It seems like 400 homicides is alot and it is! But if you took a closer look at how those murders occur you'll find that its the stupid people exterminating themselves with very few bystanders being claimed too. I own guns and love them and hold to my ground that is China, Russia, Marshal law or zombies ever invaded us that I would be ready. Sure, it may not be that way in reality but I'm responsible as many as my freinds are so why should we lose a freedom over some idiot acting on impulse. As far as the drinking limit, lets look at the reality of life. Kids get booze regardless, but who do you see having the accidents? Old grandpa and alcoholic dad. Its the grownups who get all crazy with it. I think in Texas especially around the border kids go up to Mexico as young as 13 and come back in time for school on Monday. New Mexico has more farmers and ranchers whose values are brought up since birth to become a working providing man and beleive they can drink at age 18. I'm not sure what my point was but its not everyday we are affected by these things so who cares.

Answer 3

No, I like it the way it is now. Lets not change it.

Answer 4

first you are mixing unrelated items in your argument.  You have a RIGHT to bear arms, there is no right to drink.  Second, soldiers under military control have the legal right to drink on military installations (the 21 rule does not apply).  Lastly, statistics show that raising the drinking age has decreased teenage driving fatalities.  This is a good thing.  An 18 year old does not have a fully developed sense of their responsibilities as an adult.  They are just starting to find out what it means to be responsible for themselves.  Keeping the drinking age at 21 gives them a little breathing room to develop some self control before they are released on the general public.  True, there are a lot of persons under 21 who drink illegally, that doesnt make it smart.  My daughter recently got arrested for posessing a forged doccument (fake ID) and they are holding her feet to the fire.  She is looking at a possible jail term as well as fines.  While I wish this hadnt happened, it will be a learning experience for her and hopefully she will be a little more responsible next time around.  Dont rush growing up.

Answer 5

Kids will drink no matter how old they are ... and b/c its illegal they do it at home or at friends houses. If the drinking age was lowered you'd have young kids in bars ect. The maturity isnt there. Drunk driving is illegal dispite the age - so its not a very good arguement. I feel it should be decriminalized, but not illegal.

Answer 6

You're mixing too many unrelated things into your argument.

Stick to underage drinking.  As you state the primary reason for limiting the drinking age is drunk driving.   Young drivers already are involved in a statistical large number of accidents for simply not paying attention and being unskilled drivers.  Now we add alcohol to the mix - it only gets worse for all of us.  And unfortunately, it's not a victimless crime - I might be the one on the road that they'll run into.

Maturity comes with age - that's common sense.  21 is three more years of maturity over 18 - makes a big difference - in most.

My 18 year old was welcome to drink a beer in my house - under my control.  Not drive, not party, not do something stupid.  Now he's 21 and none the worse for it.

Answer 7

Comparing gun ownership to drinking age is insane.  We lowered the drinking age and the number of young folks getting drunk and splattering themselves on the highway went up skyhigh.

Answer 8

The fact of the matter is that there is no right to drink nor is there any real need for 18-year-olds to drink.

And it has been shown that raising the drinking age to 21 reduced the number of DUI/DWI related fatalities.

Answer 9

Why change it? The whole reason they set that age is because achohol has chemicals that, if your organs are not fully devolped, it harms them. If they do anything they should raise it to 24. Thats when those few people who devolpe slower are fully devolped. So I think they should keep it.

Answer 10

One thing the government should never be accused of doing is looking at issues rationally.  The drinking age is one of them.  Making the drinking age so inflexible doesn't help anyone, except the government who makes money off of underage drinking tickets.  Perhaps we'd be better off if instead of making alcohol completely off limits we should allow parents to serve their kids alcohol with dinner and teach them responsible drinking instead of making it "forbidden fruit" as you say.