Should the legal drinking age be lowered to 18 ??

Question

Should the legal drinking age be lowered to 18 ??

Answer 1

Based on what? If anything it should probably be raised because 21 isn't that much more mature.

Join the Armed Forces and you can drink on Base at 18, or at least you used to be able to. So enough with that you can fight for your country BS.

Answer 2

Yes it should be, and for all of those who say no because its "bad" then make it illegal. Since there are tons of people over the age of 21 and people who are even far older then that who are getting DUI's or worse killing people after a night of drinking. Funny how we crack down on people around the age of 18 saying they would not be responsible when there are people I bet well into their 30's & 40's who cant handle drinking and then not driving.  

Answer 3

No.  Brain chemistry studies show that no one should drink before the age of 22.

Answer 4

No.

My state tried that years ago.  Drunk driving accidents, injuries, and deaths shot up.  So did insurance rates, too  We put it back to 21, and the level of these dropped back down.  Too many kids that age don't have the maturity or judgment to handle drinking.  

And I'd be curious to see what would happen if the drinking age was moved to 23, or even 25.

And to the people who say that 18 year olds can join the military and go to war, so why not let them drink, I say that those people get extensive training on how to be a soldier, how to make decisions as a soldier, how to use their weapons, how to work as a team, how to fight effectively, and how to survive.  If we gave 18 year olds 1/10th that amount of training before we allowed them to drink, then most of them might be able to drink responsibly.  But I wouldn't count on it working for all of them.

Answer 5

My opinion on this is YES.... the reason is if someone is 18 wants to drink they will...the main reason is the can go fight for the USA at 18 but can not drink... does not make since to me ... I hope this helps =0)

Answer 6

Probably not.  If it happens the number of alcohol related traffic accidents and fatalities will go up, up, and away.  18 year old kids, most of which turn 18 in high school, aren't necessarily the most mature people, and then you add alcohol and large pieces of metal that weigh 3,000 lbs, and travel up to and over 100 mph doesn't sound like a good mix to me.  Not too many 16 y/o can pass as a 21 y/o, but many could pass as 18.  

Traffic crashes are the number ONE killer of people in this country aged 15-20, 31% are alcohol related.  That's a lot of young people whose lives were taken before they lived.

For the people who keep bringing up that if you can join the military at 18, then why can't you drink at 18.  Well, join the military then because they can drink at 18.  If you don't join then you don't get the privilege.

Answer 7

i take it ur from america or somewhere here in australia the legal age is 18 im nineteen but i think 21 a good age i go out n see so many uncontolable immature young ppl that cant handle it all the young boys wanting to fight and the girls acting like sl*ts seriously even though id have to go with out for now is fine also to many road accidents with young ppl drink driving

Answer 8

Yes, because most adults or afolesences start to drink alcoholic beverages from the years 12-14.

Answer 9

i see were some people are comming from if your old enough to fight for our country you should be old enough to drink BUT if your fighting you shouldn't be drinking (bad roll model) but i think the age of 21 is to young i think your not really mature enough to drink until 25 and some are not then either but 18 is way to young. if they change the age limit to younger audiences they are only going to up the death rates!!!

Answer 10

YES IF AT 18 YOU CAN DIE 4 UR COUNTRY AND WATCH YOUR BUDDYS AROUND YOU DIE YOU SURE AS h**l SHOULD BE A TO HAVE A BEER AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Answer 11

no even though kids are drinking at 18 does not make it right enough people die in accidents because of dui or dwi that would just raise the amount of deaths by that much more because you would have these kids going to bars and clubs and think they are so great driving a little alcohol is not going to make a difference but it does so no it should not be lowered to 18

Answer 12

No. The younger you are when you start to drink, the more likely you will become an alcoholic. See the studies in the link below.

The fact that you can join the military or vote is irrelevant. It is a non-sequitur to assert that you should have the right to drink, just because you have been given the privilege of joining the military and voting. Military service, voting and drinking are simply not related.

Answer 13

honestly,YES!

once we turn 18 we are adults and should to be able to do every legal,we have to wait to be 18 to go to bars,casinos,and buy smokes,then we have to wait 3 years to drink.its really stupid,I think about this alot.the law should be changed,it is really unfar.but then of course we are still immature at 18,and by 21 we are alot more away of the effects of drinking and don't wanna do it as much.many of my friends who are 22 or over have stopped drinking,they drank alot underage,then drank like crazy the year they were 21 then it got old of having to buy the booze for people and it hasn't fun anymore.so maybe the government has a good point for this pointless law.

Answer 14

In my opinion as the mom of a teenager, absolutely NOT!  I don't understand the logic behind "we will stop binge drinking on our college campuses if we lower the drinking age".  Now the 18 year olds will legally be able to buy the alcohol that they will binge on.

It has nothing to do with "if" you can buy it, it has everything to do with the maturity of the level of the person consuming it.  This will do nothing but put MORE alcohol into the hands of the people who can least handle it.

(Good question though-thanks for putting it out there for debate)

Answer 15

The way I see it, kids drink anyway nowadays.

But no, i do not believe it should be lowered.

18 is the age where a young adult first recieves their freedom, and will probably do as much experimenting as possible. to let them into clubs and such at this age could, in the long run, be a dangerous move.

Answer 16

Please! Please!! Noooooooo it is bad enough that kids are experimenting with alcohol and drugs at very early ages; please let'ss keep a lead on not reducing the age in order to avert disaster and save this children from themselves.

Answer 17

Im cool with it being raised to 25 so long as nobody under 25 is allowed to serve in the military.  

Answer 18

I think you have to be responsible enough to understand the results of your actions if a drink goes over the limit even if it does not one has to have a sense of maturity to know a persons limits so it depends on oneself and society at large.

Answer 19

Its 18 in ireland and the trouble that comes from 18-21 year old drunks is ridiculously avoidable

Answer 20

yeah, that's all i need, even younger drunks at the bar i frequent.

Answer 21

I don't think it should be lowered AT ALL! I wouldn't stop anyone from drinking though. I personally think the the smoking age should be higher. I find this ridiculous! What's next? Lowering the age of when a child can watch p**n to 15?

   They all say that drinking and smoking can be bad for you so why lower it so younger people can drink? I know by 18 you can go to war and stuff, but how would little kids think when they look up to soldiers who fight for our country and then they see them at a bar drinking? They may think it is alright too. Besides at this age you may still be in High School. Most High Schoolers I know are immature!

    Seriously I don't know what is the point of teaching teens not to smoke or drink if you can do it at 18 anyway. Most people this days don't know the meaning of "Drink Responsibly" and "Don't Drink and Drive". I guarantee that the death rates from car accidents will go up if this happens.

Answer 22

I think they should lower it but you should have to pass some sort of responsible drinking class first.

Answer 23

yes. it's 18 everywhere else. nobody waits until theyre 21 anyway.

Answer 24

No. Many States previously had the 18 year old drinking laws (beer) and changed them because of the irresponsible people drinking and driving.

Answer 25

h**l no...as a matter of fact I think they should increase the age for voting to 21 as well...most of you kids aren't smart enough for that kind of responsibility

Answer 26

lol suck guys its 18 here and were all goood :D

Australia btw

Answer 27

Yes.  You are legally an adult at 18.  You can vote which gives you a say in the government.  You can join the military be handed a gun and sent to war.  

How does drinking alcohol somehow require more maturity than that?

Its 19 in Canada and thousands of Americans just go there to drink legally.

Answer 28

h**l yes! If you can fight and die for your country you should be able to go out and have a d**n beer!

Answer 29

Yes.  If a person is of legal age to die for their country but they can't walk into a bar when they return from Iraq..where is the justice in that?

Lowering the drinking age would likely eliminate most of the binge drinking that occurs amongst underage drinkers.  We need to have family discussions and possible school programs on responsible drinking and there will not be a problem with the drinking age being lowered to 18.  It's not the age that makes people binge it's the fact that they are doing somethign illegal and therefore rebellious.

Answer 30

yes i can't stand when people say its because kids will drive drunk, my friends and i always give our keys to someone who is not drinking because we are responsible, most dui's are people over 30, don't believe me look on your local police blotter at all the ages of people arrested for dui.

Answer 31

no I don't think so because if 18 yr old want to drink they can sneak into there parents alcohol cabinet and drink and then there would be more rapes and molestations and s*x and babies and death. I think they should make the age to drink 25 that way more people would not drink as much.