Why is it that the argument in favor of lowering the drinking age is this?

Question

I'm 18 i can vote and i can go to war or be drafted and go to prision. that's sort of like saying i'm 11 and i can walk and ride a bike i should be able to drive.

Most 18 years old don't vote in america. Females are not drafted to go to war and being charged as an adult when you get arrested is still stupid. h**l you can't even get a rental car at 18. (have to be 25)

I'm 18................................

Answer 1

I agree.  

Answer 2

That argument may seem stupid but it is very valid.

However, there are many other arguments as well.

You CAN rent a car if you want to at 18 at most places, there will most times just be a surcharge for this.

The fact that most 18 year olds don't vote in America is besides the point because most adults of most ages don't vote. Why would an eighteen year old be allowed to vote in elections of the future leaders of the country if they were not viewed responsible enough by the government to make important decisions?

For the record at 18 a female CAN join the armed forces. Anyone at the age of 18 can apply for a loan, purchase a firearm, go to jury duty, apply for a mortage, have a drivers license, adopt a baby or a minor on your own, sell alcohol under certain conditions, enter into legally binding contracts, and many other things. You cannot honestly tell me that consuming an alcholic beverage requires anymore responsibility than many of these things listed.

Since every state has determined that 18 year olds can be automatically charged as adults if they commit a crime (among other things), the states should not, inconsistently, claim that 18 year olds are to immature to drink a beer.

On top of that we are the only country in the world with a drinking age of 21. Which doesn't matter much because no law can prevent stupidity.

Yes, an 11 year old can walk and ride his bike.. but driving a car at that age is a whole different story. That argument is abolutely absurd. At the age of 18 you are legally an adult.

Answer 3

I am well over 18 but if you are serving in the Military I will buy you a drink!  I won't rent you a car though...sorry but I have been there, done that!

Answer 4

welcome to america

Answer 5

drinking you can get hooked and its not pleasant. i see no reason to legalize this until you are suppose to be an adult which there are some that couldn't be one at 21 either but its for helping keep our people safe and if you dont' think you can handle it that is why. like you said there are so many things it could be raised if you aren't careful take care.

Answer 6

In some states you can drink 3.2% beer at 18. Hey we all have to wait until were 21 to drink because it takes time to develope a maturity level.

Answer 7

I actually think the drinking age should be lowered to 19.  This is due to the fact by 19 everyone is either working or in college.  I'm not so sure it would be the best idea to allow high school age kids access to alcohol.  By lowering it to 19, at least on college campuses, mature adults would be able to enjoy a drink and not guzzle down and binge drink at parties, because they feel the cops can come bust up their party at any point in the night.  However, while I think 19 is ideal, 18 is better than 21.

Answer 8

what is the question, in part i agree that if a soldier comes home from iraq then he should be able to have a drink however i know a ton of 18 year olds that if they were told that they could drink legally it pry wouldnt be safe to do anything on the streets, (walk ride a bike ect...) I think that the age 21 is a good age, giving the child have structure to know right from wrong and understand true consiquenses i am not saying all 18 year old dont think about others, but there are alot who dont at 18 they are old enough to move out get a house and sign your life away and i think its to imature of a time to start drinking!

Answer 9

LOL "I'm 18 i can vote and i can go to war or be drafted and go to prision. that's sort of like saying I'm 11 and i can walk and ride a bike i should be able to drive."  You are totally right that is a stupid argument to lower the drinking age!  That made me LOL but I wasn't really sure which side you were on either...for or against lowering the age.

Answer 10

That's only one argument.  And it's saying that you have all other rights at 18, drinking is the only "privelage" left until 21.

A better argument, in my opinion, is that it prevents underage binge drinking.  Instead of having a high drinking age so that 18 19 and 20 year olds are out drinking irresponsibly (which everyone knows they are), they should lower it to 18 and make people take a class on alcohol safety.  Plus, there's no scientific backing for the claim that people will drink more responsibly at 21 than they will when they're 18.

I've seen someone on Y!A suggest that a high school diploma be required for one to be able to drink legally, I don't think that's a bad idea at all.