The Legal Drinking Age

I think 21 is a good idea. A lot of people I know at this age have been drinking since they were 13... Which is pathetic. I've heard of kids that are ok with drunk driving. I mean, how stupid can one be? I really think the legal age should stay at 21 (at least here in America). Kids my age can already be irresponsible and stupid enough (not to say that I'm miss responsible) and it's scary to think of EVEN MORE drinking and driving.

that being said though, what if the age to get your license was higher? then would it be okay to have the drinking age lowered?

no. I think drinking alcohol and being able to drive are two completely different responsibilites that should be kept how they are. I mean, I guess if you want to put it that way, it might not be so bad to make the driving age a bit higher. but I digress, I still think the drinking age should stay where it's at.

i live in the US & i do not like our dinking age.
it should be 18.
if you are old enough at age 18 to die for your country you should be able to drink.
or at least it should be you can drink when you graduate from high school.

ColieAnne91:

i live in the US & i do not like our dinking age.
it should be 18.
if you are old enough at age 18 to die for your country you should be able to drink.
or at least it should be you can drink when you graduate from high school.

Really?
I personally think that is a VERY bad idea.
I got to high school with kids who are to imature to do homework, and get a passing grade, or that just act like kids.
And you think that they should be able to DRINK!?

I think the drinking age should be higher.

Sure you can serve your country.
But that is WAY not the same as drinking.

You get honor dying for your country,
Not for drinking yourself to death.

A 18 year kid from my school died from being drunk and driving a four wheeler,
With he college, and grad, and high school friends...

I thin,in Ireland, the legal drinking age works.
It's 18.
I've been drinking sonce I was 16.
My parents knew and even bought me drink.
The rules were set out.
They got me a few cans.
I had to tell them where I was.
And I has a cerfew.

And if I broke thet trust I would be severly punished.
So that trust was never broken.

suzie_k:

I thin,in Ireland, the legal drinking age works.
It's 18.
I've been drinking sonce I was 16.
My parents knew and even bought me drink.
The rules were set out.
They got me a few cans.
I had to tell them where I was.
And I has a cerfew.

And if I broke thet trust I would be severly punished.
So that trust was never broken.

Wow...really?
that's wicked.

Can I just ask out of curosity what makes you, and any other person who drinks want to?
I don't, never will, don't see the honest reason in it.
So, I wonder that..

At 18 you are a legal adult, can be held legally responsible for your actions, pay taxes, serve in the army (which I don't support but that's another story) who is the government to refuse you alcohol? If it's for reasons of maturity, then why is being of age still 18? If that's the states thinking, then why don't they just raise the age of all those other things to 21, or lower everything to 18. I don't understand the inconsistency

Nada.:

Can I just ask out of curosity what makes you, and any other person who drinks want to?
I don't, never will, don't see the honest reason in it.
So, I wonder that..

warning: massive essay ahead

I think there are several reasons for constantly binge-drinking, which often overlap, and those reasons are:
1 - Drinking to 'forget' personal problems. It's a more socially acceptable method of dealing with problems than, say, self-harm (though both of them are a very bad idea). Ever heard the phrase 'drown your sorrows'? Although I strongly disapprove of drinking culture, from my few experiences of mild/medium inebriation I have found that it tends to make my problems less prevalent in my mind (as does cannabis) - and you find that...
2 - It can be more fun to be drunk than sober. You're less inhibited than you are sober; you're more given to try things you wouldn't try normally. Like making out with people of the same sex, or being more daring than you would be in broad daylight. You get some good anecdotes out of inebriated nights out. Bad ones too, but the 'I was sooo drunk' excuse is apparently an acceptable one. Also, if you want to say something to someone but wouldn't have the courage to do it whilst in full control of your mental faculties, it may help to be a little tipsy at the time. Hence the expression 'Dutch courage'.
3 - Peer pressure. If you go to university/college, or indeed a lot of parties after you reach your teens, drinking is the epitome of 'cool'. My housemates were shocked to discover I'd never been 'properly' drunk before I arrived at university, and kept telling me they'd 'have' to get me smashed at some point. When you're being harrassed by various people on this subject fairly frequently, it becomes difficult to resist peer pressure, even if you're strong-minded.
4 - Finally - some alcohol tastes really nice! I admit to liking 'girly' drinks - like alcopops or Malibu - but I also like cider; it's lovely! Particularly strawberry cider. It's all a matter of personal taste, but if you like the taste of something, you're going to keep drinking it...

As I said earlier on, I strongly disapprove of the British binge-drinking culture; I think it's pathetic to go on about how pissed you were at the weekend, or to think it's hilarious that you vomited everywhere - you become a liability and a responsibility to other people. It's a waste of money to go out specifically to get drunk (especially when spirits are involved) and why would you waste your money on a night that you can't even remember?
That said, as in reason 4 I do like the taste of some alcohol, so I drink for this reason; I was pleasantly drunk for the first time at the weekend, and I did enjoy myself. However, I'd never make it into a constant habit, for the un-numbered reasons I just gave. I think a lot of kids feel the need to binge-drink because they perceive it as being a societal taboo (which it is, thanks to the media hysteria about it), and because of the age restrictions they think it's more adult to drink than not drink. Unlike adults, though, they don't have the responsibility to be sensible about it.

...I think.

i watched this documentary about british like 10 year olds who have drinking problems i was like wtf

Nada.:

ColieAnne91:

i live in the US & i do not like our dinking age.
it should be 18.
if you are old enough at age 18 to die for your country you should be able to drink.
or at least it should be you can drink when you graduate from high school.

Really?
I personally think that is a VERY bad idea.
I got to high school with kids who are to imature to do homework, and get a passing grade, or that just act like kids.
And you think that they should be able to DRINK!?

I think the drinking age should be higher.

Sure you can serve your country.
But that is WAY not the same as drinking.

You get honor dying for your country,
Not for drinking yourself to death.

A 18 year kid from my school died from being drunk and driving a four wheeler,
With he college, and grad, and high school friends...

That is why I said or Graduate from High School. I think it should be both.
If you are 18 & have graduated from high school.
Most other countries legal drinking age is lower than ours & they dont have issues with it like we do.
& people die & get hurt everyday in all age groups from drinking not just younger people.
& if the drinking age was lowered we would not have to put so much time & effort into saying it is wrong. Which is what you hear more than how to be safe doing it.
If the drinking age was lowered we could put forth more effort on telling people how to be responsible while drinking. Instead of always telling them not to do it.
Because telling underage people not to drink is not working as you stated about the 18 year old.
So if it is not working then a new system should be made on what needs to e done.

In Denmark, you can buy alcohol in stores at 16, and in bars/clubs at 18.

Tbh, yeah we have problems with drinking, most of the people I know my age drink every weekend. The most common excuse is "you're only young once!" because young = drinking, in most of young Danes' eyes.

Yeah, I drink often, sometimes 4 times a month, but usually less. And very rarely more.
But that being said, we aren't allowed to drive before we're 18 either. So by the time we can drive, we've tried drinking, we know how it affects us, so maybe we're less prone to drink and drive. We're legally adults at 18, and at 18, you're responsible for yourself. You can live on your own when you're 16.

I think a lot of young people around the world, like American teenagers, don't feel adult (at least not to the extent that we do) until they're out of college/university.
We fuss a lot about being adults at 18, so I think that has something to do with it.. I mean, of course, we're still teenagers at 18, our bodies aren't fully developed, but we get to ease into the responsibility, y'know.

I think I'm ranting now. My point is, that American teens (I'm not just targeting americans, it's just the only thing i know about) will drink because they're not allowed, just like Danes will drink before 16. It's forbidden, and therefore cool. Of course i don't know how the american (or other nationalities that have high drinking ages) teens will react, they might run amok and drink and drive and become alcoholics and shit, and I don't think America is ready for that tbh..

idk if it made sense, but rant is over now lol

no matter what the drinking age is in some way or another teenagers will be able to get alcohol. i was drinking in grade 11 every weekend and i just got older friends to buy stuff for me. there is actually this number you can call and they will pick up alcohol for you. the only difference of when your legally able to drink is that you can buy it yourself and go to bars.

My cousin grew up in Canada like me but then goes to university in Atlanta, USA so he has seen both sides, and I'm just going to paraphrase what he has said about the issue.

From being a teen here, and talking to American friends, people in Canada and the USA start drinking at the same age, just because the drinking age is lower here doesn't mean kids start drinking at an accordingly younger age. My cousin also said that the legal age in the states doesn't stop any drinking problems, it worsens them. If teens can't legally drink, they're going to have crazy house parties instead. In Canada, once we're old enough to go to bars and clubs, house parties become less popular. People are less likely to over indulge at a bar then they are a house party, and for the drinking age to be up as high as 21 just prolongs this phenomenon.

even my brother says there is something that makes drinking more fun when you're not allowed to do it. he's almst 20 and drinking doesn't interest him much anymore

oh yeah for sure.
I got such a rush from drinking before I turned 18.
Now I'm legal, and go to bars/clubs semi often, but now it's a fun place to just chill out with friends, alcohol is a bonus. Before, it was ALL ABOUT the drinking.

ColieAnne91:

Nada.:

ColieAnne91:

i live in the US & i do not like our dinking age.
it should be 18.
if you are old enough at age 18 to die for your country you should be able to drink.
or at least it should be you can drink when you graduate from high school.

Really?
I personally think that is a VERY bad idea.
I got to high school with kids who are to imature to do homework, and get a passing grade, or that just act like kids.
And you think that they should be able to DRINK!?

I think the drinking age should be higher.

Sure you can serve your country.
But that is WAY not the same as drinking.

You get honor dying for your country,
Not for drinking yourself to death.

A 18 year kid from my school died from being drunk and driving a four wheeler,
With he college, and grad, and high school friends...

That is why I said or Graduate from High School. I think it should be both.
If you are 18 & have graduated from high school.
Most other countries legal drinking age is lower than ours & they dont have issues with it like we do.
& people die & get hurt everyday in all age groups from drinking not just younger people.
& if the drinking age was lowered we would not have to put so much time & effort into saying it is wrong. Which is what you hear more than how to be safe doing it.
If the drinking age was lowered we could put forth more effort on telling people how to be responsible while drinking. Instead of always telling them not to do it.
Because telling underage people not to drink is not working as you stated about the 18 year old.
So if it is not working then a new system should be made on what needs to e done.

Oh, I see,
So if a 18 year has grad. from high school, then he will be more responsibile then one who is in high school, more mature....no.

And, if they CAN'T handle it 18, how is that a good arument to put forth and say, "Well, we should lower the age"?

Given, you can tell kids that they can't drink and they will.
But tell a kid they can, and ALL breaks loose.

I think that it should for sure be made higher.

18 year olds have proven they're to child like to drink and be responsible about it, and yes, "adults" do it too, but why does that mean that we should say "Ah heck with it" and let them go at it.

It should be 25 at the lowest in my opinion.
And it's sad, I hear all these kids talk at school about the party they had, and that they don't remember what went down.

I thinks that is disgusting, and sad. Anything could happen to these people and they would never know. They could really hurt themselfs.
And most of the people in my family are alcoholics, and I know I have a SUPER high chance, if I were ever stupid enough, NOT SAYING ANYONE WHO DRINKS IS STUPID, before someone jumps on that, that if I took a swig and grew a liking, there would go my life to some STUPID substance that hurts and kill people, makes them regret things, and that is no good for their health at the aount they are taking it in at.

So I will never ever try it,
And I will never EVER support it, if they say rais the age, by goodness, I'll be the first to support it.

Nada.:

Given, you can tell kids that they can't drink and they will.
But tell a kid they can, and ALL breaks loose.

Umm actually it's more likely a kid WILL drink when you tell them that they can't compared to when they can. i mean the first little while when people are finally able to drink they might go crazy (kinda like when you can first drive you want to drive all the time ) but then it gets old. MOST kids get a thrill of doing things they are not allowed to do

25 is completely ridiculous.
You can't judge something so harshly that you haven't even tried
I'm not encouraging you to drink underage, but reserve all these harsh judgments which don't tell the whole story until you know a little more what you're talking about.

You see why people just don't agree with you at all?
Because your ideas are mostly equal to those of a closed-minded ultraconservative soccer mom zealot. And that annoys those who are actually more acceptive of less harsh treatment of certain problems.