Perhaps we're in need of a different type of debate? Though this is an issue quite specific to the USA, that doesn't mean the Euros and other folks can't jump into the fray.

While I haven't been under the thumb of this law for several years, it's still quite perplexing to me. If you haven't deduced from the title of the thread what law I'm referring to, it's the legal drinking age in the US of A (21 years old).

Back when I was 18 and incredibly annoyed by said law I inquired several different pillars in my small community as to why this laws exists, particularly with the other privileges that accompany turning 18. The responses I received were typically terse and without in-depth support (which I will now present, and attempt to refute).

-If someone is old enough to die for their country, why can't they imbibe alcohol?
1. Because they're physically capable of fighting, but don't have the mental capacity to handle the effects of alcohol.

I don't see how someone in the military could hear that answer and not be offended. Is this to say that you don't need a brain to be a soldier, just a body to occupy space and absorb bullets? Beyond that, how many "boys" returned home from war only to have been ravaged by the horrors they saw there (i.e. "shell shock" or "battle fatigue" or "post-traumatic stress disorder," which ever term you most prefer)? It's OK to subject 18 year olds to the hell that is war because they are capable of handling that, but some booze would just tax their minds beyond their control.

Ignoring that it's obvious a respectable level of maturity is required to be a soldier, there's another privilege that accompanies turning 18 that dispels this defense of 21 drinking law by itself. As Americans we tend to take great pride in the fact that we live in a democratic society. As such, one of the most important acts a private citizen can undertake is voting. So how could it be possible that we could bestow a duty of such importance upon an 18 year old that lacks the cognitive faculties to handle alcohol? Faulty logic anyone?


2. Because 18 to 21 year olds are much more likely to drive drunk than people over 21.

While this rebuff was presented without statistics, I would be inclined to believe this vague figure. However, does anyone else see a fault in the logic here? The real target is drunk driving, something that happens far too often in this country, yet it is targeted through prohibition (for a sub-set of ages). Has this effort helped reduce drunk driving significantly? Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd say no. Perhaps if the ultimate goal is to reduce drunk driving, the laws should target...oh, I don't know...drunk driving? There could be rather steep penalties/fines/etc. for younger legal drinkers caught driving under the influence (e.g. anyone under 25 caught driving under the influence loses their license for a minimum of 3 years). Perhaps the punishment for DUI's should be much harsher across the board to drop the number of persons driving under the influence...


Now I don't remember when the law changed (I was too young to be concerned with pouring intoxicants into my body at that time), or the great arguments for/against at the time, so I'm sure I'm probably missing several key issues.

Anyhow, I think this law is unjust...but that's just me.

As I understand it, in most of Europe the drinking age is lower than the driving age, giving teens a chance to get drunk a lot before ever driving. At least they can handle it a bit better, I guess.

In the US, it's the reverse, get a car, go get drunk for the first time and WHAMMO, 3 dead pedestrians!

Also, I believe in most of Europe there are far harsher penalties for drunk driving. Here, people get to keep driving after 3, 4, 5, 10 DUI's!!!! Why? If someone rapes, put them away for life. If someone drives drunk, minimum sentence should be a year and revocation of the license for perhaps 5 years. Maybe then people wouldn't just laugh at the charge! Second offense, no mo' drivin' for you, pal. get used to the bus, after prison.


Wheeee! I'm a hard-a$$ on something finally!

I believe if they are old enough to fight for this country and vote for this country then by godly they damn sure are old enough to drink!! I have always allowed my son to drink since was 18 as long as he did it responsibly maybe thats why now hes 21 he has a fully stocked bar and a keg mister in his apartment but along with those he has a key bucket where everyone deposits thier keys and they get them back when he feels they are sober enough to drive

Over here in Ireland, if you get caught drink driving, your in big trouble. The minimum punishment is you lose you drivers license for atleast 1 year, maybe more, and can get a massive fine to pay. And if caught numerous times a custodial sentence may apply.
As for the drinking age, its 18yrs and over here. I dont know if this is a good thing or bad thing tho, yes it is a good thing to go out and be able to have a few drinks with friends (in my case alot) but it is a very expensive comodity over here. Its €5 for a pint of beer over here which sux. On the other hand, this low age limit mixed with the immaturity of us under 21's leads to binge drinking i.e going out on a Friday and Saturday nite and getting absolutely wasted, and I mean wasted. My Friday/Sat nite usually includes me drinking quite alot of beer, then onto the spirits. Then comes the vomit............ I know this isn't healty and shouldn't do it, but still do.
I suppose the American mentality is that, you are seen to be more responsible after the age of 21, and therefore less likely to do stupid things with booze on you!! This could be the right view to have in that case.
What is it like over in the states??? Is there a big emphises put on booze for a night out??

Its 18 here to... Pretty leniant with the drink driving punshment though... When we used to binge drink we drank beer then spirits then more beer then we vomited then sometimes we drank the vomit... Those were the days... And sometimes the girls passed out so us guys had fun... But it wasnt what you think

the legal age is 21 here in florida Hulio and if you get a dui or dwi they take your license till you make a court apperence which could be up to 6 monthes for the 1st court date. then you have to jump thru hoops for the judge to get it back my son had a dwi when he was 19 and lost his license for 16 monthes total but the just said if he paid all his fines and completed all his activites in due time she would let him expunge his record cause he was such an outstanding student and extremely polite and well mannered young man

Alchohol is a lethel poison. No person has the mental capacity to deal with it's toxicity. If it weren't for greed and corruption it would still be illegal. It's commendable that the leaders and lawmakers try to save young lives from destruction. The real "gateway" drug is alchohol! What if the legal drinking age was 30? So much for collage students waisting their lives. The effects on society would be profound!

You would just have more law breakers if the drinking age was 30. We tried prohibition and it failed. I remember when the drinking age changed I missed it by a year I was so pissed.
The problem isn't young people drinking it is thier being responsible. Unfortunately many of the people who are aloud to drink aren't responsible either.

I agree with Mog about the penalties, they should be harsh. Any person who goes out drinking knows that they are putting other people in danger with their actions, when they drive. The first DUI penalty should be loss of license for a year and a $5000 fine. The second penalty should include one year of jail time and the loss of your license for 5 years. The third offence should be like the three strike law. If you get caught driving after revocation the fines and punishment should be even worse.

Heres my Idea...

On your 16th Birthday, government officials dress up as hot girls (or guys) and take you drinking. If you dont manage to kill anyone before the night is over, you get your drinking liscine. If you kill someone, better luck next year.

thats actually a quite good idea but have the hole bar "actors" and the drive home be in a simulator or sumthin

Over here you're allowed to drink beer from the age of 16, and I totally love it.
Spirits are allowed from 18 up.

I think that at the age of 16, people are responsible enough for alcohol. Well, they either are at that time, or they never will be. Or they just learn the hard way. But I'd say it's better to learn it the hard way when you still live with your parents and don't have a load to **** up than when you've just moved out and can ruin your whole live.
If you start at 16, by the time you turn 18 you know all the ins and outs of alcohol.

Personally, I never understood this myself. I think it's bullcrap. I mean, you can kill your lungs with cigarettes at 18 but you need to be 21 to drink which is less dangerous to your own health? I do think that you shouldnt get "drunk" no matter what your age is, but I see nothing wrong with adults having a few drinks as long as its responsibly and dont get drunk where it impairs them. Im 17, and I really dont even want to drink, but it's the principle of the thing. You can go to war, get killed, but you cant have an alcoholic drink. I agree that we should be harsher on drunk driving, but because people are 18-20 doesnt mean we're any less irresponsible. I dont think people under 18 or something should drink, but I think 18 is a good level of maturity for it.

Well ...

Alcohol is not all that is cracked up to be...to start.

And belive me I have my share of experiences...let us say I learned to drive on one of my first really drunken parties, and it happen to be on a mountain freeway...so what can I say...and sadly I was 14 ... maybe 13.

Is it dangerous...but of course...luck it is not alway there to protect you...

Now Demosthenes idea is good. But I'll raise up a notch. You don't get above average scores at school, you can't drink.

i ahree with gueritol no above average grades no booze you have to earn the right to be a alcholic its not something to be taken lightly *giggles*

well compared to sending 18 nyear olds to war achohal isent that bad ............. i think i'd rather get a little drunk then be tramatiesed by war for the rest of my life ................... so what their basicly saying by leting you go to war when your 18 ....... is we couldn't care if you die at that age ....... we just don't whant you to drink just in case you run over us with your tank ........................ but i'll tell you what if your alive when you turn 21 you can drink all you whant ................................. but i wouldn't know because i live in canada and we get to drink when we turn 19 ............. and we don't have to go to war ...........and i'm only 15

Last Edited : Wednesday, 22 June 2005 - 18:49

Well I would like to say much more here but it will take too long. I can understand that an 18 year old would think that he's old enough to drink if he's old enough to die for his country, but if the little man inside of him hasn't learned yet how to stay sober, getting drunk will also probably increase a soldier's chances of geting killed by about 300%.
It's no joke when they say that alcohol releases your inhibitions. It's true. An 18 year old doesn't understand about "false courage" and will even try to deny it to himself, but the truth of the matter is that under the influence of alcohol one can easily be "led by the hand" to do things that are wrong.

Will power and judgement are impaired by alcohol and can cause a driver to try to cross a road right in front of oncoming, speeding cars or cause a soldier to forget to duck for cover when getting machine-gunned.
I would have to say that it is one's SELF or one's constitution that learns to stay sober while the little devil and also even one's conscience have become inebriated.
Better still ... don't drink. Your liver will love you for it.

TR

Hahaha, I don't think people were arguing that soldeirs should be able to drink during combat. They meant off-duty.

go Taurus ................ your right

Sage
I'm becoming more and more convinced that some folks just go out of their way to be contrary.

"Hahaha, I don't think people were arguing that soldeirs should be able to drink during combat. They meant off-duty."-"Sage"

I re-read the entire thread and I don't see anywhere else that someone else said anything at all like the forgoing. Just like people drive drunk soldiers will drink on duty. They will fill their canteens or stick a flask inside their back pack and drink more and more as they start to feel the "false courage".
Besides that, if a person drinks everyday even at home, they will start to be still drunk the next day.

I haven't had more than a few beers a year in almost 20 years but in New Jersey, you are considered drunk after just one beer. Also young folks don't learn how to take care of their health and alcoholism along with the need to have a drink can become a problem quickly.

TR

Last Edited : Wednesday, 22 June 2005 - 21:38

The fact is that the drinking age for soldier issue only applies here at home. When stationed in Germany for example, they can drink all they want...even on base at the clubs, the drinking age is lowered to meet the host nation standard for our military members. Dependents are still restricted a bit...drinking off base is allowed at 12...on base, must be 18 to purchase or consume.

In Saudi Arabia, the drinking age is NEVER...so it doesn't really matter. But in other Gulf States, the troops are allowed to drink off-duty.
Cheers,
H.