The age 21 drinking age is a blatant disregard of my freedoms

[david2357]

Its a joke. The drinking age in every US state is 21. The only other countries with this drinking are very strict muslim countries. EVERY other first world country has a lower drinking age. UK, australia, france, germany, netherlands, canada, japan, ireland, etc.

Everyone will agree that parties are more fun with alcohol, even adults. And everyone knows that college is the time when people have the funnest times of their lives. Yet college students cant legally drink until their junior or even senior year of college. Consequently, everyone breaks that law.

organizations like MADD, etc. say "oh they get in more car accidents", etc. Thats probably true. But then again, if you look at the percent of underage drinkers in fatal car crashes, its very low. I know hundreds of people who get drunk multiple times a week and none have got in a DUI accident. The law is a form of discrimination. its ridiculous.

They think that those under 21 cant handle alcohol as well as those above 21. But look at it this way: women cant handle as much alcohol as men due do differences in the liver and body size. And its been shown that their brains get damaged from alcohol more easily than men's do. The government would never consider banning alcohol for women. Because that would be a form of discrimination against women. But age based discrimination is allowed for some reason.

I find it laughable that in every other country in the world , 18 year olds are legally drinking and can go buy a beer whenever they want. Yet here in the supposedly free country, you have police busting frat parties , arresting 18-20 year old ADULTS (they are legal adults) for drinking under 21; and then arresting some of the frat members because they allowed someone into the party who wasnt a senior in college yet (what do they expect party hosts to do? exclude all college students who arent yet a junior or senior? thats ridiculous, in college there is no separation of over 21 and under 21 year olds, so they intermingle and befriend each other . do they really expect people to exclude their freshman and sophmore friends just because there is alcohol present?

on TEENHELP , there are many people from other countries. Australia, Canada, UK, etc. I find it laughably ridiculous that despite the fact that I am a legal adult who can legally fight for his country and can be forced to go to jury duty and war if there is a draft , that a large percentage of the 15 year olds on this site will be able to legally drink before i can.


Also, it is highly unfair to girls. I am not a girl. But I have noticed how ridiculously unfair this would be if you were a girl. A girl is usually younger than her boyfriend. So if you have an 18 year old girl dating a 22 year old frat guy, then she will probably come to frat parties to be with her boyfriend. The police will then arrest her even if she doesnt drink simply because she was around alcohol.


on a saturday, when I have no work or anything ,and there is a party going on , I find it ridiculous that I have to think "oh , i probably shouldnt go, I might get arrested for having a beer".

The government needs to realize that the law will ruin young people's lives if arrested and kicked out of school. It is impossible to give 1/2 of the college students more rights than the younger half and then expect people to obey the law. If the drinking age were 19, then nobody in highschool could drink , but everyone in college could starting sometime in their freshman year. Everyone drinks anyways. The law is a failure. I am an adult, why cant i legally drink, thats a joke.

[TigerTank77]

In all honesty, if we stopped treating alcohol as such a taboo thing, lowered the age, and got kids to use it responsibly early on, they're be far less incidents and far less binge drinking.

But, yeah, logic and politics usually don't go hand in hand. People don't magically become adults at age 21.

[Revolution]

It doesn't really make a whole lot of sense.

The problem is that seriously, Americans have no idea about this idea called "Moderation." In other countries, alcohol is considered a social drink, while here, people just go crazy with it. It's not that we have a deficiency in intelligence, it's just in culture, that's become acceptable. Binge drinking, drinking alone, drinking just to get wasted instead of to get buzzed and have fun, all of that. People in the United States generally have more of a problem drinking alcohol in moderation, and I'm saying that as an American citizen.

[Aletheia*]

To me, people under the age of 21 haven't shown enough maturity for anyone to consider lowering the legal drinking age. That doesn't mean that you magically become an adult at the age of 21, but your maturity level rises some. For me, I have absolutely NO problem with the legal drinking age being 21 years of age. Sure, I had to wait, and my boyfriend was 21 while I was 19, and he had to wait two years for me to go out with him and stuff, but at parties that we held, I was able to drink since I had no plans of leaving the party and if I did, I wouldn't drink.

I don't know. This sounds more of a rant than anything else, but we just have to live with it. If you can't, move to a place where the drinking age is 18.

[ReluctantPegasister]

I find the law to be difficult because the more laws people break, the less they will respect the ones they haven't broken. In the place I live, marijuana is a small fine. This encourages people to become law-breakers, just as underage alcohol drinkers are law-breakers.

I read once that the 21 alcohol drinking age was tied to funding for roads back when every state had a different age, so states changed their ages in order to get the funding.

As for myself, I am 17 and I don't drink because I dislike the taste of alcohol, because I've tried beer and cider and wine and they all taste gross to me.

[JKmadu619]

In BC Canda legal drinking age is 18, so you should probably scratch Canada off that list, and I think it should be raised. Drunk idiots are the last thing we need, and it seems a fair amount of eighteen year olds have no idea on how moderation, self control and calling for a taxi works, because it seems nearly every other week that our power goes out because of a "Single vehicle crash" because some idiot was drunk, and every few times ends up dead, it's very sad to see an eighteen year old dead because of a few bad choices. Any dreams for university, or getting a career are over, and just like that it's over. I just don't see a benifit that really matter. I mean arguing that "Being drunk makes parties more fun!" and "University should be a party place!" is really silly when looking at the big picture. Is one more "fun party" worht someone else's life? Probably not. Secondly, university doesn't have to be a "Wild place" it's like saying highschool is a place with all kinds of musicals and jock versus nerd wars, and random song and dance, and crazy pranks and funny teachers. It's stereotyping based on poor movies and television shows that stereotype to atttempt to make it relatable. So I'm not entirely sure if that point was even valid.

- Justin

[dr2005]

To give another perspective on this, I started drinking alcohol at an age well below the legal drinking age in this country (how far below is not something I intend to share on an Internet forum ) - however, I have not become a raging alcoholic and compared with most people my age my alcohol consumption is very low, to the extent that it's actually lower than my parents'. The reason is I was introduced to alcohol under their supervision, in very small quantities, in a way which removed the mystique around it and made it less taboo. At the same time, I was made acutely aware of the potential consequences of excess alcohol consumption and in particular drink-driving, so it was very much a carrot and stick approach. Based on my own experience, and I will admit there is sizeable bias on this one, I feel that setting arbitrary age limits of any kind is an inadequate response to the situation and if anything seems to detract from the substantial need for better education about alcohol - including, I should add, busting myths like the "parties are more fun with alcohol" one the OP raises. Remove the aura and mystery around alcohol, and therefore its appeal as a form of rebellion, and you'll probably deal with most of the issues the age restriction is meant to address anyway.

On another note, the drink-driving issue could also be addressed by fitting cars with breatherlyser keys (or so-called "alco-keys") as standard. It wouldn't be difficult for most modern cars given the electronics they have nowadays, and if you can't start the car then it stops the problem in its tracks. You would of course need some kind of safeguard to stop people circumventing it, but I think that's the most viable solution to that problem.

[Aletheia*]

Originally Posted by dr2005

To give another perspective on this, I started drinking alcohol at an age well below the legal drinking age in this country (how far below is not something I intend to share on an Internet forum ) - however, I have not become a raging alcoholic and compared with most people my age my alcohol consumption is very low, to the extent that it's actually lower than my parents'. The reason is I was introduced to alcohol under their supervision, in very small quantities, in a way which removed the mystique around it and made it less taboo. At the same time, I was made acutely aware of the potential consequences of excess alcohol consumption and in particular drink-driving, so it was very much a carrot and stick approach. Based on my own experience, and I will admit there is sizeable bias on this one, I feel that setting arbitrary age limits of any kind is an inadequate response to the situation and if anything seems to detract from the substantial need for better education about alcohol - including, I should add, busting myths like the "parties are more fun with alcohol" one the OP raises. Remove the aura and mystery around alcohol, and therefore its appeal as a form of rebellion, and you'll probably deal with most of the issues the age restriction is meant to address anyway.

On another note, the drink-driving issue could also be addressed by fitting cars with breatherlyser keys (or so-called "alco-keys") as standard. It wouldn't be difficult for most modern cars given the electronics they have nowadays, and if you can't start the car then it stops the problem in its tracks. You would of course need some kind of safeguard to stop people circumventing it, but I think that's the most viable solution to that problem.

Funny you mention breathalizers! My grandfather, who is obviously well over the legal drinking age, now has to take a breathalizer test in order for him to start his vehicle since getting a DUI.

[dancinfool]

In BC Canda legal drinking age is 18, so you should probably scratch Canada off that list, and I think it should be raised. Drunk idiots are the last thing we need, and it seems a fair amount of eighteen year olds have no idea on how moderation, self control and calling for a taxi works, because it seems nearly every other week that our power goes out because of a "Single vehicle crash" because some idiot was drunk, and every few times ends up dead, it's very sad to see an eighteen year old dead because of a few bad choices. Any dreams for university, or getting a career are over, and just like that it's over. I just don't see a benifit that really matter. I mean arguing that "Being drunk makes parties more fun!" and "University should be a party place!" is really silly when looking at the big picture. Is one more "fun party" worht someone else's life? Probably not. Secondly, university doesn't have to be a "Wild place" it's like saying highschool is a place with all kinds of musicals and jock versus nerd wars, and random song and dance, and crazy pranks and funny teachers. It's stereotyping based on poor movies and television shows that stereotype to atttempt to make it relatable. So I'm not entirely sure if that point was even valid.

Firstly, the type of people who drink-drive, and the type of people who get crazily drunk and cause trouble are very often the same who pay very little attention to the legal drinking age in the first place. Alcohol does cause accidents but I'm not sure changing the drinking age would have any effect.

I also think your view of university is somewhat skewed (because no offence I doubt you've ever been given your profile says you're 13). Compared to most universities in the UK, my university has less of a drinking culture (I say this based on visiting friends at various other universities, and because mine is academically very strenuous) and yet its still usual to get fairly drunk at least once a week, and for some much more often. I'm not saying university is about drinking but its definitely a time when people have less work or family commitments. So its not just a stereotype, it's what happens the majority of the time.

[JKmadu619]

Originally Posted by dancinfool

Firstly, the type of people who drink-drive, and the type of people who get crazily drunk and cause trouble are very often the same who pay very little attention to the legal drinking age in the first place. Alcohol does cause accidents but I'm not sure changing the drinking age would have any effect.

I also think your view of university is somewhat skewed (because no offence I doubt you've ever been given your profile says you're 13). Compared to most universities in the UK, my university has less of a drinking culture (I say this based on visiting friends at various other universities, and because mine is academically very strenuous) and yet its still usual to get fairly drunk at least once a week, and for some much more often. I'm not saying university is about drinking but its definitely a time when people have less work or family commitments. So its not just a stereotype, it's what happens the majority of the time.

Fair game with the first section, people who drink and drive are likely dumbasses anyway, but making it illegal for young dumbasses to do stupid things at least gives them a chance to mature.

Secondly, yes I realize being away from your family can make college students somewhat "Crazier" than before, but that doesn't mean that college will be "Ruined" without alcohol, because honestly if you aren't there for the education, and just for the parties, there is a problem with your logic. I've been inside a university before, I've been inside dorms where *Gasp* real students lived, and yes I have met college students. Although it wasn't exactly quiet, it certianly wasn't a " never ending wild alcoholic party", so I feel that saying the drinking age should be lowered to make university "more fun" isn't a valid argument.

- Justin

[escape_thereal_world]

First, some states have "exceptions" that if you have an adult or person over 21 who is with you, you can drink. Though I think you have to be at least 16. It's not common, but there are a few exceptions.

Anyways, I think it is stupid as hardly anyone follows it and just because you are 21 doesn't mean you are "responsible". Most of the people who drive under the influence are averaged at 25. So if they REALLY want to make a drinking age, then it should be 25 or 30 (not for this, just making a point). It serves no purpose other than control.

[Xujhan]

Originally Posted by ShannonPants

To me, people under the age of 21 haven't shown enough maturity for anyone to consider lowering the legal drinking age. That doesn't mean that you magically become an adult at the age of 21, but your maturity level rises some. For me, I have absolutely NO problem with the legal drinking age being 21 years of age. Sure, I had to wait, and my boyfriend was 21 while I was 19, and he had to wait two years for me to go out with him and stuff, but at parties that we held, I was able to drink since I had no plans of leaving the party and if I did, I wouldn't drink.

I don't know. This sounds more of a rant than anything else, but we just have to live with it. If you can't, move to a place where the drinking age is 18.

If you think that 20-year olds aren't mature enough to drink, then do you also think that they're not mature enough to be legally allowed to drive, vote, enlist, or become parents? Because all these things are legal at that age, and I would say that they're all greater responsibilities than merely drinking. That's the point.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by Xujhan

If you think that 20-year olds aren't mature enough to drink, then do you also think that they're not mature enough to be legally allowed to drive, vote, enlist, or become parents? Because all these things are legal at that age, and I would say that they're all greater responsibilities than merely drinking. That's the point.

This is kind of an unfair comparison, drinking alcohol is much more dangerous than any of the items you listed. Your brain is actually not fully developed until you are 25, so drinking damages the growth of it. These things often don't cause the deaths of people in drunk driving accidents.

And to be completely honest, a lot of 20 year olds I know are not mature enough to do these things, especially parenting and driving. People that age drive like maniacs, and if your brain isn't fully developed, raising a child is going to be more difficult than when it is fully developed.

[Xujhan]

Originally Posted by Coffee❤

This is kind of an unfair comparison, drinking alcohol is much more dangerous than any of the items you listed. Your brain is actually not fully developed until you are 25, so drinking damages the growth of it. These things often don't cause the deaths of people in drunk driving accidents.

And to be completely honest, a lot of 20 year olds I know are not mature enough to do these things, especially parenting and driving. People that age drive like maniacs, and if your brain isn't fully developed, raising a child is going to be more difficult than when it is fully developed.

Drinking alcohol is deleterious on your health if you badly overdo it. So is chocolate. Parenting, driving, and enlisting all directly put the lives of other people in your hands. Driving and enlisting specifically have much more potential to outright kill you than alcohol does. You mention drunk driving: driving is as much a part of that as alcohol is, and arguably the bigger part. A drunk idiot with a car can kill people, certainly, but an idiot with a car can kill people sober too. Alcohol by itself has much less potential to destroy the lives of other people.

And while I agree that a lot of young people are too immature to carry heavy responsibilities like parenting and soldiering, that doesn't change the fact that these things are legal in America at much younger ages than drinking is. That's a very glaring disparity: you can be old enough to have three kids and fly overseas to shoot at people, but not be old enough to have a beer at a bar with your mates. However you look at it, that's fucked up.

[Revolution]

I just don't think it's necessary for people under twenty one to be drinking. I think people often overstate the wonders of alcohol. It's a drug, that's it. And I'm pretty sure when troops are overseas, they can drink. But if you're a parent, you really have better things to do than drinking anyway.

[Brandon]

I'm 21, and I don't drink; never have, really. It's probably just a bias, but I find getting drunk pointless, irresponsible, and just plain retarded. Don't blame the government; blame the people who give alcohol a bad rep. If US citizens weren't so stupid, perhaps the drinking age would be lower. If you don't want to get caught, then start lifting weights or doing meditation; there's different legal and safe ways to feel good without consuming alcohol. Besides, you can easily acquire alcohol and could easily have "a beer" without the police stepping in. The police have bigger fish to fry; tracking down some guy drinking alcohol is more lame than busting down a frat party; you've got more people to arrest, and I'm sure the parents who pay taxes for the police would appreciate it.

[Revolution]

Originally Posted by Brandon

I'm 21, and I don't drink; never have, really. It's probably just a bias, but I find getting drunk pointless, irresponsible, and just plain retarded. Don't blame the government; blame the people who give alcohol a bad rep. If US citizens weren't so stupid, perhaps the drinking age would be lower. If you don't want to get caught, then start lifting weights or doing meditation; there's different legal and safe ways to feel good without consuming alcohol. Besides, you can easily acquire alcohol and could easily have "a beer" without the police stepping in. The police have bigger fish to fry; tracking down some guy drinking alcohol is more lame than busting down a frat party; you've got more people to arrest, and I'm sure the parents who pay taxes for the police would appreciate it.

EXACTLY.

[Anthropomorphic]

I think you'll find that in countries where the legal drinking age is roughly sixteen to eighteen years old, there are lower levels of binge drinking, alcohol poisoning and alcohol-related car accidents. I don't have any solid statistical backing on this (mostly because I'm too lazy to find it right now), but I believe that one of the main factors behind it is that when someone is only sixteen years old, at least some of their drinking is done in a casual environment around their parents. They learn at an earlier age to drink in moderation and recognize if and when they've had too much.

For the United States, I feel that eighteen would be an appropriate age for drinking. If you're old enough to vote, fight in the military, be picked for jury duty and be charged as an adult under the full penalty of law in court, then I'm pretty sure you're old enough to drink alcohol. Of course there are going to be people who abuse this right, but the fact is that most people who consume alcohol are not doing so in overly dangerous, binge-like ways.

[Jas]

Originally Posted by dr2005

To give another perspective on this, I started drinking alcohol at an age well below the legal drinking age in this country (how far below is not something I intend to share on an Internet forum ) - however, I have not become a raging alcoholic and compared with most people my age my alcohol consumption is very low, to the extent that it's actually lower than my parents'. The reason is I was introduced to alcohol under their supervision, in very small quantities, in a way which removed the mystique around it and made it less taboo. At the same time, I was made acutely aware of the potential consequences of excess alcohol consumption and in particular drink-driving, so it was very much a carrot and stick approach. Based on my own experience, and I will admit there is sizeable bias on this one, I feel that setting arbitrary age limits of any kind is an inadequate response to the situation and if anything seems to detract from the substantial need for better education about alcohol - including, I should add, busting myths like the "parties are more fun with alcohol" one the OP raises. Remove the aura and mystery around alcohol, and therefore its appeal as a form of rebellion, and you'll probably deal with most of the issues the age restriction is meant to address anyway.

This. This is almost exactly my experience.

From a purely selfish point of view around the age limit in the US, I did find it frustrating this summer when I flew down to visit my aunt that although I'd been legal for two + years where I live, I couldn't get a beer with her. (Then again, most of your beer is crappy. ) But you know what, I probably won't ever have that problem again, so I can live..

[Paix et Amour]

honestly, i think even having any restriction makes people more likely to drink in excess. i have been allowed drinks since i was 8. its never been something i had to sneak past my parents, so its never been a fun thing for me. its just been the normal. since that age ive been allowed to have some wine in juice or soda, (it actually is surprisingly good in pepsi xD ) or even a wine cooler or something. i always take sips of my moms drinks (she usually has wine, but sometimes its different stuff. vodka lemonade usually if not wine) so for me its basically just like, ok, i really dont see what the big deal is. when i turn 21 it will make no difference for me with drinking because its not like its the first time i will be having it.

[MegaMadness]

I honestly don't see the big deal. Why the big need to drink anyway? Or least why can't you wait till 21?

[bitesize]

I completelyyyy agree with you, I think 21 is ridiculous. I think you know yourself when you're mature enough to legally drink ~ although I began drinking alcohol at 15, I wasn't mature enough to drink until I was 17 ~ that was just something I felt. I think it's silly that you're old enough to have sex and get married and have children and not be allowed to have a drink. I know alcohol is a bigger part of my culture than for some others on this site, so I may be slightly biased, but I can imagine how frustrating it would be if I wasn't legally allowed head into the bar after lectures for a pint, or order a glass of wine at dinner, or get together with friends like I am tonight to have a few drinks. Yes obviously alcohol can cause a lot of problems, but because most of my friends began drinking at fourteen/fifteen/sixteen they're now mature enough at the ages of twenty and twenty one to know how much is enough, when to stop drinking, and not to do anything stupid.
In some European countries like Italy where the drinking age is much lower, there are a lot less problems with alcohol, simply because it's less of a big deal for them, and they start doing it so young that they know how to handle it properly.
I really think 21 is too old.

[Casey.]

It's not really about maturity. It also has to do with brain growth. Studies have shown (I can't remember which right now) that the brain keeps growing until the early twenties. Drinking can seriously damage that. Plus, in the U.S, children are not introduced to alcohol like many European children. Most European nations do not drink to get drunk; they do in the U.S. People here have no concept of moderation and no desire for moderation. I think the laws are fine. No where does it say that we have the right to drink ourselves into obvilition.

[BDF]

Life's a bitch. Some age based discrimination is necessary, but it should end at 18, when you're legally an adult. It's not just about alcohol. It's about jobs, banks, loans, insurance etc. But it still happens.

Also I also feel the urge to shoot insults at police. Like they haven't got more important things to do. I got fined for crossing the road, where there were no cars or anything, because I didn't wait for the fucking lights or something which were taking a week to change colour. They think busting a party with alcohol like that is going to make anything better for anyone? Just might get them the promotion they want.

[Dream]

I think it should be lowered to 16 so that people can start drinking with their parents. That, and everyone who wants to drink before 21 can fairly easily (though not in bars, obviously). I didn't have any problems.

[Guile]

Originally Posted by Coffee❤

This is kind of an unfair comparison, drinking alcohol is much more dangerous than any of the items you listed.[/font]

Agreed, not like anyone's ever died after enlisting in the army...

[Cosmo]

There's a reason it's 21. It's because Americans cannot manage alcohol.

[Cabron]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

There's a reason it's 21. It's because Americans cannot manage alcohol.

I'm not even American, but what?

[Xujhan]

Originally Posted by MegaMadness

I honestly don't see the big deal. Why the big need to drink anyway? Or least why can't you wait till 21?

This seems to be a really common sentiment, and I think it misses the point by a mile. The legal system doesn't generally run on the basis of "illegal unless you can provide a good reason for it to be legal", and thank goodness. The idea is that people's freedom to do as they wish comes first unless a good reason is presented for it to be otherwise, and only then is something made illegal.

[Cosmo]

When I say "manage", I don't mean they're lightweight or anything. What I mean is that they're just not responsible enough with alcohol to know when enough is enough, when they should stop and what is safe. They never have been and they've demonstrated, much like us British, that they probably never will be. Lowering the drinking age will make even more people drink dangerously. Actually just realised Coffee said exactly what I wanted to say. Americans have no understanding of moderation, neither do British, which is why the drinking age is so high.

[-A-]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

When I say "manage", I don't mean they're lightweight or anything. What I mean is that they're just not responsible enough with alcohol to know when enough is enough, when they should stop and what is safe. They never have been and they've demonstrated, much like us British, that they probably never will be. Lowering the drinking age will make even more people drink dangerously. Actually just realised Coffee said exactly what I wanted to say. Americans have no understanding of moderation, neither do British, which is why the drinking age is so high.

^Pretty much this. Every other reason the law is in effect is because of this.

[bitesize]

Originally Posted by Dream

I think it should be lowered to 16 so that people can start drinking with their parents. That, and everyone who wants to drink before 21 can fairly easily (though not in bars, obviously). I didn't have any problems.

Wait, you can't drink at all before 21, even under adult supervision?? Woah...I'm not sure exactly what it is over here but I'm pretty sure we can drink from sixteen or so with parents. (Although personally my parents wouldn't even let me have a glass of wine with dinner until after my eighteenth birthday, which is part of the reason I started getting drunk at fifteen...)

[ReluctantPegasister]

Originally Posted by bitesize

Wait, you can't drink at all before 21, even under adult supervision?? Woah...

I think you're allowed to have some in your own house with parents... but the parent's can't give anyone else's kid alcohol. And of course, Jews and Catholics (and others, those were the two that came to mind) who observe holy days drink wine on those days (in my experience) starting around 12 or 13.

[-A-]

Originally Posted by Maeve

I think you're allowed to have some in your own house with parents... but the parent's can't give anyone else's kid alcohol. And of course, Jews and Catholics (and others, those were the two that came to mind) who observe holy days drink wine on those days (in my experience) starting around 12 or 13.

It depends on State/County/City code.

[Magic.]

Minor correction drinking age in the UK is 5 ... as long as it's in private property with supervision :P
But on topic, I agree the drinking age should be lower in the US. Drinking becomes much less of a taboo once you can do it legally. I know when I turned 18 in the UK I binged far less, and getting into pubs etc wasn't really fun or challenging anymore so we did it less.
I think drinking should be introduced in a controlled way by parents, that way kids don't see it as such an awful and rebellious thing to get drunk. I wasn't allowed to drink by my parents, but they let my younger teenage sisters drink on special occassions and they are far less inclined to drink than I was ...