Legal Drinking age should be 18?

United States
August 19, 2008 5:21pm CST
Thank you News 4 in the D.C. area.I just saw a news report that a group of college presidents believe that lowering the legal drinking age will decrease binge drinking. They say the way it is now, there is a underground culture of binging because of the age limit being too high.But MADD, Mother's Against Drunk Driving,says that drunk driving deaths have decreased 60%. And that there are studies that the human brain keeps developing until you are 24. With all that said, I think either the age to drink shoud be lowered or the age men have to be drafted raised.It doesn't make sense that we trust a 18 year old to serve his country, which takes a lot of maturity, but he can't legally drink.If the age is 21, then a guy should be drafted at 21. You shouldn't be able to vote until 21. You should be considered an adult only at 21. But if you can vote, drive, and serve your country then you are mature enough to drink. What do you think?
7 people like this
21 responses
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
20 Aug 08
I was alive when the drinking age in DC was 18. It stopped nothing. Kids are kids and anything taboo is something they will do. I think there should be a moderate drinking age for all states and we as parents and citizens should teach our kids responsibility.
2 people like this
• United States
20 Aug 08
Well a moderate age Is 21.And you are right, it doesn't matter what the age is, teens will find a way to drink.I just think there should be a uniform age where you are considered a adult. Not an adult in one thing and a child in others.
• Abernathy, Texas
20 Aug 08
You're right in that it is up to parents to teach responsibility. Someone needs to first teach many parents that very same responisibility for many of them shouldn't be allowed to drink!
1 person likes this
@twallace (2675)
• United States
20 Aug 08
I don't think that this is really a good idea at all. No matter what age you are, if you want to drink you will find a way to get the booze. This is a really bad idea that I think that they should not do. This would really look bad on the ones that past this law in the first place. You first increase it and then later on reduce it. That doesn't make any sense at all.
• United States
20 Aug 08
Then they should raise the age you can go into the military and to vote to 21.
@twallace (2675)
• United States
25 Aug 08
If they change the drinking age that is going to cause more problems. 21 is good, ha I had to wait till i was 21 to buy it myself. Then they didn't even think about the age of joining the military or voting. But you and I both know that they are not going to change that. Have a good one.
• United States
20 Aug 08
I believe that if you are old enough to die for your country, vote, and smoke, then you should be old enough to drink.
2 people like this
@rebelann (110777)
• El Paso, Texas
22 Jan 20
That makes sense.
@Jezebella (1446)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I don't think eighteen year olds are mature enough to drink. I don't think it should be lowered because of the other factors like voting and being drafted, actually I don't think kids just out of high school should automatically be drafted, if they want to sign up fine, but don't draft them...that should be 21. As for voting I think at 21 a person would be more educated to be able to make that decision, but at eighteen it would be like a sense of accomplishing something like getting your license at 16.
• Abernathy, Texas
20 Aug 08
I too wish that kids weren't drafted right out of school. I wish that drinking age was individual - varying from person to person - because many at 21, 31 or 41 are not responsible, mature or educated enough to make these decisions. And end up being raped, raping, catching diseases and getting pregnant because their decision making is impaired by the booze. While some at 21 or younger are responsible, mature and educated enough.
1 person likes this
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
20 Aug 08
I agree with this I'm not a drinker myself but I know a lot of minors who drink behind their parents back. So making the legal drinking age at 18 years old will allow officials to regulate drinking activity among minors. That way, there will be less accidents, violence, and substance abuse. That's just my opinion though.
2 people like this
• China
19 Aug 08
ya its good... i think it is the perfact age that persons are allowed to drinking..!! keep lotting..!!
2 people like this
• Abernathy, Texas
20 Aug 08
Is it because they are mature enough? What is about the change that you agree with?
2 people like this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
22 Aug 08
I agree with you, one age limit for adulthood, it is 18 here in quebec for everything.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I think you are right! Doesn't make alot of sense to me, but then alot of things they do in lawmaking don't make any sense to me either.
2 people like this
@SHAMRACK (8576)
• India
20 Aug 08
Dear friend, To be mature could attain at early age less than 18 years for some. Then the mature enough to start drinking is to be given a second though. Anyway if drinking excessive is always harmful to health even over 18 yrs or below 18 yrs. May be legalising drinking age may not put any difference as long as these are sold to any and moreover drinking if becomes addicted it too is much dangerous hence I feel may be the age above 18yrs would be better even if it is 21yrs those 18 yrs will drink if they have habit. But if authorities really want to stop then stop selling it those below 18yrs or any other specified age.
• United States
21 Aug 08
Most stores are trying not to sell to minors but most teens that want to drink just get a fake I.D.
@sameroad (3179)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I Don't think it should. simply because the world is filled with too many stupid people. I'm sure for a lot of it would be fine but i know that lowering it to 18 would cause a lot of problems. Because too many stupid 18 years old would abuse it and ruin it the for the rest of them. when i was younger i wanted it lowered because i wanted to drink! lol and i am only 20yr old now so i still have another year to go but everyone drinks underage and that will never change...
2 people like this
• United States
20 Aug 08
I for one don't think that the drinking age should be lowered to 18.. first off drinking is addicting .. its a leagle drung in my opion. If they lower the drinking age it will tempt even younger "drivers" and kids to get false ID etc... as far as drafting 18 year olds, that is a diffrent topic.. first we don't have the draft, thease young men sign up on there own. The military turns our young boys into men and it helps them mature. Sad to say with a war going on its tuff.on famlies. Voting as americans its our right and that age should stay the same as well again it helps a person mature and get involved in our country and learn about choices. Drinking is habbit forming and dangerous and there is no learning experiance about it. no good benifit comes from it .. just my 2 cents
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Aug 08
But if a 8 year old serviceman or women id more mature, then he/she should be able to drink.If the military " turns boys into men" then these Men should be able to drink.
• United States
23 Aug 08
I Never said that anyone should drink and then go on duty. All I am saying is if an 18 year old is responsible enough to be in the armed forces, he/she is responsible enough to drink.Society has to make up their mind. Either a 18 year old is too young or he is of age but he shouldn't be both.
@vimaal (3361)
• India
20 Aug 08
hi sarahruthbeth, ya i think 18 is the correct age to allow drinking.
1 person likes this
@redchase (347)
19 Aug 08
my opinion on this is that we have plenty of morons running around getting drunk and causing problems already when the legal age to drink is 21, and those are supposed to be a bit more mature already. i think if we lowered the drinking age we'd have more idiots running around and that really isnt something i'd like. i know where you stand on your whole argument thing and i see your point. the only reason the voting age was lowered to 18 i think was because of the argument, they're old enough to die for their country but not to vote. so yeah thats the way i see it.
2 people like this
@dave1205 (14)
20 Aug 08
Im in the UK and drinking age is 18 which is still ridiculous, should be 16 if not lower in my opinions, you can have a baby and be deemed responsible enough to care for it but you cant be seen as responsible enough to determine your own drinking limits.
1 person likes this
@ngty69 (971)
• India
20 Aug 08
Yes, I think I agree with. When you can do all the things at that age of 18 then why not drinking. This is the only thing that you do at the age of 21 so it make teenagers more curious for it. That what's specail about such thing. So they start indulging into it a very early age. When you stop somebody to do something which you do not want him/her to do. Then that person becomes more attracted towards that special thing. And he wants to do it more than earlier. Which makes him more irresponsible towards his duties after drinking. Thanks for reading my response.. Bye
1 person likes this
@fpd1955 (2074)
• United States
20 Aug 08
I can remember when Illinois, the state in which I live, changed the drinking age to 21. However, our neighbor next door, Wisconsin had a drinking age of 19. Guess where all the 19 year olds from Illinois would go to drink? Then they had a long drive home, after drinking. Dangerous situation. I have always had a problem with the fact that an 18 year old male had to register, by law, for the military. Especially since there is currently no draft. The thing about legally being able to drink at 18 does scare me. Most teenagers think they are invincible. Nothing will happen to them. They take more chances. They are fearless, which could be the reason the military wants them at such a young age. PEACE
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Aug 08
there are alot of 21 one year olds who arent mature enough to drink I think they should lower the drinking age period sure we can smoke at 18 but have to wait longer to drink
1 person likes this
@reckon21 (3479)
• Philippines
20 Aug 08
alcohol - prohibition
[i]Yes, I agree that there must be age requirement before a person have the freedom to drink.The Ideal age is 18 because at this age person become responsible and mature enough to think what his/her doing. It is nice if it will be implemented around the world and there must be a corresponding punishment for those person who will violate this law XD. [/i]
@arcenal (171)
• Philippines
20 Aug 08
i think it depends from country to country and drinking is relative to every person. I'm turning 19 now but i still haven't drank any liquors yet. I dunno what's in liquors that people tend to engage in it, it would just ruined their body and mind.
1 person likes this
• India
20 Aug 08
Yes I agree