Poll: Drinking Age.

And it also wasn't a particularly good or noteworthy symphony either. Just as the Opera he did at age 12 is almost totally forgotten.

 

Part of the reasons college age kids tend to be irresponsible about drinking is that they had no legal chance to drink it until they were out from under their parents' supervision. So instead of learning their limits and really learning how alcohol affects them they go straight from zero/rare drinking to constant heavy drinking in a social context where they are called ******* if they say "No thanks, I've had enough".

If teenagers learned to drink in a supervised way they'd maybe understand better how it affects them before they start drinking heavy.

 

Yes, very astute observations. I was simply responding to a discussion with someone else. However, I will stand by the fact that European kids ( depending upon what we call European, etc.) are generally exposed to alcohol much earlier as a normal thing and act more responsibly because of it, and that's for many reasons, even the ones you state--the fact that drinking is all around them, which is one of your central arguments...

 

I'm British and proud of it. But...... let's not lump Brits into the "responsible European" category. I'd say Brits in the 18-25 range are amongst some of the worst. Definitely worse than anything I've witnessed in the states (not referring to drink driving, just general behaviour when drunk)

 

I'll agree with exposed earlier, but not with being more responsible because of it. I've seen every bit as much irresponsible behavior of kids in more than one European country as in the US.

BTW the reason I mentioned driving is that is ultimately the reason the legal age to purchase alcohol (not to drink it but to purchase it) is 21. The European's resonded in part by tightening up the penalties for drinking and driving. We responded in part by upping the age of legal purchase.

 

I'm thinking more in terms of body development etc. Lets not mess up the gene pool.

 

Well, I agree with that and that's something to consider. I agree that kids are kids everywhere, and I also support lowering the drinking age if we can do it without a huge problem. I believe not being responsible enough to not drive, or having alternatives to driving is the real issue...

 

Then we're basically on the same page. There's really a set of multiple things coming togther and no single variable that we can change and thereby change the situation.

 

Especially if they're on a soccer train.... (Or in Continental Europe for the evening before a Football match up....)

 

I was going to vote 18, voted 19 (due to high school), but have no problem with it being 21 (remember when it was changed nationally in 1984). Good debate with valid points.

With my kids, we started allowing them to have beer at 18 (with family meals or parties) and discussed drinking responsible. They have actually been better than I was at their age. There is a lot to be say for exposure. I came from a small family with little social experience before college (from a family perspective). I think my kids have benefited being part of a larger family and to be taught to drink responsible.

 

Untenable argument? First off: there is no minimum age on the federal level for sales of long guns from an unlicensed gun seller and it is only 18 for handguns. There is a lot of variation from state to state, but only in Illinois and DC is the firearm age equivalent to the drinking age. For example: your state doesn't have any additional laws. Anyone can legally buy a shotgun or rifle from an unlicensed seller regardless of age and only has to be 16 to acquire ammunition in New Hampshire. So, yeah. You can legally obtain and possess firearms without parental supervision years before you can drink.

Secondly, it wasn't an argument. I said that I find it ironic one can legally have guns before beer. I'm not arguing for stricter gun laws. I grew up on a farm shooting targets and vermin all the time as a kid, but I still think it is rather ridiculous that two of the most dangerous pieces of equipment known to man (guns and cars) can be legally purchased and used for years before one can drink a beer in most of the country.

 

That's perfectly reasonable.

It also now makes you a criminal in the eyes of the law. And all it takes is one school counselor or friend of your kid who happens to work for child protective services who believes in the omnipotence of government and you are in trouble.

This is why the age law is arbitrary.

We all know people who should have constant supervision but I'd rather have 100 of these idiots running around than for one person, such as yourself, have the law come down on them and possibly breaking up a family.

Freedom ISNT free. This is the price we pay for a free society. And it has nothing to do with the military.

 

I think it is far better to teach kids how to drink responsibly for a couple years before putting them in situations where they are going to be drinking out of sight of reasonable adults. Bars have people that can supervise and there are established rules in place for making you behaving yourself that have proven to work but sneaky parties where the parents aren't home or off in the woods somewhere are the worst places to learn how to drink responsibly.

 

Oh, I'm really bad. When my kids were 15 and getting ready for their permits and eventually drivers license, I would take them on the weekends over to to the area in the city where the office buildings are located. They would practice driving in he parking lots and surface streets.

Back to drinking. I definitely don't support the parents who allow their kids to party at home while under-aged (under 18 primarily). Too many legal issues...

 

How about none of the above lets tie the drinking age to High school graduation. You graduate from high school you can drink. You don't graduate you can't!

 

Beats me, I got charged for underage consumption 1 month before my 21st birthday, so 20 & 11 months?

 

I don't buy the old enough to die for you country thing. There is no draft. Don't choose to die for your country if you don't want to. Most 18 year olds are not responsible enough or mature enough to drink responsibly.

 

18 seems reasonable to me, I was legal to volunteer and carry a rifle for the Marine Corps, I'm old enough for a cold beer. Ya, I know it's the old adage but imo it's true enough.

 

I'd put it at 20, but I would also raise the enlistment age to 20. I'm pretty sure if you aren't mature enough to handle alcohol at 18, you aren't mature enough to join the armed forces with a full understanding of what that means.

Or abolish the drinking age entirely. Seems to work ok in Europe. They don't have exponentially higher drunk driving rates. Of course they generally have local pubs that you can walk to, so there's that.

 

Like several others have said, if you can fight and die for this country, then you should be able to drink.