So, should alcohol be legalized or the drinking age ( 21 in the US, between 18-19 depending on Province for Canada) lowered??? now before this seems somewhat pointless here's some studies to put on the table:
I think that: 1.Alot of people start drinking in middle/high school 2.If in America you're a free person who has the power to make your own decisions, why do you have to wait until you're 21 to start drinking? What, people can legally vote, smoke, and buy a house at 18, but they can't drink or gamble? 3.Some drinking has health benefits yeah that's it for now.
All prohibiting alcohol to youths does is turn them to spirits at a younger age because, it's the quickest and cheapest way to get hammered. It's just shooting yourself in the foot. A younger drinking age, combined with a more pro drinking culture and better education should see enjoyment levels rise and drinking problems drop. Just look at Europe as an example. Apart from the UK and the Eastern bloc most people drink very sensibly.
The health conscious side of me says it should be around 24 or 25 for the minimum age for drinking. This is because your brain hasn't developed in its final areas until this age.
However, this just isn't feasible. If we allowed people 18 years of age and older to drink, they need to be heavily educated on the dangers of binge drinking and alcoholism. Most 18-24 year olds really do not know their limit with alcohol.
I'm going to have to agree with that. Most of the people here at college don't even know the longterm and short-term effects of binge drinking, yet they're supposed to represent the educated members of society. I don't partake in alcohol myself, but I have nothing wrong with those who consume it, as long as they do it in moderation. I'm ok with the 21 year old age limit for now, but I feel that some sort of course must be taken which explains all of the harmful effects of overconsumption, and this course should be made mandatory.
Most 18-24 year olds really do not know their limit with alcohol.
And then you have the psychological state of "Personal Fable Syndrome", which basically means the teen feels that nothing bad happens to him or her and that he or she is unstoppable. Nothing bad...yet! It's better to know your limit and be educated in the dangers of overdosing on alcohol.
If all else, drink red wine. It has a slightly-higher alcohol content than beer, but it at least has some health benefits.
I'm also sticking with 21. I don't trust teens. Not even me. Good thing I don't like drinks.
I would love for the drinking age to be 18, but then you have to get parents to teach their kids. And in America they expect either everyone else to teach them or noone to teach them. So it wouldn't change much to lower the drinking age.
I talked about this with my dealer/friend the other day ironically.
He was talking about how most colleges have big problems with keeping their underclassmen tamed and not ****-faced. Many lightweights who haven't been to double-keggers (or however many kegs they may have) let things like that mess with their grades. He said the drinking age should be lowered to 18 because then students going into college have already gotten badly hungover once or twice and learned their lesson. But then this causes the highschools to be dealing with drunk barely-teens and shifts the problem from 18-21 yo's to 14-18 yo's, and that's not good.
The drinking age shouldn't be lowered to 18 because then 14/15 year olds won't have to look far for a bottle of vodka just like they can get weed easy. I'd love to be able to put up an argument saying that the lower drinking age will open their eyes before they're jumping straight into it, but unfortunately for us all American teen minds are too impulsive for it to work that way.
The drinking age shouldn't be lowered to 18 because then 14/15 year olds won't have to look far for a bottle of vodka just like they can get weed easy. I'd love to be able to put up an argument saying that the lower drinking age will open their eyes before they're jumping straight into it, but unfortunately for us all American teen minds are too impulsive for it to work that way.
I agree thats true if things stay the way they are. However if parents would step up and teach their kids lowering the drinking age would be a good thing. If they are taught responsibility younger then they don't need to learn it during the time they are preparing their futures.
The drinking age shouldn't be lowered to 18 because then 14/15 year olds won't have to look far for a bottle of vodka just like they can get weed easy.
But marijuana is completely illegal and it's already easy to find alcohol... I bet there's some in your parent's fridge. If not, maybe a bottle of wine? Regardless, it is not hard to get alcohol when you are under 21.
Think of it this way, 18 year olds are already drinking, we might as well make it legal so we can at LEAST allow responsible adults to take their children out for a beer once in a while. Sure, there will still be problems, but at least those who want to drink responsibly can do so in the open!
If they are taught responsibility younger then they don't need to learn it during the time they are preparing their futures.
I honestly can't see this happening often enough in America. Not to dump on this country too much, but speaking truthfully, I do not trust any of the people involved in such a situation.
Think of it this way, 18 year olds are already drinking
Think of it this way, 18 year olds are already drinking because college/extended friend base gives the 18 year olds easy access to 21 year old friends. If 18 year olds can buy liquor, 14 year olds will be "already drinking" because high school connects them to many 18 year-old friends.
Regardless, it is not hard to get alcohol when you are under 21.
Correction. It is not hard for 18 year-olds (or so, 17-19) from 21 year-olds. It IS QUITE hard for 14 year-olds to get beer from 21 year-olds or 18 year-olds. Not only is it hard to get booze, it is a big hassle for 14-15 year-olds, and they consequently do not try often at all to get it.
I honestly can't see this happening often enough in America. Not to dump on this country too much, but speaking truthfully, I do not trust any of the people involved in such a situation.
I don't see it happening to the masses anytime, but it needs to happen.
Think of it this way, 18 year olds are already drinking because college/extended friend base gives the 18 year olds easy access to 21 year old friends. If 18 year olds can buy liquor, 14 year olds will be "already drinking" because high school connects them to many 18 year-old friends.
I live in a small peaceful suburb, kids have been drinking since they were 14 or younger.
And fourteen is the high end of the spectrum, of course you have the kids that don't expect for the sip or two their parents may have allowed them. But they are few and far in between.
