Hot Topic (3/26): Should the drinking age be lowered to 18?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

As reported by MSNBC.msn.com last summer:

"College presidents from about 100 of the best-known U.S. universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus."

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Do you think it's a good idea to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18 in the United States? 

Did you drink before you were 21? 

Would you want your children to drink before age 21?  

What would you do if you were in charge of law-making?  

[hsteele]

Yes.

[fullofhope325]

Do you think it's a good idea to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18 in the United States?  It would not matter to me either way only because even if they don't lower the age people will still drink

Did you drink before you were 21?  Yes I did

Would you want your children to drink before age 21? No I would not want them to drink before they where old enough to buy it. But once they leave my house I don't have any say in what they do. 

What would you do if you were in charge of law-making? Give someone else the power

[Mommy_of_Riley]

Definately.  I agree with the age old saying that 18 is old enough to fight for your country so it should be old enough to have a beer.

I drank before I was 21 but it was always with family.  My family likes wine with dinner occasionaly and usually anyone over 15 got a glass.  It's not a horrible thing.  So yes, I will let my kids drink around 15 or 16.  Wine with dinner.  And I also had a wine cooler or another drink at family functions at about 16.  That's just how my family is...

As for a law concerning drinking and driving rates and all those issues...  the college I went to had an idea and it worked like a charm.  There is a bar on campus.  The students can drink if they are of age and WALK back to their dorm (not a huge school).  The rates of drinking accidents reduced by over 70%...   :)

[samantha.nicole]

Yes I drank before I was 21. And I believe others will & do find a way if it's what they want. I agree about the whole if you're old enough to fight for your country you are old enough to have a beer. But at the same time I've lived with an alcoholic -so you really don't want to encourage it -cause kids are still kids at 18. And we don't want them doing anything they will regret fresh out of high school -so it's kind of like a protection for them in a way. But they'll do it anyways -just maybe not as much -that's a tough one!

[resamerie]

As much as I'd like to say that it's not a good idea, I agree with the other mom. If you are old enough to die for your country, you should be considered old enough to buy a beer. 

[Brandie_xo]

I think the only thing lowering the drinking age is going to do, is cause a bunch of 18 year odl high school seniors to show up with hangovers.

Drinking is too Taboo in the united states.  I don't really see a solution to it though.

Over here (germany)  The drinking age is "when you can see over the bar"

If you goto the festivals in the summer, it's quite common to see elementary age children sharing a liter of beer with their family.

Alcohol related deaths? Few and faw between.

DUI rate? Almost nill.

(side note, the DUI law over here, you get ONE DUI, your license is gone forever, none of this 7 8 chances to kill yourself and someone else crap like in the US)

[hsteele]

Quoting Cafe GroupAdmin:

Do you think it's a good idea to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18 in the United States? 

Yes

Did you drink before you were 21? 

Yes, and my parents gave me my first drink when I was 16. It was Mike's hard lemonade while we all sat around and played cards.

Would you want your children to drink before age 21?  

I intend to let my children drink at home when I think they are old enough, but not their friends.

What would you do if you were in charge of law-making?  

[dr_m]

yes

[PamR]

I'm kind of on the fence. The drinking age was 18 when I was 18, so my friends and I were actually able to go into bars and drink during our senior year of high school. At the time, I thought that was great, but in hindsight, not so much. When it went back to 21, traffic deaths among the 18-21 group went down. I have a 20 year old daughter and I know that she does drink sometimes. Realistically, kids under 21 do drink, but I guess I prefer keeping the legal age at 21. I just think 18, still a high school kid, is too young to be responsible.

[MommaBear_0406]

Do you think it's a good idea to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18 in the United States?  NO!  Keep it at 21.

Did you drink before you were 21?  Yes

Would you want your children to drink before age 21?  No!!!