Thursday, August 21, 2008

Should The Drining Age Be Lowered?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26320912/?GT1=43001

By Susan Kinzie and James Hohmann
updated 12:32 p.m. CT, Thurs., Aug. 21, 2008

On the face of it, the notion seems counterintuitive, but to the presidents of some of the nation's most prestigious colleges, it makes a lot of sense: Lowering the legal drinking age might get students to drink less.

But any chance for the academic leaders to begin a public discussion of their theory -- that allowing people as young as 18 to drink legally might promote moderation -- has been lost in a wave of criticism from health experts, transportation officials, government leaders and opponents of drunken driving.

Safety advocates say the legal drinking age of 21 saves about 900 lives every year. And Laura Dean-Mooney, president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said: People look to college presidents "for their leadership role on their campuses. It just seems like they didn't do enough homework to look at the science on this."

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I have argued and will continue to argue that there should be NO drinking age limit. At least half the reason teens drink is because it's another law they can thumb their noses at. I have always felt that getting rid of the drinking age limit would eventually lower the amount of alcoholism with teens significantly. And I have pointed to Europe where there is neither a age limit nor the problem with teen alcoholism that America has. Since I know that is not going to ever happen I say lower it to 18. Shit if Johnny and Joan are old enough lose their lives in Baghdad they are old enough to order a MGD.

Also parents could use some truth in advertising. No matter how blue the can gets Beer is not some magic cool substance that will make your life a living party 24/7. In fact it's one of the absolute worst tasting things that there is around. There is only one good reason to drink 10 beers. The 10th makes you forget how fucking awful the first 9 tasted.



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on this one, Count. Take away the lure of the forbidden and it immediately becomes less attractive. And, it puts the onus back on the parents, where it belongs.

Thanks for the welcome back! At the wedding someone walked their dogs through the back of the in-progress ceremony, leashes a-jingle, and the bride and groom fell flat on their backsides at the end of their first dance. The chicken was awful but the conversation lively. Tucson was hot and my Mom is deteriorating fast - doesn't realize she's in her own home and the same conversations are had dozens of times a day - but she recognized me and ET Daughter and I made her laugh a few times, which is a gift. It's good to be home.

Anonymous said...

Oh - and I bought a hoopskirt. Saves me having to make one and I even managed to fold it down to fit into my checked luggage. TSA was wise not to hand-inspect: it would have been like the springy snake in the peanut can!

Anonymous said...

Well I agree too. It wasn't like I was not under age drinking in Isla Vista or anything

(Inside Joke for ET)


But for this to really be successful we need to redesign our cities. They suck! There are no bars with in 3 miles of where I live. As in Europe or the few European style cities such as San Francisco or New York they have all you need with in walking distance or at least accessible by public transportation or cab.

Anonymous said...

under age drinking in Isla Vista

The very idea!

The point about neighborhoods is well taken. I don't know anyone in the UK, for example, who doesn't have a "local" somewhere just down the street.

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