Possibly lowering the legal drinking age to 18

[JPINFV]

How is lowering the age the same as telling people to go and drink and drive? That's like saying that increasing the speed limit is akin to telling people that it's OK to drive recklessly [sidenote: "speeding" and driving recklessly is not the same thing].

[AnthonyM83]

The way I see it, illegalizing alcohol if under 21 does drive drinking underground, but doesn't really promote activities that lead to alcohol-related deaths.

At my HS, kids under 21 still used DDs, still gave their keys to the party hosts, still called for taxis, still didn't drink and drive (we seriously would have ostracized someone who did that, our school was small). The kids who don't follow these practices, wouldn't suddenly start following them if drinking was legalized.

All it would do is allow the kids who don't drink or don't drink as often or don't go out and do dumb stuff for fear of getting caught, it'd allow them to drink often and freely and increase their chances for making a dumb decision or being less paranoid about the effects of alcohol. Which they should be...as evidenced by the lives that have been lost/ruined by drunk driving or other drunk activities or addictions.

Also, kids from alcoholic families are less likely to become alcoholics the later they start drinking, so legalizing it would promote more of these to drink earlier and start developing the habit.

[katbemeEMT-B]

The legal age at which some one can drink has no bearing on whether they are going to become an alcoholic or not. If a child comes from an alcoholic family, first of all, they are determined by genetics and surroundings to become an alcoholic. Secondly, the alcohol is readily available to them already. Thirdly, they will make the decision well before the age of eighteen whether they are going to drink alcohol or not. You can argue these fact with me all you want, but I am talking from personal experience and a long line of alcoholics in the family.

[AnthonyM83]

I said "kids from alcoholic families are less likely to become alcoholics the later they start drinking, so legalizing it would promote more of these to drink earlier and start developing the habit."

Break it apart and I doubt you can argue any of these.

"kids from alcoholic families are less likely to become alcoholics the later they start drinking". -This is just a statistic. I've read in a number of places, including "Psych 101" and "Abnormal Pysch" courses.

"so legalizing it would promote more of these to drink earlier and start developing the habit." -Some are going to drink regardless, but as explained in the post, many kids have a fear of being caught, getting in trouble, involvement with police. EVEN those who would drink anyway, the vast majority are LESS LIKELY to drink as often and as early.

When we turned 21, we started going out to bars and ordering drinks with dinner all the time. Yup, we drank before that (mainly at college b/c parents were away....harder for high schoolers to do this on a daily basis en mass), but it really went up as far as integrating alcohol in our daily lives when we were legal. For most it then leveled out.

So, I can't see how it won't promote alcoholism.... I know everything else you said about kids drinking anyway, environment and genetics being a factor, etc are true ,but I don't think they make my argument void...

[Lone Star]

Heres a prime example of teen drinking and how 'responsible' they are:

[align=center:917db61fe4] www.break.com/index/breaking_bottle_over_head.html[/align:917db61fe4]

I'm thinking that's a GOOD reason to leave the drinking age right where it is!

[Lone Star]

Heres a prime example of teen drinking and how 'responsible' they are:

[align=center:8bfc498e4a] http://www.break.com/index/breaking_bottle_over_head.html[/align:8bfc498e4a]

I'm thinking that's a GOOD reason to leave the drinking age right where it is!

[iMac]

HA HA HA HA good one, I remember why I dont drink.