Do you think the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18?

Parents should teach their kids how to be responsible with alcohol, the age is irrelevant.

Airon:

Parents should teach their kids how to be responsible with alcohol, the age is irrelevant.

Then can't that be applied to everything?
Kids should be allowed to drive, after all, the parents should teach them how to be responsible on the road. Kids can smoke pot, it's the parents job to make sure thye do it responsibly. And of course kids can vote, they should just do it the way their parents say, etc.

Kids don't think rationally, irregardless of what their parents teach them, that's why they're kids and not adults. Teenagers can act out no matter what their parents have taught them, so that's a very faulty argument.

I don't see anything wrong with a kid smoking pot.
As long as the kid is tall enough, sure they can drive.
As if 90% of the adults voting have any fucking idea what's going on?

Just kidding.

Basically, there would be no difference if the drinking age was 18, compared to it being 21.

^ But that's not what you initially said.

Airon:

Basically, there would be no difference if the drinking age was 18, compared to it being 21.

Elaborating on this: I think if there was any difference at all, it would be minimal. Not even worthy of publication. It would make things a fraction more difficult. There's always going to be that guy/girl over 21 who'd buy the drink for the 18 year olds, and lowering it to 18, just means people don't have to bother the 21 year old.

Fitzwilliam Darcy:

Elaborating on this: I think if there was any difference at all, it would be minimal. Not even worthy of publication. It would make things a fraction more difficult. There's always going to be that guy/girl over 21 who'd buy the drink for the 18 year olds, and lowering it to 18, just means people don't have to bother the 21 year old.

tl;dr

If you're 18 and want alcohol, you can get it without a problem.

Airon:

tl;dr

It's not "too long" at all. These threads are intended as in-depth discussions, not casual chats.

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Fitzwilliam Darcy:

Elaborating on this: I think if there was any difference at all, it would be minimal. Not even worthy of publication. It would make things a fraction more difficult. There's always going to be that guy/girl over 21 who'd buy the drink for the 18 year olds, and lowering it to 18, just means people don't have to bother the 21 year old.

It's a difficult one. Here in the UK it's 18, but 18 is also the age of legal adulthood. Whereas, in many states in the US, it's 21, matching the age of adulthood there. In many ways, the age at which one is considered an adult is arbitrary, because maturity can't be underscored with a particular age.

Anyway, it's true that alcohol is accessible to underage people, whether the legal age is 18 or 21 or even 25. Because of that I think the problem with underage drinking is far less about the legal age and far more about education.

Less is more.

Airon:

Less is more.

Not on a discussion forum.

*

I think we have a pretty awkward system in Sweden, though it does work. The drinking age is 18, really, when it comes to bars and stuff. But you're only allowed to buy alcohol at "Systembolaget" (the only store allowed to sell stronger alcohols than meek beers) at 20. I think the age should just be 20 all the way, since an 18 year old can still go to a pub/bar and get wasted if she wants.

And I don't think the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18.

Maybe it should, that is, if you get some sort of education beforehand. I feel like people are blinded by what they think are 'pros' to fully understand the 'cons'. So perhaps if they were seriously educated on the topic of alcohol first, that might be helpful.

Alex; subterfuge.:

It's a difficult one. Here in the UK it's 18, but 18 is also the age of legal adulthood. Whereas, in many states in the US, it's 21, matching the age of adulthood there. In many ways, the age at which one is considered an adult is arbitrary, because maturity can't be underscored with a particular age.

Anyway, it's true that alcohol is accessible to underage people, whether the legal age is 18 or 21 or even 25. Because of that I think the problem with underage drinking is far less about the legal age and far more about education.

Even with education, I think it would so rarely make a difference. I was educated about alcohol from parents and school, as were the other 50 studendts in my year. Yet, 70% of us still drank underage and got drunk. It's such a strange thing, and a lot of it has to due with peer pressure, and wanting to fit in.

I really don't think the drinking age should be lowered to 18. I know it used to be 18, and if you lower it that far, then there will always be people who want it lowered farther. After all, 16 to 18 isn't such a big gap.

I think that the drinking age being 21 is a good thing because it gives you a chance to live as an adult and figure all that out before adding the distraction of alcohol.

ciao bella.:

I think that the drinking age being 21 is a good thing because it gives you a chance to live as an adult and figure all that out before adding the distraction of alcohol.

I don't think so. At 18, I paid taxes, could vote, could join the military, could be tried as an adult, yet I can't have a beer? I don't think it's fair.

^Alcohol is something that distorts your judgment and perspective, so yes, I do think it's fair. You're more able to make informed decisions regarding everything you mentioned (voting, paying your taxes, whether or not you want to join the military) if you can do those things without being drunk.

ciao bella.:

^Alcohol is something that distorts your judgment and perspective, so yes, I do think it's fair. You're more able to make informed decisions regarding everything you mentioned (voting, paying your taxes, whether or not you want to join the military) if you can do those things without being drunk.

Alcohol does that at any age. Not just people who are 18.

Jewel Nicole:

Alcohol does that at any age. Not just people who are 18.

Which probably why its better to make things even that little ounce harder for some people to obtain alcohol.

Fitzwilliam Darcy:

Which probably why its better to make things even that little ounce harder for some people to obtain alcohol.

Well, if you want to get into technicalities - the brain isn't even fully developed until the age of 25, do you think the drinking age should be moved up to 25?

Jewel Nicole:

Well, if you want to get into technicalities - the brain isn't even fully developed until the age of 25, do you think the drinking age should be moved up to 25?

I'm not referring to brain development. I'm referring to keeping the current age, as it's an ounce harder for some people to then obtain the alcohol. It's not the hardest thing in the world, just that ounce harder.

Fitzwilliam Darcy:

I'm not referring to brain development. I'm referring to keeping the current age, as it's an ounce harder for some people to then obtain the alcohol. It's not the hardest thing in the world, just that ounce harder.

Well, if that's your argument then wouldn't you agree that the brain should be fully developed before someone makes the choice to drink alcohol?

I think if someone is old enough to die for our country at the age of 18 then I would think they're old enough to have a beer.

Jewel Nicole:

Well, if that's your argument then wouldn't you agree that the brain should be fully developed before someone makes the choice to drink alcohol?

I think if someone is old enough to die for our country at the age of 18 then I would think they're old enough to have a beer.

Could you clarify what you believe my argument to be, before we proceed?