The Drinking Age Is Past Its Prime

[Zander]

The ultimate goal of the Authoritarian is to criminalize all human behavior. If you are afraid of getting arrested - you are easier to control. Alcohol, sex, gambling- are all easy to criminalize. If anyone complains - just yell "Do it for the childrens"....

I drank wine with my family when I was 12 years old (just a few sips on Holidays or weddings,etc..) Then as I got older it was not some "mysterious" thing that I needed to sneak away to try. I learned how to drink responsibly with my family. I never had a "drinking" problem. I knew how alcohol affected me. My friends were not as lucky. Most of them got DUI's in their teens ....

 

[MisterBeale]

You make some very good logical points. But I disagree. I don't think anyone under 21 should be allowed to vote, be allowed to serve in the military, have to pay adult prices at the movies, or be able to legally consume alcohol.

People mature at different rates. With many folks younger than 21 it would be no problem. With many it would be a big problem. Picking an arbitrary age and drawing the line there is not going to produce the best possible solution - but imho - it's better than the alternative.

I've seen the scientific data, they have the cognitive ability of 72 year olds. Point of fact, none of them should have licenses to drive either. Nor should they be allowed marriage licenses or give blessings to have sex or start families. They are just too dumb. They can't think more than an hour ahead into the future. . . not realistically at least.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-still-under-construction/index.shtml

Alcohol and the Teen Brain

Adults drink more frequently than teens, but when teens drink they tend to drink larger quantities than adults. There is evidence to suggest that the adolescent brain responds to alcohol differently than the adult brain, perhaps helping to explain the elevated risk of binge drinking in youth. Drinking in youth, and intense drinking are both risk factors for later alcohol dependence. Findings on the developing brain should help clarify the role of the changing brain in youthful drinking, and the relationship between youth drinking and the risk of addiction later in life.

 

[nodoginnafight]

I'm not exactly sure what that emoticon means, but I take it you disagree. Why?

Do you think the 18 to 21 crowd in the United States have proven beyond all doubt that they are mature enough to handle all these things in a mature and responsible way?

Has any age group demonstrated they can handle things in a mature and responsible way? If this were the barometer for our rights we wouldn't have any.

Are you talking about an individual or a large segment of any age demographic.

I have no statistics and I'm not a fan of anecdotal evidence, but from my experience there is a much bigger percentage of 25-year-olds who handle things responsibly than the percentage of 18-year-olds who do.

In past generations, children ( in general) grew up to accept responsibility much quicker imho.

 

[Zander]

I've been making this argument for years. No other western nation has the kinds of restrictions on alcohol that we do, yet we're supposed to be the "freest" country in the world. The paranoia we have over 18 to 20 year olds consuming alcohol is a waste of billions of dollars a year in enforcement that frankly has failed. I don't know a single person who has not illegally consumed alcohol prior to their 21st birthday. Furthermore, the pressure it puts on business owners and people who serve alcohol as part of their job is burdensome and penalties oppressive. People need to take their heads out of their asses and realize that prohibition does not work. Teach responsibility instead. It's worked just fine in the rest of the world.

Camille Paglia: Alcohol Drinking Age of 21 Is Too High - TIME

Our government knows what's best for me and will allow me to drink alcohol at the appropriate time.

Yep. It takes a village!!

 

[Meister]

Really loving all the "small government" being espoused by the conservatives in this thread. Entirely predictable since they don't actually believe in it.

Kinda stupid thing to say. Let's get rid of the seatbelt laws too, sure don't want big government.

 

[nodoginnafight]

You make some very good logical points. But I disagree. I don't think anyone under 21 should be allowed to vote, be allowed to serve in the military, have to pay adult prices at the movies, or be able to legally consume alcohol.

People mature at different rates. With many folks younger than 21 it would be no problem. With many it would be a big problem. Picking an arbitrary age and drawing the line there is not going to produce the best possible solution - but imho - it's better than the alternative.

I've seen the scientific data, they have the cognitive ability of 72 year olds. Point of fact, none of them should have licenses to drive either. Nor should they be allowed marriage licenses or give blessings to have sex or start families. They are just too dumb. They can't think more than an hour ahead into the future. . . not realistically at least.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-still-under-construction/index.shtml

Alcohol and the Teen Brain

Adults drink more frequently than teens, but when teens drink they tend to drink larger quantities than adults. There is evidence to suggest that the adolescent brain responds to alcohol differently than the adult brain, perhaps helping to explain the elevated risk of binge drinking in youth. Drinking in youth, and intense drinking are both risk factors for later alcohol dependence. Findings on the developing brain should help clarify the role of the changing brain in youthful drinking, and the relationship between youth drinking and the risk of addiction later in life.

Thanks - this is a good start to my "research." Your summary seems to confirm what I've seen.

 

[R.D.]

Really loving all the "small government" being espoused by the conservatives in this thread. Entirely predictable since they don't actually believe in it.

Kinda stupid thing to say. Let's get rid of the seatbelt laws too, sure don't want big government.

Works for me

 

[manifold]

Really loving all the "small government" being espoused by the conservatives in this thread. Entirely predictable since they don't actually believe in it.

Kinda stupid thing to say. Let's get rid of the seatbelt laws too, sure don't want big government.

Translation:

Authoritarian policies I support = good government
Authoritarian policies I oppose = big government

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Really loving all the "small government" being espoused by the conservatives in this thread. Entirely predictable since they don't actually believe in it.

That is really lame, there is a place for government, this happens to be one of them, we have a big enough problem with 21+ drinking drivers, there's no need to add millions of 18+ to the mix. Actually I should say millions of 16+ because the ones 18 will provide alcohol to their younger friends, just like 21 year olds do now.

Same argument can be made for gun ownership.

And they don't have these problems in Europe because it's not an age factor; it's a cultural issue made worse by prohibition.

What ever happened to the Tenth Amendment argument?

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Really loving all the "small government" being espoused by the conservatives in this thread. Entirely predictable since they don't actually believe in it.

Kinda stupid thing to say. Let's get rid of the seatbelt laws too, sure don't want big government.

Actually, it's a perfectly reasonable hypocrisy to point out and I completely agree. I've always opposed seat belt laws. They don't exist for anyone's safety. They exist to criminalize behavior as a method of extracting more money from people to feed into the government coffers.

So now the Tenth Amendment is suddenly out the window because you happen to agree with this form of big government?

 

[HenryBHough]

Once I figured that since 18 year olds were allowed to join the military and defend our country they oughta be considered adult enough to drink and vote.

Now people up to age 26 are officially government defined as children, to be carried on their parents' health insurance policies. Therefore, as children, they must not be allowed to vote. Must not be allowed to drink. Must not be allowed to buy tobacco products. Must not enlist in the military without parental consent. Must not marry (of either sex or species) without parental permission and certainly not enter into any contract (of take on debt) without that permission.

Of course some appropriate government agency could be established to substitute should the actual parents have washed their hands in disgust at that which they spawned.

 

[nodoginnafight]

So if a mom decides to put Wild Turkey in her 3-month-old's bottle - that's fine? No age restriction at all? Because age restriction = government intervention? Is that how you feel?

 

[High_Gravity]

If your old enough to die in combat, your old enough to drink!

There it is right there.

 

[manifold]

Here's an idea...

Keep the drinking age 21 for civilians, but if you have a valid military ID you can drink at 18.

 

[JakeStarkey]

The laws are an example of good Conservative progressivism: using big government to influence politics, society, culture, etc.

Our underage kids have access to cars and drive while texting, etc.

Nope, keep the limit.

What's the link between politics and 18 to 21 drinking?

That keeping the kids from drinking under age is good Conservative progressivism. I fully agree with the 21 year age limit.

 

[HenryBHough]

21 seemed OK but now infanthood is government defined as 26 so what's a reasonable person to do?

 

[nodoginnafight]

Here's an idea...

Keep the drinking age 21 for civilians, but if you have a valid military ID you can drink at 18.

Here's an idea.

Don't let people enlist until they are 21.

 

[OKTexas]

Really loving all the "small government" being espoused by the conservatives in this thread. Entirely predictable since they don't actually believe in it.

Kinda stupid thing to say. Let's get rid of the seatbelt laws too, sure don't want big government.

Actually, it's a perfectly reasonable hypocrisy to point out and I completely agree. I've always opposed seat belt laws. They don't exist for anyone's safety. They exist to criminalize behavior as a method of extracting more money from people to feed into the government coffers.

So now the Tenth Amendment is suddenly out the window because you happen to agree with this form of big government?

The states are free to do whatever they want. Federal extortion was found unconstitutional in the ACA ruling.

 

[bianco]

There are cries in Australia for the drinking age to be increased from 18 to 21.
Too many irresponsible teens drinking, and causing mayhem...too many lives being lost, and too much violence.

 

[manifold]

There are cries in Australia for the drinking age to be increased from 18 to 21.
Too many irresponsible teens drinking, and causing mayhem...too many lives being lost, and too much violence.

There's always gotta be at least one asshole who ruins it for everybody.