www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Drinking Age in the U.S. Poll

Hey Y'all,

I thought it would be interesting to make a poll and see what your opinions are regarding the drinking age in the United States. An article I read a few days ago about law enforcement cracking down on parents who supply their children's friends with alcohol made me wonder what others' opinions are on the matter.

I have made the results of the poll unavailable to users until they vote, since I wish to minimize what I call "sheep mentality," i.e. voting a certain way because the majority of others polled voted that way.

If none of the categories fit into what you consider to be appropriate, then by all means, share your thoughts on why that's the case. Even if one of the choices reflects very well your thoughts on the matter, I encourage you to share why that is so.

Tentatively, I will say that I think the drinking age should be lowered to 18 for liquor/spirits, beer, and wine, while raising the driving age to 18.

But I am open to being persuaded to all sorts of viewpoints.

Alexis

Drinking Age in the U.S. single choice
	21 years of age
	18 years of age
	No drinking age requirement
	Total prohibition of alcohol, except for religious use
	18 for liquor/spirits, 15 for beer/wine
	21 for liquor/spirits, 18 for beer/wine
Votes accepted starting: 02/16/09 07:07 PM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

I voted 18. Yet it is also my opinion that when you make something a total no-no for the youth, when the adults around them are allowed to drink, you can very well make it more likely the youth will break the law.

As a child my grandparents gave me wine mixed with water and sugar. This was when we had large family get togethers and most of my friends and I never went wild when we were out with friends. It was no big deal to us.

I personally do not believe that there should be a drinking-age requirement; though I do believe that parents and guardians should be made responsible for the use of their children and that the state can intervene if there is good cause to believe that a child is in danger.

I also do not believe that any substances should be illegal. I am for the legalization of all drugs and I'm for the elimination of the need for prescriptions to get certain drugs.

Joe

What difference does it make? Just about everyone is drinking in in high school and on college campuses before they are 21.

The excessive consumption of alchohol as some kind of American cultural pastime by our youth is a very, very big problem whether we want to face it or not. I believe it stems from a lack of close family and community as existed in the past, a sense of boredom, too many demands and stresses, a spiritual void, and a sense of inner despair and fear of the responsibilites and financial demands which characterize adulthood in this day and age.

I also think that teen problems have become increasingly worse since the 1950's when the 'teen subculture' first came into existence and has since thrived, becoming more and more distanced.

A friend of mine who grew up in Greece in the 1960's and '70's said that as young teens their only outings were with their parents to visit other relatives and friends. At those homes, the teens of like age would get together and enjoy each other's company. Going out alone to 'hang out' as teens was relatively unknown at that time. I understand that Spain was/is equally family oriented. Ofcourse, all this has completely changed across Europe as it adapted and embraced our American culture in the phenomenon known as globalization.

I think that our driving ages are way too low and I would like to see them raised.

Alice

I agree with you, Alice, about driving ages. 16, to me, seems crazy.

I also agree with Kathleen that part of the problem with teens abusing alcohol is that it is seen as "taboo," "adult," and is illegal. In Europe, they seem to have much less of a problem with kids abusing alcohol - and it is either officially or tacitly legal there to consume alcohol at a much younger age than it is here.

But teens in Europe do not drive as much as teens here. I think the combination of immaturity, drinking, and a driver's license is something that must be especially accounted for in the U.S.

Alexis

Yes, this is true...however, they also have a bit more to do there, such as being able to congregate in cafe's with only one cup of coffee or one drink for many hours.



Absolutely! Who hasn't seen the many makeshift shrines on suburban roads and highways where teens have been joy riding after school, only to find their untimely death. It makes me so sad...

When I grew up, we learned to have a responsible drink at home with the adults when we were between 17 and 21. But woe to any of us who thought that that was tacit permission to drink anywhere else. Family was all over town so there was no place to hide.

We were also far more restricted than many of our peers. We weren't allowed to "hang out" with our peers at all the youth hangouts. We had work to do. And once we hit about the age of 14 we worked after school and summers cutting lawns, washing windows, and doing almost anything else that was needed to help relatives or our own family. There were gardens to make and keep; there was never a dull moment. Saving for college was a big goal and every spare dollar went into a savings account. I think that I could put my hands on a single dollar at any one time, even when I was in university. We were definitely kept on the straight and narrow.

I don't know how parents cope today. I thank God every day that I don't have to cope with the internet, with the "need" for cell phones and all other kinds of communication technology.

BOB

As soon as I turned 21, the drinking age dropped to 18. By the time it went back up to 21, I no longer cared.

The reason I included the option of "18 for liquor/spirits, 15 for beer/wine," is because this is the technical law in many European countries, though seldom strictly enforced.

Alexis

18 for liquor/spirits, 15 for beer/wine.
I had my first beer with my dad at 17, but we always had Mogen David mixed with Sprite or Ginger ale for Christmas and Thanksgiving growing up. My Father once battled alcohol and both my parents grew up wild and crazy. I'm lucky because by the time I cam around, they had wised-up and raised me right. We were a pretty close, loving family. I can say I've never been intoxicated or over indulged in alcohol. I think more parents ought to be responsible in this way. It's not a either for or against issue. There has to be a happy medium.

Of course like anything, there are always going to be a few bad apples...

I am not sure there is a responsible age for drinking. Someone might be responsible at 16, another not responsible at 65. With that being said when most people are exposed to drinking is probably between ages 18 and 21, all you have to do is visit any college campus to find that out.

Youth( the teenage years to 21) seems to present a variety of concerns in regard to the exploration of driving, drinking, crime, sex and any number of other items as people explore their independence of parental control. The best answer is for parentents to provide a sound upbringing where values are established early. Although this may not curb all problems, it does provide sideboards of how we are to act in social interchange and interaction with other people and a respect for other peoples rights This hopefully prevents us from from doing anything potentially disasterous to ourselves or others, as wisdom is be acquired with age and acquistion of life experiences.

I say keep it at 21. In a better world where most young adults understand there are consequences for irresponsible drinking, I would say lower it to 18. The reality is that most 18 year olds haven't mastered that lesson. There are far too many young people in drunk driving accidents "About 30% of teens reported that within the previous 30 days, they had been a passenger in a car with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. One in 10 teens said that they personally had driven after drinking alcohol".www.Car-Accidents.com I agree with JW55 the best thing we can do is too provide sound upbringing and hope and pray that they be leaders not followers, independent not dependent on the "cool kids" that think it's a rite of passage to get drunk.

I voted for no age. For as long as man has been around until the Calvinists came into existence children were allowed to drink alcohol, especially since it was safer than the water.

I also see no reason that an 18 year-old is compelled to fight for his country yet can't drink a beer with his parents before he goes to boot camp.

I also think that 16 is too young to be allowed to drive a half ton death machine. (In the wrong hands, of course.)

Humm ...

Here in Israel the law states 18 as the legal age for drinking and smoking.
However, while smoking is an issue, drinking never was, and a 12 year-old can go to the super and get his own rum. Quite honestly I believe that drinking habits are acquired at home, and I have read a research stating that children who have been drinking at home with their families are more likely to be responsible drinkers as they grow up and are no longer under their parents supervision.
Needless to say, most children I know don't like the taste of alcohol - so when we terminate the "group pressure" by providing alcohol as something "usual" and not "cool" are most likely to terminate their 'need' for alcohol as a ticket to popularity.

The real problem here is driving - each year we have over 400 killed (411 in 2008 - 31,478 injured). Taking into account the small population of Israel, and we have a real problem!
Driving age: 18.
I would suggest not only to lift the driving age to 21 but also to ask for a mental/maturity test before giving driving license. I don't know about other countries, but here a big number of drivers are simply insane.

I did not vote as I do not live in the US.

Well, in Georgia, and about nine other states, drinking at ANY age is allowed, but one must be on your own property, with your parents there, with their permission.

In other words, my family could invite the entire police force over for dinner one night while serving my 14 year old sister a vodka-soda, and it would be perfectly legal here.

I definitely don't have a problem with that (well, maybe the vodka...but the spirit of the law, anyway).

Alexis

Dear Alexis (our future lawyer),

Would you know what states those would be-- out of curiousity?

Thanks,
Alice

Dear Eli,

Yes, unfortunately, it looks as if 18 may be too young for many to be driving as well...

Lack of skills, experience and maturity definitely contribute.

It seems that too many young people are killed in automobile accidents in every country of the world. Lord have mercy!

In Christ,
Alice

If the act of drinking is accompanied by the legal guardian, it is legal in Texas for a minor to drink as long as no offenses are committed. These said parents can't provide the same drinks to minors who are not in their guardianship.

Terry

Alice,

I don't know for sure, but here is a map of the United States with each state's consumption laws listed either as "Consumption Prohibited," "Consumption Prohibited With Exceptions," and "Consumption Not Prohibited."

Now, don't ask me what "Consumption Not Prohibited" means; I don't know how that differs from the "Consumption Prohibited With Exceptions."

Georgia, on the map, is listed as "Consumption Not Prohibited," but like I said earlier, it's of course illegal to consume alcohol here under the age of 21, except for drinking on your property with a parent's or guardian's permission (and they have to be on the property at the time, I think).

Alexis

I did look ths up while in the USA. What I discovered was the purchasing and possession of alcohol, consumption in public places was what was banned. Parental supervision was assumed when alcoholic drinks were consumed at in private.

It is interesting that adults are treated as minors when the legal age of majority was 18 yrs.

I saw (not for very long) a new Australian TV program on TV the other night based on the UK TV program "Ladettes". Those particiapting had a huge problem with alcohol and their behaviour was awful. A culture of drunkeness = a good time has grown up and it is killing young people when linked to cars and drugs.

Preach it! Sister Alice!
Opps I am begining to sound like a Baptist.

Stephanos I

Wow I never knew this! God bless Georgia!

Joe

half ton? Where do you find them that light???



The Journal of Higher Education (I think) ran a great piece seven or eight years by a professor lamenting the current state of affairs. He pointed out that in the past, students *learned* to drink responsibly in college with the faculty--that overdoing it at those events would have been horribly embarrassing, and so forth. Today, all drinking by college students is illicit and most of it is abusive.

My own solution would probably be to allow service on campus (maybe adjacent) combined with a draconian penalty for *any* level of alcohol behind the wheel for these students.

hawk

My mistake. It seems that even a Mini Cooper weighs in just over a metric tonne.

I think my Miata is 3,000 lbs . . . I'm not sure what the '72 Eldorado convertible in the garage is, although a full-size GM of the time was about three tons (The Eldorado was smaller than big GM's, and the convertible may shed a few pounds).

Off the top of my head, my father's 64 bug was 1200 lbs, and my 74 was 1800.

As more useless numbers fall out of the dusty corners of my memory, when GM first downsized, the Impala and such dropped to 5000 lbs, which would be trimmed to 4000 by the late 80's.

hawk, wondering why he remembers such things (and whose 2002 van weighs 2.5 tons)

See, there's a half a metric tonne.

I am categorically opposed to the handing out of "adulthood" piecemeal as is practiced here in the U.S.

If you are old enough, at 18, to get married without parental consent, to join the military (and die for your country), to authorize your own medical treatment and enter into contractual agreements (mortgages, loans, etc.) and to be tried as an adult in every jurisdiction in the country then you are certainly old enough to choose to drink an alcoholic beverage.

If you are not old enough to drink at 18 then you really aren't old enough to do all of those other things either.

Pick an age of majority and make it uniform.