• Please be sure to read the rules and adhere to them. Some banned members have complained that they are not spammers. But they spammed us. Some even tried to redirect our members to other forums. Duh. Be smart. Read the rules and adhere to them and we will all get along just fine. Cheers. :beer: Link to the rules: https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/forum-rules-info.2974/

College Presidents Call for Younger Drinking Age!

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
It seems we have gone through this many years ago. When I was about 16 the law for drinking in our neighboring state dropped to 18. We all ran over there and it became dangerous so Minnesota had to follow suite. With years gone by the law went back up to 19 and then to 21 where it is now.

However, some College Presidents think it is safer to go back to 21.


College presidents from about 100 universities, including Rhodes College in Memphis, Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.

These College Presidents are getting some big criticism along with Mother's Against Drunk Driving.


What's everyone's thought on this. Leave it at 21 or should it go back to 18. Students say, we can vote, we can joing the Armed Services but we are not responsible enough to drink.


murph
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
SUPER Site Supporter
It was 19 in Canada and I am amazed that I survived.

I think 21 is a good age but do realize that technically these people are "adults". I always found it strange when driving through the US on our way to Mexico that we couldn't buy beer. We had to load our coolers up before we made the mad dash across "dry country". ;)
 

urednecku

Active member
Site Supporter
IF an 18 year-old is old enough to join the military and die for our country, why is he not old enough to drink a beer? I've always wondered about this aspect of our lawmakers thinking.
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I agree with Redneck and the college presidents. I'm sure the 21 age limit does force those under 21 to drink on campus at parties and could encourage binge drinking. If you are considered an adult by the law, and old enough to die for our country if they decided to enact the draft and call you up, then you are old enough to have a beer in a bar with friends.
 

American Woman

New member
Site Supporter
College presidents from about 100 universities, including Rhodes College in Memphis, Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.
So instead of drinking and staying on campus they will "drive" somewhere to drink....I think it needs to be left alone. 18 isn't mature enough....Yes I realize that 18 yearolds are in Iraq getting shot at, but when they signed up they were 18 yearold kids and the military grew them up in a hurry.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
18 isn't mature enough.
That's because you're older than 18. If an 18 year-old is considered mature enough to drive a vehicle, work a job, go to college, be financially independent, get loans... then they should be considered old enough to drink.


Yes I realize that 18 yearolds are in Iraq getting shot at, but when they signed up they were 18 yearold kids and the military grew them up in a hurry.
OK, how about something I've thought of for years (ever since they jumped if from 18 to 21). If you're under 21 but active military and can present your ID, you're treated as being 21 when it comes to drinking laws.
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
SUPER Site Supporter
I think we need to set a maturity test for young adults. Military service, Peace Corps, a 4 year degree, or the age of 21 THEN you can drink.
 

American Woman

New member
Site Supporter
If you are considered an adult by the law, and old enough to die for our country if they decided to enact the draft and call you up, then you are old enough to have a beer in a bar with friends.
What I'm hearing here is from a mature thinking guy. NOT an 18 yearold "hot head" when he's drunk in a bar. 18 yearolds have proved over and over they are not mature with walking in a bar to have a beer with buddies, or even at parties. They drink until they pass out, or worse they get in their cars with their immature thinking.....I KNOW there are the exceptional, occasional mature 18 yearold kid, but they aren't the majority.
I hope for M.A.D.'s sake it doesn't happen.
 
Last edited:

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I think we need to set a maturity test for young adults. Military service, Peace Corps, a 4 year degree, or the age of 21 THEN you can drink.
What do we do with those that are 21 or over but still are immature (regardless of military service, college...)?
I know some that are 18 years old that are MUCH more mature than many 20-something people I know.
 

urednecku

Active member
Site Supporter
OK, how about something I've thought of for years (ever since they jumped if from 18 to 21). If you're under 21 but active military and can present your ID, you're treated as being 21 when it comes to drinking laws.

I like this idea, too.
 

American Woman

New member
Site Supporter
That's because you're older than 18. If an 18 year-old is considered mature enough to drive a vehicle, work a job, go to college, be financially independent, get loans... then they should be considered old enough to drink.
OK, how about something I've thought of for years (ever since they jumped if from 18 to 21). If you're under 21 but active military and can present your ID, you're treated as being 21 when it comes to drinking laws.
I think we need to set a maturity test for young adults. Military service, Peace Corps, a 4 year degree, or the age of 21 THEN you can drink.
Tricky word...."considered" :rolleyes:
PB hit the nail on the head with a maturity test.
Why not? Banks and credit cards can't wait to loan them money, but they have to fill out an application and show maturity first. They can drive, but they gotta take a test first. They can drink, but..."what"
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
SUPER Site Supporter
What do we do with those that are 21 or over but still are immature (regardless of military service, college...)?
I know some that are 18 years old that are MUCH more mature than many 20-something people I know.

Nothings perfect. Sometimes we just have to accept that there are losers in the world! Although, I can't seem to get everyone to accept me? :blink:
 

American Woman

New member
Site Supporter
What do we do with those that are 21 or over but still are immature (regardless of military service, college...)?
I know some that are 18 years old that are MUCH more mature than many 20-something people I know.
I think this would be a good idea too :thumb:
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Doc, not only the draft, but the 'kids' that sign up, 'volunteer', also.

Yep, for sure for them also, but the biggie to me is they are an adult under the law. They should be able to drink. To say your old enough to die for our country but you can't buy a beer in a bar is asinine.

OK, how about something I've thought of for years (ever since they jumped if from 18 to 21). If you're under 21 but active military and can present your ID, you're treated as being 21 when it comes to drinking laws.

Sure was not true for me. I had my military ID but was not served alcohol. I'd never heard this before. Maybe it's new. :confused:

We had the law set at 18 for while. Some went crazy. Some did fine. But since some could not handle it change the law for all. :bonk:
We have people with 3, 4 or even 5 dui's. These are the people who should not be allowed to buy a drink in a bar. Whenever we consider someone an adult at that age they should be able to drink. If it's 21, then they should also be 21 before being able to be tried as an adult or allowed in the military. If indeed they are an adult at 18, same holds true. All or nothing.

As for the college campuses. Most colleges have bars all around, and most students do not drive. They walk. I see the university presidents point and agree making it legal at 18 seems to be the right thing to do.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Sure was not true for me. I had my military ID but was not served alcohol. I'd never heard this before. Maybe it's new. :confused:
Doc,

Read it again. "OK, how about something I've thought of for years (ever since they jumped if from 18 to 21). If you're under 21 but active military and can present your ID, you're treated as being 21 when it comes to drinking laws."
It is/was only an idea of mine.

As I recall, they were implementing the law that you need to be 21 when I was in the Marines. In some states I could drink (as it was still 18) but in others (e.g. NY where I was from), they jumped it to 21 so I couldn't. It would have been nice to show my Military ID and be able to have a beer.
 

American Woman

New member
Site Supporter
If it's 21, then they should also be 21 before being able to be tried as an adult or allowed in the military. If indeed they are an adult at 18, same holds true. All or nothing.
I agree with this....
I think my problem here is that I'm looking at this age limit from a different perspective than y'all.....because I have known loved ones close to me, or known of people that alcohol ruins their lives by addictions to deaths. I know this sounds like a blanket statement, but I haven't seen maturity in any age.
 

Av8r3400

Gone Flyin'
Years ago the legal "Beer Age" in Wisconsin was 18 and 21 for hard liquor.

Age, in my opinion, is semantic. There are 60 year olds that I know are not mature enough to handle drinking and 16 year olds that are.

If you are an adult at 18, then you are an adult with all the rights, privileges and RESPONSIBILITIES. Otherwise make the age of adulthood 21 across the board for drinking, voting, military service, everything. Maybe 30 would be better? 40? What is the final age that everyone is mature?? The day before you die?

In all seriousness, it should be up to the states to decide. The federal government extorted (illegally, mind you) the states by withholding highway funds if they didn't implement this stupid law back in the 80's.
 
Top