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The lower the age, the younger the drinker. If the age was 18, then it would be the 14 to 16 year olds thinking THEY are the ones getting away with what is reserved for the older kids. Besides that, 18 isn't so mature that they would use better judgement buying alcohol (beer OR liquor) for underage kids, 12, 14, 16 years old. 18 isn't responsible enough to give that privilege.
12, 14, and 16 year olds already have availibility to alcohol as is. When I was in middle school (6-8 grade, 12-14), there were kids who had alcohol and were getting drunk, simply because they could. Lowering the age will make it no more available to the underage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stormy night
You say to make alcohol legal and it will eliminate the mystery and desirability. What about illegal drugs. Make them legal and kids AND adults won't want them anymore???? Yeah, right.
Um, yes? It's not making it legal or illegal, it's the emphasis placed on the object that creates the effect. If you put an object on a pedestal, then your going to have what we have today. Take the emphasis off the object and normalize it, you'll see a drop in the desire for it. It's the main reason why Europe has lower binge drinking problems per capita compared to us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stormy night
You are assuming ALL homes have alcohol in them and ALL families drink. It isn't part of MY job to teach my kid to drink. As a parent, it's my job to dissuade my kid from drinking altogether.
It's good to dissuade, but realize, that temptations weigh heavily on the mind (especially when said temptation can be dangerous and illegal). In conjunction it'd be wise to dissuade your kids from drinking while also telling them the negative side effects of BINGE drinking; drinking in moderation has no long term effects on the body and mind.
You are assuming ALL homes have alcohol in them and ALL families drink. It isn't part of MY job to teach my kid to drink. As a parent, it's my job to dissuade my kid from drinking altogether.
Hi Stormy. Actually, I think we are agreeing here. It is your job, and not the Government's to teach good life skills to your kids. However, when we discuss legal drinking age, we're talking about Government laws here, not personal beliefs.
It is my responsibility as a parent to prepare my kids to face all of the dangers and pitfalls that exist in our society. To me, that means learning how to avoid all of the traps that accompany alcohol use in our society.
Um, yes? It's not making it legal or illegal, it's the emphasis placed on the object that creates the effect. If you put an object on a pedestal, then your going to have what we have today. Take the emphasis off the object and normalize it, you'll see a drop in the desire for it. It's the main reason why Europe has lower binge drinking problems per capita compared to us.
I believe we should lower the drinking age to 18. The drinking age of 21 is inconsistent with other laws pertaining to responsibilities that the age of 18 holds.
Such as
-Ability to sign a 6-8 year contract with the military
-Getting bank loans and credit cards
-Being able to live on your own
-Signing leases for apartments
-Paying bills and taxes all on your own
-Being held completely responsible for all of you actions
-Being able to purchase Tobacco products
But after all of these various responsibilities that a 18 year old is deemed old enough to handle, you have to be 21 to drink legally?
What do you think about this?
I think you are absolutely right. For outsiders like me from Germany it is a very strange situation, that people are allowed to drive a 3-tons-SUV with 16, walking around with firearms with 18 (I don't know if this is still the actual situation?) but for drinking beer you have to be at least 21-years old.
In my opinion it would be much better to tell the people about the consequences of alcohol-abuse and then let them make thei're own experiences. Most people are able to show enough responsibillity and after the're first experiences with too much alcohol, they act more carefully next time.
Here in Germany it is allowed to drink alcohol with 18 (beer with 16) , but we don't have very large problems with that, even there is a tendency to the so called "Komasaufen" what means "drinking as much as you can until you break down". This is not a problem about alcohol in general but about youngsters not thinking about what they do.
12, 14, and 16 year olds already have availibility to alcohol as is. When I was in middle school (6-8 grade, 12-14), there were kids who had alcohol and were getting drunk, simply because they could. Lowering the age will make it no more available to the underage.
Um, yes? It's not making it legal or illegal, it's the emphasis placed on the object that creates the effect. If you put an object on a pedestal, then your going to have what we have today. Take the emphasis off the object and normalize it, you'll see a drop in the desire for it. It's the main reason why Europe has lower binge drinking problems per capita compared to us.
It's good to dissuade, but realize, that temptations weigh heavily on the mind (especially when said temptation can be dangerous and illegal). In conjunction it'd be wise to dissuade your kids from drinking while also telling them the negative side effects of BINGE drinking; drinking in moderation has no long term effects on the body and mind.
Sooo, if we take all restrictions away and be careful to not shed light on things like alcohol and drugs, our kids will grow up knowing how to regulate themselves and not end up druggies and drunks?
How would you go about explaining every person over the age of 21 who are alcoholics?? There is no restrictions on them, yet they continue to be alcoholics thrhoughout their lives. What about the drug addicts who are far into adulthood?? Youth is no excuse for any of them, yet THEY haven't learned, on their own to stay away from drugs, they like them too much.
Let's talk about tobacco. Cigarettes kill people in adulthood. Tobacco can be bought legally by adults, yet they smoke and kill themselves on a regular basis.
Where do you get your point that kids won't drink if is made available to them? They will drink more, and they will drink younger. Same as drugs, same as tobacco.
Teenagers are already stupid, loud, and obnoxious.
How much worse could they get if they were drunk?
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