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Old 08-05-2008, 07:46 AM
 
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The set age is a state law, each state can move the age up or down, the minimun is 18. For P.R. is 18.
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Old 08-05-2008, 10:52 AM
 
Location: in my house
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Originally Posted by Kuharai View Post
Just as I am sure that there are a lot of 40 or 60 year olds who aren't mature enough to drink....
I would hope that by the time a 21 year old is double or even triple that age, like say 40 or 60, they should have more wisdom and experience to know better when their behavior or drinking has become too unacceptable.
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Old 08-05-2008, 03:29 PM
 
Location: Romeoville, IL
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People don't look at the statistics of drinking when the age was 18, things were much worse.

Drinking age is 21 to prevent freshmen, sophomore, and juniors from easily obtaining alcohol. At 21, it is easy for an 18 year old to get alcohol but not as easy for a 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 year old. If the age was 18, the age of many (most) high school seniors, these younger age groups would have easier access to it. We all had upper classman friends in high school who we could of boozed off of.
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Old 08-05-2008, 04:41 PM
 
Location: South Fla
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I think it should stay @ 21. Becoming a responsible adult is a process, some get there faster than others and for them it is perhaps unfair to enforce the age restrictions, but for the larger segment of society I think it is important to have a high age limit because with age typically comes better judgement as to what is too much to drink, and when and where it is unsafe to drink. I actually think that underage drinking should be more strictly enforced, particularly on college campuses.
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Old 08-05-2008, 06:16 PM
 
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Originally Posted by LLLL98 View Post
I think it should stay @ 21. Becoming a responsible adult is a process, some get there faster than others and for them it is perhaps unfair to enforce the age restrictions, but for the larger segment of society I think it is important to have a high age limit because with age typically comes better judgement as to what is too much to drink, and when and where it is unsafe to drink. I actually think that underage drinking should be more strictly enforced, particularly on college campuses.
i think this is then therefore a reflection of the immaturity of american youth?

why isn't binge drinking as big of an issue in the parts of canada i've been to and in mainland europe (minus the brits, they have some major drinking problems now).

physiologically, we're the same humans as ones in canada or europe. so that means, its a psychological think...and that is shaped by the culture.
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Old 08-05-2008, 06:52 PM
 
Location: South Fla
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Originally Posted by mufc1878 View Post
i think this is then therefore a reflection of the immaturity of american youth?

why isn't binge drinking as big of an issue in the parts of canada i've been to and in mainland europe (minus the brits, they have some major drinking problems now).

physiologically, we're the same humans as ones in canada or europe. so that means, its a psychological think...and that is shaped by the culture.
I think that is a good point, American youth does tend to be a bit immature, although I haven't been to Europe since I was little girl so I don't really have any firsthand examples of the increased maturity of the teenagers in Europe, or in Canada.

I think that the differences in attitudes towards alcohol has to do with the general attitude of the American culture as a whole in terms of the tendancy to prefer extremes in many things. Binge drinking is an example of the American people not knowing how to enjoy things in moderation. It's either all or nothing. This example is then the model for which teenagers use in their own alcohol using patterns, which is obviously unhealthy.
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Old 08-05-2008, 08:29 PM
 
Location: Romeoville, IL
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From what I've read/seen on TV and newspapers, binge drinking in England is a HUGE problem among youth, a growing one at that. Worse than anything seen here in the states.
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Old 08-05-2008, 10:08 PM
 
Location: Forests of Maine
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Keep in mind that once an 18 year old joins the military, they can then drink onbase.
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Old 08-05-2008, 11:00 PM
 
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Originally Posted by AaronK View Post
From what I've read/seen on TV and newspapers, binge drinking in England is a HUGE problem among youth, a growing one at that. Worse than anything seen here in the states.
yup. which is why i excluded them from my example of mainland europe. french, swiss, germans, italians do not share that same problem.

it is the attitude towards alcohol and drugs in the US which makes it some 'forbidden' fruit which when teens get near, they feel they must go overboard with.

in a culture where alcohol is just alcohol, it isn't something special, something 'mystical'...it's just an everyday thing. you don't go overboard with it.
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Old 08-06-2008, 06:22 PM
 
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The real problem is transportation and sidwalks. To avoid drunk driving, pubs and bars MUST be near public transportation ....

If it wasn't for our massive DUI and car crashes, people might consider lowering the drinking age...

I think the drinking age should be 18....
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