[AudreyOka]

Do you agree with the legal drinking age of 21, or do you believe it should be lowered?

I believe if 18 is old enough to send a man/woman off to war, off to defend our country then it sould be old enough to buy a beer at the end of the day.

[MiaCamille]

Here in Quebec it's 18 and it find it kinda young but i'm talking as a mother, i agree with your part of being old enough to go to war but i think that 18 is too young to go to war, maybe they should both be 21...

[AudreyOka]

I would actually go with 21 to go to war also...though I understand the logic...sign up for the service BEFORE starting college and BEFORE starting your career life.

[jadis]

I find it quite funny that in the US the drinking age is 21, yet you can be tried as an adult and sentenced to a life term at age 16. It's backwards logic- they are old enough to make and be accountable for one action, but not another?

It's funny as well, because I volunteered for 2 years as a frosh guide for first year students (one year as president of our department's student assoc.). We did have a few americans, who managed to make complete fools of themselves. Meanwhile, of those from around here, where the drinking ages are 18 and 19 respectively, managed to hold it together for the most part, as they had already been there and done that and know the result. Making the drinking age 21 is just postponing the inevitable- which is drunken foolishness because they are now allowed to do something that was previously "forbidden".

[wanttobemommy]

I personally think that the legal age should stay the same. In some instances i think it should be higher. But I agree with the fact that if our county finds 18 year olds old enough to die for our country then they too should be able to drink. I think that the US needs to be more clear on what their decisions are. In some states like SD they think that 14 is old enough to drive but yet most of the teenagers killed in drunk driving accidents are between the ages of 14 and 16. We had 13 teenagers killed here last year alone. Drinking can cause more problems then its worth. I think that drinking brings out the fun side in some people but for the majority it is a depressant

[MissyChrissy]

I too think that if someone is serving our country, then they should be able to drink. And I agree that our laws regarding age of consent and responsibility are a little skewed (to say the least).

I know you can legally leave home at 16, and there's not much your parent can do to stop you...BUT on the same hand, IF you get in trouble, your parent is still responsible. Makes NO sense whatsoever.

But no where in the constitution did it promise laws that would make sense.

[mrs_ray]

Sorry for the two posts!

[mrs_ray]

I'm 20 years old and I'm perfectly content with the drinking age restrictions. I never intend on drinking, I find it to be a waste of money, time and brain cells. Can you even begin to imagine how many problems could arise from 18 year olds being able to legally purchase and consume alcohol? Half of the senior classes would have a DUI and the drop out rate would go even higher in my area (I really don't completely doubt that). And not to add how many people are fearful for their childrens lives when they send them off for homecoming and prom, knowing there are a few idiots drinking and driving.. Imagine how many MORE would be if they were allowed to buy the stuff! 18 year olds are just not mature enough to handle alcohol. Todays kids are the MySpace generation, they do anything to be cool and get a goofy picture. I really don't even feel a lot of 21 year olds are really all that mature enough to handle alcohol. And you say if they're old enough to be in a war they should have a beer.. Perfect idea, put a young man or woman (who is, without a doubt due to age, still emotionally devoloping and are freshly in to the real world and no doubt an emotional mess on some level) in war and then feed them beer. Future alcoholics of America much? I also don't feel 18 is old enough to be in a war, but that's an entirely different debate. I'm for the war, I'm not for someone who is barely out of high school being in it.

[jadis]

Can you even begin to imagine how many problems could arise from 18 year olds being able to legally purchase and consume alcohol? Half of the senior classes would have a DUI and the drop out rate would go even higher in my area (I really don't completely doubt that).

Funny- a few provinces here in Canada have a drinking age of 18, and the others 19, and it doesn't cause "mass pandemonium" of any proportions (in fact I think our drop out rate may be lower than yours). The majority of my graduation class was of drinking age when we graduated highschool, and one of the 100 graduates had a DUI (small community = everyone knowing everyone else's business).

There are inevitably the idiots who cause problems, and would likely do so regardless of the drinking age (it only really affects how the get access to alcohol, not whether they will consume it). In fact, research on banned substances shows that the more taboo/forbidden/restrictive you make something, the more people are going to want to do it.

[lacih8607]

I agree that the drinking age probably should be lowered to 18. I look at it the same way, as if you are old enough to go to war, you're old enough to drink. Many high schoolers are drinking now anyways, no matter what the legal drinking age is. Most of the time there parents are providing it! I just feel that if they are old enough to drive a car, buy cigarettes, vote, die for our country, why not throw drinking in there as well?! Not everyone who drinks makes stupid decisions...