Denise Tiller, Midwest Voices Panelist 2008
Back in the 1970s when I was in college at Nebraska, the drinking age was 19. It meant I could legally drink my sophomore year. Did I drink before that? Sure. There were a lot of fraternity parties and girls got free Purple Passion.
Is there underage drinking in college and in the military now? You'd better believe it.
Do I mind 18 year-olds drinking? Not really, and I sympathize with kids in the military who are old enough to serve their country but not drink. Still, as I recall, we raised the drinking age back to 21 to lower traffic fatalities and curb drinking among younger teens. It seemed that 18 year-olds were more prone to buy booze for younger friends than 21 year-olds, and then drive.
Drinking and driving don't mix and too many young people don't understand it. We need to address that issue before we lower the age again.
Denise Tiller, Midwest Voices Panelist 2008
Delicious
Digg
Perhaps
we should raise the driving age to 18 while lowering the drinking age.
How 'bout that? Best of both worlds? Or the worst?
Most kids start drinking in Jr. High
At 18 you are able to contract, to vote, and as Denise points serve your country in uniform. Lowering the drinking age to 18 just makes sense.
18 years olds are subject to the same penalties for DUI as are 21 year olds, or 40 year olds for that matter. If you break the law you have to pay the penalty.
Let that 20 year old who has just done 15 mos wearing body armor and a pack of over 60 pounds in 140 degree heat buy himself a beer for God's sake.
Sometimes we get carried away with our selves.
Lowering the Drinking Age
Not a good plan. The illegal drinking will then intensify and shift to those that are 17 years old. Not a good plan.