Seems pretty stupid to me. Drinking, smoking, gambling should all be 18. Why we are going backwards when it comes to laws regarding these subjects is beyond me.
posted by RotinajSeems pretty stupid to me. Drinking, smoking, gambling should all be 18. Why we are going backwards when it comes to laws regarding these subjects is beyond me.
They should all be 19. Too many 18 year olds in HS. I’d like to see them all 19 to keep the stuff away from younger high schoolers as easily.
posted by Laley23They should all be 19. Too many 18 year olds in HS. I’d like to see them all 19 to keep the stuff away from younger high schoolers as easily.
^^^This
posted by Laley23They should all be 19. Too many 18 year olds in HS. I’d like to see them all 19 to keep the stuff away from younger high schoolers as easily.
19 would be a fine compromise but it still wouldn't do much. Drinking age is already 21, how much does that stop HS kids from currently getting it?
posted by Rotinaj19 would be a fine compromise but it still wouldn't do much. Drinking age is already 21, how much does that stop HS kids from currently getting it?
A lot. Of course kids will always be able to find a way, but at least they have to try. And when they do, they are breaking the law. I only recall a few times we had our own alcohol at parties, and it’s when our siblings were in town from college and bought it. Other than that, it was stealing from parents.
Now imagine its 18 and you just have 4 seniors on the basketball team who can get alcohol legally for the party. Sure, it’s still illegal to serve that to the young kids, but that’s a lot easier to get away with than when nobody at the house is of age. I truly believe drinking and smoking would become a massive problem if kids IN HS could legally do it.
posted by Laley23A lot. Of course kids will always be able to find a way, but at least they have to try. And when they do, they are breaking the law. I only recall a few times we had our own alcohol at parties, and it’s when our siblings were in town from college and bought it. Other than that, it was stealing from parents.
Now imagine its 18 and you just have 4 seniors on the basketball team who can get alcohol legally for the party. Sure, it’s still illegal to serve that to the young kids, but that’s a lot easier to get away with than when nobody at the house is of age. I truly believe drinking and smoking would become a massive problem if kids IN HS could legally do it.
Plenty of kids still go to HS events a year or even 2 after they graduate. You think being 1 year removed would actually make a difference in your scenario? Honestly, im fine with the drinking age being 20/21 but smoking and gambling is just stupid.
I think dropping the drinking age to 18 would potentially decrease the amount of binge drinking that goes on in high school and college. When you're underaged, you never know when the next chance you'll have to drink will be, so you're more likely to over do it while you have the opportunity. If you could just go buy a 6-pack when you wanted, you'd be less likely to go overboard when the opportunity to drink came your way. It certainly wouldn't stop overconsumption, I'm not that naive, but I do think it would decrease it.
Do we know how it works in countries where the drinking age is lower that the US?
posted by justincredibleI think dropping the drinking age to 18 would potentially decrease the amount of binge drinking that goes on in high school and college. When you're underaged, you never know when the next chance you'll have to drink will be, so you're more likely to over do it while you have the opportunity. If you could just go buy a 6-pack when you wanted, you'd be less likely to go overboard when the opportunity to drink came your way. It certainly wouldn't stop overconsumption, I'm not that naive, but I do think it would decrease it.
Do we know how it works in countries where the drinking age is lower that the US?
Having had exchange students from various places with no formal drinking age, the U.S. is the only country with which I'm familiar where "going drinking" is a thing.
posted by Laley23They should all be 19. Too many 18 year olds in HS. I’d like to see them all 19 to keep the stuff away from younger high schoolers as easily.
I agree with this.
posted by justincredibleI think dropping the drinking age to 18 would potentially decrease the amount of binge drinking that goes on in high school and college. When you're underaged, you never know when the next chance you'll have to drink will be, so you're more likely to over do it while you have the opportunity. If you could just go buy a 6-pack when you wanted, you'd be less likely to go overboard when the opportunity to drink came your way. It certainly wouldn't stop overconsumption, I'm not that naive, but I do think it would decrease it.
I completely disagree with this, and you gave the reason later in your post.
posted by vball10setI completely disagree with this, and you gave the reason later in your post.
It's an interesting question. It should be obvious that any time something is more available and convenient, usage increases. So lowering the drinking age will undoubtedly result in more underage drinking, and starting younger.
But what happens in other countries is also interesting. It's not taboo/illegal, so kids grow-up learning to drink responsibly. Except eliminating the drinking age isn't magically going to change the culture in the US.
posted by justincredibleI think dropping the drinking age to 18 would potentially decrease the amount of binge drinking that goes on in high school and college. When you're underaged, you never know when the next chance you'll have to drink will be, so you're more likely to over do it while you have the opportunity. If you could just go buy a 6-pack when you wanted, you'd be less likely to go overboard when the opportunity to drink came your way. It certainly wouldn't stop overconsumption, I'm not that naive, but I do think it would decrease it.
Do we know how it works in countries where the drinking age is lower that the US?
I don't agree with this, and I'm not sure I can even explain why. I just know that even once my friends and I were 21, the binge drinking certainly didn't stop. This is true of almost everyone I was friends with in college, and even beyond that. If you like to drink and party, you're still going to do that even if you know you can literally do it daily.
The other problem I see is driving. Europe, nobody drives, so drinking age isn’t as important. In America, we all drive. And we all drink and drive. Typically flirting with the limit. When I was underage, though, I never drove.
I’m sure if legislators passed a law lower the age they would be smart enough to make driving still 0.0 until 21, then 0.8 like it is. But, that would be something that would HAVE to be included in any law. We are barely responsible enough to have a few and drive home at 35, let alone 21. At 18? That would be a disaster on the roads.
I like the idea of 19 for tobacco and gambling. I feel there would be less problems with students in high school.
Is 3.2% beer still in conversations these days?
Let's be honest....alcohol being illegal is the only thing stopping trash parents from getting ripped with their teenage children.
posted by gutLet's be honest....alcohol being illegal is the only thing stopping trash parents from getting ripped with their teenage children.
Is it stopping them?
posted by vball10setI agree with this.
posted by justincredibleI think dropping the drinking age to 18 would potentially decrease the amount of binge drinking that goes on in high school and college. When you're underaged, you never know when the next chance you'll have to drink will be, so you're more likely to over do it while you have the opportunity. If you could just go buy a 6-pack when you wanted, you'd be less likely to go overboard when the opportunity to drink came your way. It certainly wouldn't stop overconsumption, I'm not that naive, but I do think it would decrease it.
I completely disagree with this, and you gave the reason later in your post.
So you disagree that it would DECREASE overconsumption because I stated I knew it wouldn't ELIMINATE overconsumption? Alright.
posted by Fab4RunnerI don't agree with this, and I'm not sure I can even explain why. I just know that even once my friends and I were 21, the binge drinking certainly didn't stop. This is true of almost everyone I was friends with in college, and even beyond that. If you like to drink and party, you're still going to do that even if you know you can literally do it daily.
It's a good point, but I do know a lot of kids get to college and have absolutely no idea how to drink and go absolutely nuts.
posted by Laley23The other problem I see is driving. Europe, nobody drives, so drinking age isn’t as important. In America, we all drive. And we all drink and drive. Typically flirting with the limit. When I was underage, though, I never drove.
I’m sure if legislators passed a law lower the age they would be smart enough to make driving still 0.0 until 21, then 0.8 like it is. But, that would be something that would HAVE to be included in any law. We are barely responsible enough to have a few and drive home at 35, let alone 21. At 18? That would be a disaster on the roads.
This is a good point that I hadn't considered. I do think a no tolerance BAC for 18-21 would be a good idea. Though the 0.08 is kinda bullshit, it should go back to 0.10.
posted by justincredibleIs it stopping them?
Absolutely. While laws don't stop criminals, most people follow the law.
The problem with some libertarian arguments against regulation are the same as economic arguments against regulation - people are not rational, they are not informed, and they are not responsible. And for those people, yes, the laws literally protect them from themselves.
posted by justincredibleIt's a good point, but I do know a lot of kids get to college and have absolutely no idea how to drink and go absolutely nuts.
Yes, some do. Which means a bunch of 14-18 year old high school students will be doing the same thing because they have a friend who is a senior buying them alcohol.
Probably. I go back to my high school days and recall many, many parents that gave zero shits about their kids drinking. In the end, the drinking age is what it is and I don't care much because I'm well past it.
I can tell you, the only time my friends and I drank back in the day was when we were with older kids that could get it. It was never hard to get. Did we abuse alcohol? I never thought so. Did we do stupid shit...yea but nobody ever did anything to risk a life.
posted by justincredibleI think dropping the drinking age to 18 would potentially decrease the amount of binge drinking that goes on in high school and college. When you're underaged, you never know when the next chance you'll have to drink will be, so you're more likely to over do it while you have the opportunity. If you could just go buy a 6-pack when you wanted, you'd be less likely to go overboard when the opportunity to drink came your way. It certainly wouldn't stop overconsumption, I'm not that naive, but I do think it would decrease it.
Do we know how it works in countries where the drinking age is lower that the US?
As a recovering alcoholic, I laff at this post.
posted by justincredibleProbably. I go back to my high school days and recall many, many parents that gave zero shits about their kids drinking. In the end, the drinking age is what it is and I don't care much because I'm well past it.
Yes, but the difference is most of those parents don't stock their fridge with beer for the kids....and only because they'd otherwise go to jail if they did.
posted by ernest_t_bassAs a recovering alcoholic, I laff at this post.
That's fine.
I think it's dumb that there are age limits to any of this. I know/knew 16-year-olds that could handle drinking more responsibly than some dipshits in their 50s. What sense is there in using age as a means of setting the laws anyway?