Drinking Age Debate

Freshmen come to school drunk after spring break ends every couple of years or so around here anyway :|

The legal bar tending age in Minnesota is 18. But the drinking age is still 21. To me, I think that deserves a resounding "Wtf?"

Also,

Quote:

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How can your country tell you that you are old enough to pay taxes and old enough to get into life changing debt, but not old enough to have alcohol? You are old enough to be forced to kill and die for your country but not old enough to drink. Until you are shipped out of your countries borders, of course, in which case your government doesn't give a what you do.

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Quoted for truth.

Woah this thread grew a bit since I was on here last, some very interesting points made, thanks to all

Btw I singlehandedly won the debate =D aren't you all so proud

Personally I think the drinking age should be based on education level rather than your exact age. Of course, it would have to be within reason, like if a genius 12 year old had the same knowledge/maturity of an adult I wouldn't agree with them drinking.

Like for example if was in my senior year in school again and soemone I knew turned 18 in september (the beginning of the 1st term), but for me I had to wait until april to legally drink. Even though I might have been more mature and able to handle the drink better (this may not have been the case, but its just an example).

I just don't like the way such laws have to be obeyed so strictly, rather than just being guidelines. When judging who should be allowed alcohol I find common sense works better than the law.

P.S. Sorry this doesn't really help because it avoids the issue of an actual age requirement, but to me its logical when considering personal freedoms, even though monitoring it becomes significantly more difficult.

It should be 18, by all means. Why?

Because most people start drinking around that age, in college. And if they can't go to bars or places where it can be monitored by adults/RA's/whatever, they're going to do it underground, and that results in a lot of dangerous things going on, like date rape, binging, and drunk driving. It's not safe.

There is no reason that it should be any higher. I can't think of a reason for it to be lower - I think teenagers should be allowed to drink in their house under the company of their parents if they allow them, and their parents only (not other parents), but that's pretty much what goes on as is.

Because safe drinking is about creating a culture of accepting and understanding alcohol, not pushing people away from safe places and practices (And anyone who thinks making booze illegal to anyone stops them drinking is naive beyond comprehension). You stop alcohol abuse by raising kids to understand alcohol and treat it as nothing special, not by making it something cool and coveted.

Oh wait you already won. nvm! Well done :D

it used to be 18 in a lot of states until the 1980s when the federal government basically forced all the states to increase the age to 21. It was a big legal issue that went all the way to the Supreme Court, who said it was ok to make the states increase the age. Bad decision on many grounds.

I think Canada does pretty well with 19, though. Keeps high schoolers out of it.

If they make me pay taxes then they damn well better give me booze.

Congratulations on single handedly winning the debate by the way. Though anyone who wasn't a moron would agree with you. :)