Effect of higher drinking age?

[Harry Dresden]

I'm sure you see the problem, however. If binge drinking occurs among college youth, primarily "under age" per the law, then someone else is doing the purchasing for them. Now, in the case of other crimes, i.e. murder or theft, that person would be charged as an accessory or a co-conspirator. Shouldn't these persons, who sometimes contribute to the death of another, be held responsible?

i already thought they were....

 

[auditor0007]

I think that there should be no drinking age. If children were taught how to drink responsibly, I think that people would be more responsible about drinking.

I have to agree with you completely on this. If teenagers were permitted to have a couple of beers or a glass of wine with dinner with their parents, drinking wouldn't become such a big deal. Drinking wouldn't be all about who can get the fucked up the most.

 

[auditor0007]

I think that there should be no drinking age. If children were taught how to drink responsibly, I think that people would be more responsible about drinking.

so sit down with your 8 year old and have a beer?

Common sense says no to that, but how about allowing your 16 year old to have a couple with you every now and then, rather than him having six to twelve with his buddies at some party.

 

[DamnYankee]

I think that there should be no drinking age. If children were taught how to drink responsibly, I think that people would be more responsible about drinking.

so sit down with your 8 year old and have a beer?

Common sense says no to that, but how about allowing your 16 year old to have a couple with you every now and then, rather than him having six to twelve with his buddies at some party.

We have wine or another drink at dinner occassionally, and have included the teen. I suspect he cured himself of "binging" when his brother got married and he lost track of what he was asking for at the bar.... One sick puppy that night....

 

[auditor0007]

age of consent: 16

join the military: 18


smoke a cigarette: 18

all three of these are life changing decisions.


why should alcohol be 21?

Raising the drinking age to 21 had nothing to do with young kids drinking too much. It had everything to do with young kids drinking too much and driving. Unfortunately, they took the wrong approach to reducing deaths from drunk driving. Raising the drinking age didn't really stop younger adults from drinking; it just changed where they drink.

 

[Amanda]

FWIW, the way many states have worded their laws purchase is what's prohibited not consumption.

There was a definite lack of response to this

http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/80717-effect-of-higher-drinking-age.html#post1314783

I'm sure you see the problem, however. If binge drinking occurs among college youth, primarily "under age" per the law, then someone else is doing the purchasing for them. Now, in the case of other crimes, i.e. murder or theft, that person would be charged as an accessory or a co-conspirator. Shouldn't these persons, who sometimes contribute to the death of another, be held responsible?

I think it's a little more complicated... there are many different scenarios. There are fake ID's, kids taking liquor from the cabinet without their parents knowledge, someone has a party and the kids are admitted by someone other than the buyer (or they sneak in). Also, in many states it's perfectly legal for a parent to buy alcohol and let their kid consume it at home (or wedding reception, etc.).

My take on this is pretty much the same as it is on all youth rights issues, there shouldn't be magical ages where rights are bestowed, there should be a test of competency. Some people should probably never be allowed to drink, or vote, or drive a car, but we let them anyway because they manage to stay alive long enough to reach certain ages.

Anyway, it's a holiday weekend and I have a lot of preparation for our party (and yes, I'll be drinking ), I just hope it doesn't get rained out, the sky is looking pretty dark and it's been raining on and off for days.

 

[Harry Dresden]

I think that there should be no drinking age. If children were taught how to drink responsibly, I think that people would be more responsible about drinking.

so sit down with your 8 year old and have a beer?

Common sense says no to that, but how about allowing your 16 year old to have a couple with you every now and then, rather than him having six to twelve with his buddies at some party.

well Xo said CHILDREN....a teenager is not a kid anymore....they are young adults...

 

[elvis]

age of consent: 16

join the military: 18


smoke a cigarette: 18

all three of these are life changing decisions.


why should alcohol be 21?

i feel when you graduate high school....and turn 18....your there....

Might as well throw gambling in there too, then -- that would include the lotteries. And if we're going to legislate behavior, why not enforce one standard driving age? And let's not forget to have a cut-off point at which time driving must be heavily regulated to ensure the safety of the public.

Okay... Off the soapbox... As for the "legal age", if a parent is no longer legally responsible for their child's behavior at the age of 18, should they not be permitted to make any/all decisions on their own?

I forgot about gambling. I believe in Nevada, you have to be 21 to get into the casinos because they serve free alcohol. I think it's 18 at casinos across the country though.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Anyway, it's a holiday weekend and I have a lot of preparation for our party (and yes, I'll be drinking ), I just hope it doesn't get rained out, the sky is looking pretty dark and it's been raining on and off for days.

RAIN....whats it like?.....does the sky really get dark?....

 

[elvis]

The number of alcohol-related fatalities dropped significantly in each case where the drinking age was raised to 21. I still don't believe in it, though.

 

[elvis]

age of consent: 16

join the military: 18


smoke a cigarette: 18

all three of these are life changing decisions.


why should alcohol be 21?

Can't legally purchase tobacco products in NJ until the age of 19. Like that one?

Nope, don't like that one either.

 

[necritan]

18=adult

18 should= freedom to do what you please.....and be responsible for your actions.

 

[elvis]

18=adult

18 should= freedom to do what you please.....and be responsible for your actions.

Agreed. Actually, can a sophomore or junior pre-enlist in the military if they get a sig from their folks?

 

[DamnYankee]

18=adult

18 should= freedom to do what you please.....and be responsible for your actions.

Agreed. Actually, can a sophomore or junior pre-enlist in the military if they get a sig from their folks?

Age
One would think that age would be a simple category. One is either old enough, or too old, right? Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. By federal law (10 U.S.C., 505), the minimum age for enlistment in the United States Military is 17 (with parental consent) and the maximum age is 35 (Note: Congress changed this to age 42 in 2006). However, DOD policy allows the individual services to specify the maximum age of enlistment based upon their own unique requirements.
Enlistment Standards

 

[Avatar4321]

If we just stopped drinking alcohol and smoking we wouldnt have to worry about the effects would we.

 

[elvis]

If we just stopped drinking alcohol and smoking we wouldnt have to worry about the effects would we.

No, but then we'd have to deal with reality.

 

[DamnYankee]

If we just stopped drinking alcohol and smoking we wouldnt have to worry about the effects would we.

The OP was about binge drinking related to college students, allegedly higher in female college students -- for which the challenge to provide the "backup" for said "statistics" I still wait.

How supposed responsible adults choose to conduct their lives isn't the concern of "we". It's the irresponsible few that "we" have found it necessary to worry about. The problem then is that "we" can't legislate only the irresponsible but must include the possibility of irresponsiblity.

Is this what the framers intended?

 

[Barb]

ScienceDaily (June 23, 2009) — New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found substantial reductions in binge drinking since the national drinking age was set at 21 two decades ago, with one exception: college students. The rates of binge drinking in male collegians remain unchanged, but the rates in female collegians have increased dramatically.

Young men account for the majority of binge drinkers, and their rates have dropped substantially since 1979. ....

In women ages 15 to 20 on the other hand, binge drinking was statistically unchanged since 1979. For women 21 to 23, binge drinking rose by about 40 percent.

Of course, one wonders what other factors might be involved

Higher Drinking Age Linked To Less Binge Drinking -- Except In College Students

This is one area where I was (ideologically still am in a civil rights respect) totally opposed to a given action and have to give all due props for positive results. I don't know the national stats except what is posted here, but from what I've seen in the young adults in my community, there are several improvements over my generation at the same age. Kids go bowling, to the movies, to Denny's. Young girls aren't being hit on by older men out in bars before they're mature enough to shrivel their nuts with a withering look, and young men are learning social skills beyond predation. They all have a couple of years to gain experience driving and learn that it is a responsibility to stay in control. Socially they are more [and just kill me now] conservative (in the actual, rather than the rhetorical sense) than many of my generation ever thought of being at their ages. It gave them a chance to grow up before they went out.

 

[Amanda]

Anyway, it's a holiday weekend and I have a lot of preparation for our party (and yes, I'll be drinking ), I just hope it doesn't get rained out, the sky is looking pretty dark and it's been raining on and off for days.

RAIN....whats it like?.....does the sky really get dark?....

Yes, the sky does really get dark. It's been getting dark at about 9:30 lately, but last night it was there by 8:30. Luckily, tho it did rain a little during the day, we had a wonderful night for setting off fireworks (and getting shitfaced ).

 

[Harry Dresden]

Anyway, it's a holiday weekend and I have a lot of preparation for our party (and yes, I'll be drinking ), I just hope it doesn't get rained out, the sky is looking pretty dark and it's been raining on and off for days.

RAIN....whats it like?.....does the sky really get dark?....

Yes, the sky does really get dark. It's been getting dark at about 9:30 lately, but last night it was there by 8:30. Luckily, tho it did rain a little during the day, we had a wonderful night for setting off fireworks (and getting shitfaced ).

god i wish it would rain out here once in a while.....