View Poll Results: which is the best legal drinking age?
21
22
51.16%
16
6
13.95%
none
12
27.91%
30
3
6.98%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll
What do you think is the best legal age for drinking?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 41
In retrospect I think 21 is good. It kept me from drinking in high school, and made it difficult for me to drink the first 2 years of college. Also I hear the brain is pretty much mature at 20 yrs old which is a plus.
If it had been 18 I would have only done more damage to myself.
If it had been 18 I would have only done more damage to myself.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,416
I merged two threads 
I have no opinion on the question, although I agree with Scott that education is a far more important issue to me.
I drank when I was underage. I think most drinkers like us did.
The age here is 18...the BAC for young drivers is 0.00...That I do agree with.
D
I have no opinion on the question, although I agree with Scott that education is a far more important issue to me.
I drank when I was underage. I think most drinkers like us did.
The age here is 18...the BAC for young drivers is 0.00...That I do agree with.
D
Mini Novel Post Writer
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,649
There's no selection for 18 which is what it was here at one time. Then they changed it to 21. Even with the way that I feel about alcohol I still scratch my head that they can put a gun in the hands of an 18 year old and send them off to war but they aren't mature enough to have alcohol until they're 21. Voting also begins at 18.
I am in full agreement with education. Age isn't going to make a difference. In fact, the quickest way to get a teenager to do something is to tell them that they can't.
I am in full agreement with education. Age isn't going to make a difference. In fact, the quickest way to get a teenager to do something is to tell them that they can't.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: KC MO
Posts: 980
Yea,there is no option for 18,which is what I would select.
As LadyBlue0527 said. At 18 you are old enough to fight and die for your country. But you can't legally walk into a bar and have a beer. That is WRONG.
The enlistment age needs to be higher,or drinking age needs lowered.
For whatever it's worth,I didn't have that much of a problem getting booze at 16. A teenager looking for booze will find it.
Fred
As LadyBlue0527 said. At 18 you are old enough to fight and die for your country. But you can't legally walk into a bar and have a beer. That is WRONG.
The enlistment age needs to be higher,or drinking age needs lowered.
For whatever it's worth,I didn't have that much of a problem getting booze at 16. A teenager looking for booze will find it.
Fred
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SE Arizona
Posts: 1,099
I went with 21 but would agree with others here that if you are old enough for the military (18 yo) then you are old enough to drink. I think, therefore, that 18 is reasonable. But, I also think that better education on drinking would benefit all of us.
Grateful
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
When I was growing up the legal age to drink beer and wine was 18 and the legal age to drink high proof alcohol was 21 (forget what the alcohol % cutoff was). I felt that those were fair laws, but I have to admit that drunk driving fatalities have dropped significantly since the age went up to 21 for all alcohol. I think that the change in the law may have contributed somewhat to the drop in DD fatalities, but I think it is due more to stricter law enforcement and less tolerance for those who drive drunk.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 71
The age here is 18...the BAC for young drivers is 0.00...That I do agree with.
I think the legal limit here for under 21 is almost nothing too, I forget the exact number. My sister (not at ALL an alcholic or problem drinker) got a DUI when she was 20, in college, because the legal age was 21. She had literally had 2 or 3 beers (not the drunken person on "Cops" falling over lying saying 2 beers haha), and was not "drunk", but was just over the "limit" since the limit was almost nothing. She was pulled over randomly because it was 2 am around a college campus. Did she deserve a DUI? No, I do not believe she did. Did she deserve some sort of underage consumption violation or warning or something, yes, absolutely, as she was not technically old enough to drink (by one year). So those are the situations that are sticky.
All of that being said I would agree the legal age for both cigarettes and alcohol be maybe 19. That way you are out of high school, but college students who do socially have two beers at a party (not those who get wasted) aren't likely to be in trouble for drinking moderately among others who don't. Then again others argue the whole you can go to war at 18 but not drink a beer thing, which I do see the point of, but for sake of this hypothetical argument I'll stick with 19
I think the legal limit here for under 21 is almost nothing too, I forget the exact number. My sister (not at ALL an alcholic or problem drinker) got a DUI when she was 20, in college, because the legal age was 21. She had literally had 2 or 3 beers (not the drunken person on "Cops" falling over lying saying 2 beers haha), and was not "drunk", but was just over the "limit" since the limit was almost nothing. She was pulled over randomly because it was 2 am around a college campus. Did she deserve a DUI? No, I do not believe she did. Did she deserve some sort of underage consumption violation or warning or something, yes, absolutely, as she was not technically old enough to drink (by one year). So those are the situations that are sticky.
All of that being said I would agree the legal age for both cigarettes and alcohol be maybe 19. That way you are out of high school, but college students who do socially have two beers at a party (not those who get wasted) aren't likely to be in trouble for drinking moderately among others who don't. Then again others argue the whole you can go to war at 18 but not drink a beer thing, which I do see the point of, but for sake of this hypothetical argument I'll stick with 19
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angeles,CA
Posts: 150
I think 18 is a good age. According to law, if you are old enough to carry guns, fight in battle, and vote for who you want to run your country, you should have the right to purchase an alcoholic beverage.
I agree with the zero tolerance policy that some countries have on DUI.
In college, you're going to go through that culture of drinking in school whether you partake in it or not, so I don't see why in the US, it's up to 21. At 18, you have easy access due to all the college keg parties.
I agree with the zero tolerance policy that some countries have on DUI.
In college, you're going to go through that culture of drinking in school whether you partake in it or not, so I don't see why in the US, it's up to 21. At 18, you have easy access due to all the college keg parties.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 10,912
I would also vote for 18. Don't think any age limit does too much but at least there is some level of restriction for the youth. Also agree with everyone who said better education would be more important, and by this I mean a more general education on emotional and physical well being, the phenomena of social belonging and pressure, as well as how to deal with goal setting and perspective in healthy ways for young people.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
Does a legal age restrict drinking? In Ireland many start drinking before aged 16, I was drunk for the first time at 12yrs old!!
I guess it probably restricts access from buying or going into bars, but then how many of us when we drank did it on our own in our own houses, away from other people.
I guess I'm probably in the category of education and educating society!! . . . many drugs that are illegal are still obtainable, same with alcohol below a minimum age!!
I guess it probably restricts access from buying or going into bars, but then how many of us when we drank did it on our own in our own houses, away from other people.
I guess I'm probably in the category of education and educating society!! . . . many drugs that are illegal are still obtainable, same with alcohol below a minimum age!!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 71
Legal age discourages drinking more than restricting it technically I suppose. If someone buys it for you or provides you with it, it is what it is. I for one only drank a couple times before age 21, and never drank with any type of regularity until I was 25. I definitely wasn't one to partake during high school especially because I was afraid to get in trouble.
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