Should the drinking age be raised?
It absolutely should be raised.
Why do you think insurance rates go down at age 25, or why people in the U.S. can't rent a car until 25, or even adopt a child until 25. It is because the human brain is not fully developed until that age. People who say it should be lowered are ignorant to the fact that there is actual science to be dealt with here. Why would anyone want to damage their brain even before it has a chance to fully grow? Oh, and for the people who say it is healthy to have a glass of wine (for the antioxidants) or a beer (to help with blood flow) with a meal, why not just buy some acai juice or cranberry juice, or any other healthy drink? It is because those people already have a dependency to alcohol (no matter how little they drink), and not the health benefits supposedly provided.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, it works in the USA.
The drinking age is 21 in the USA. Our P Platers get off their P Plates at 20 years give or take a year. Why give them a choice, there is so many late night problems with alcohol fueled violence in places like Coolangatta, Byron Bay, Sydney. Raise the drinking age to 21 and like the States, no ID, no entry. There will be a lot less violence and a lot less deaths on the road.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, the drinking age SHOULD be raised
I think that lowering the drinking age would be medically irresponsible. In our brains, the frontal lobes are essential for functions such as emotional regulation, planning, and organization. They continue to develop through adolescence and young adulthood. Consuming alcohol can interfere with this development and can potentially cause chronic problems such as greater vulnerability to addiction and depression. Also, 18 year-olds are entering a new phase of independence, and due to a lack of maturity, are more likely to get involved in more risky activities such as binge drinking.
Posted by: AnonymousIt is dangerous for our health and development.
Young men and women don't reach the age of full brain development until the age of 21, for women, and 30, for men and as a result I believe that just as everything else that requires a higher age so should the consumption of alcohol. Also it will lower crime, traffic accidents and many other infractions which can affect our community.
Posted by: Anonymousyes it should be raised.
I agree with the age being raised but I disagree with the previous statement. I wouldn't go that far to say that all the people that disagree with the age being raised are all drunks who have already thrown their life away. I think you find that they are mostly youngins that don't fully understand how much it really damages their brain. It is really sad actually, how alcohol dependancy is so huge in the younger generations and the comment that was mentioned about what would they tell their kids, exactly what would they if they make it there at all? When they grow up with all these problems like amnesia at 45 and all these other health issues such as kidney issues, liver failure, strokes, diabetes and what not before they reach their 60's they will be saying the same thing. I am only 21 and I have had issues already because I was drinking at such a young age. Those who think it should be lowered need to reconsider their thoughts. I personally know someone in their late 20's who aren't aloud to drink all anymore because they abused themselves so badly with alcohol that their body physically cannot detox properly, and another who has had to have a kidney replacement also in their late 20's. Something to think about.
Posted by: AnonymousYes
I strongly believe the drinking age should be raised. Many of these people who are saying no today, are children and young adults, these are more than adults! Because our youth has flourished, this is leaving our children today, more drunks of tomorrow. We are destroying our lives. What are we going to tell our children, what are they going to tell their's when they find out what our economy has come to?
Posted by: AnonymousYes!
Yes I believe the drinking age should be lowered, it is a high responsibility for people to drink and know when they are going too far. Especially when it is a minor that is drinking, they don't know when to stop, they just keep drinking. And minors. 21 and under get drunk over twice as fast as an adult would. Drinking these days have been overdone, and those who say, "yes, the drinking age should be lowered," all of you are just low life drunks who threw your life away a long time ago. Being that the percentage between minors and adults, minors drink a lot more than adults, and because today in this generation, the youth have flourished giving more minors than adults, and most of them are just ruining themselves by drinking, I think if the drinking age is raised even more than it is now, that would make a big difference in tomorrow's youth, and their future would be a lot more satisfying and exciting for themselves.
Posted by: Anonymous
It should be lowered!
Our drinking age is already extremely high. Like one of the anonymous posters said, it is insane that you can serve in the military, vote, own a house, marry, change your citizenship, etc. before you can drink. Age has nothing to do with responsibility which seems to be a main argument on the pro side. I believe that if children are exposed to alcohol from a young age and taught how to use it responsibly the effect of lowering the rate of alcohol abuse will be much more improved. The reason people binge is because they see parents drinking, they see so many ads about alcohol, yet they are never taught the correct way to use it since that is considered taboo in our country. It is not age that equals responsibility, but the education that they get on the subject
Posted by: BottleCappsNo
After reading over the conflicting opinions, I noticed that one of them said that adults are more responsible, and young adults tend to binge. It doesn't matter what the age limit is, people who are new to drinking will of course tend to binge. Think of it like this: if a child gets a new toy they have been waiting for, they will play with it very frequently for some time, then it will eventually get old and the frequency lowers. Raising the drinking age will just cause the desire to drink to increase. This will lead to more illegal activity.
Also, i think that it is ridiculous that one can kill and die for their country, but cannot sit down with their buddies and have a beer.Posted by: AnonymousThe drinking age is already quite high in the United States.
In nations where alcohol is not regulated as stringently, rates of alcohol abuse tend to be lower. While we should make every effort to ensure that alcohol consumption is responsible by educating youths about the dangers of binge drinking and enforcing anti-drunk driving regulations, there is no reason why a responsible 18-year-old (who can vote or join the military) cannot have a beer.
Posted by: LivingJimmyOh, the U.S.A.
In almost every country, the drinking age is 18. In the United States, the world's "most free nation," the drinking is age is a ridiculous 21. This is ridiculous since at 18, you can serve in the military, vote, own a house, marry, change your citizenship, etc. That is why this is not a issue of raising the drinking age, but an issue of lowering it, which is a matter of common sense (in my opinion).
Posted by: AnonymousIt Should be lowered
Honestly, if 18 is the legal age to move out, to be in the military, to be able to vote, then I think that we should be able to drink at the age of 18. 18 is apperently the age where you are considered an 'adult' so why arent we able to drink?
Posted by: AnonymousIt should not be raised
Drinking age shouldn't be raised because their are already problems with underage drinking. 21 is a in the middle age teenagers already drink now and shouldn't. Do you really think if the drinking age went up their going to wait? NO they would not. I'm not saying that the drinking age should be lowered but if you are considered a adult at 18 then that's the age you should be able to drink.
Posted by: Anonymous