What are good reasons for why the drinking age should stay at 21 and not be lowered?
I understand many people argue if at 18 when you are considered an adult, you can vote, buy cigarettes, go to war and die for the country, sign contracts, etc, then why can’t you buy alcohol?
However, I’m giving a speech and was assigned to argue against lowering the age. So with that said any suggestions?
July 18th, 2010 at 6:40 am
I think if they want to keep the drinking age at 21 then THAT should be the age of legal adulthood…in other words, you can’t enlist or be drafted or sign contracts or buy cigarettes until then either.
The reasoning I always hear for keeping the drinking age at 21 is that people don’t have the maturity necessary to handle alcohol…then I say they don’t have the maturity for the other “adult” activities either.
July 18th, 2010 at 7:28 am
i agree with you
July 18th, 2010 at 8:00 am
I think it’s all about the maturity level. But then again people everywhere any age get drunk and act a fool lol.
July 18th, 2010 at 8:33 am
Wall i agree wit you people die at war for our country and pay thar taxis and I Think yes they should lower the drinking age to 17years of age and people should not be ALWD and 100% of them should not be 21 year of age because they are to Old and thar body’s cant ha do drinking beer and they can pass out or die from drinking beer and 21 is to old.
July 18th, 2010 at 9:25 am
People volunteer for the army, nobody forces them to enlist.
More importantly:
Many underage drinkers don’t know how to control themselves and are naive enough to think they can drive after consuming alcohol, and are inexperienced drivers to boot.
Another reason it should stay at 21 (or in my opinion increased) is that if lower it to 18, it increases the likelihood of under-18 year olds gaining access to it.
European countries don’t have the same alarming statistics as the US, but that’s also because fewer of them drive and those who do typically drive much shorter distances.
July 18th, 2010 at 9:41 am
The main thing I see is, obviously most 18-19 year olds too irresponsible to handle alcohol, but–
Lowering the drinking age to 18 would make it easier for minors(say 14-17) to get ahold of alcohol. And going younger, they’re definitely not mature enough. Many 18 yo’s are responsible, definitely not as much as people who are 21… but that’s just how it has to be.
I don’t really care about the drinking age, those who want to drink are gonna drink. It’s not hard to get alcohol, and those responsible enough aren’t gonna get caught or cause any trouble. Maybe allow 18+ drinking in bars, have a limit, supervision, drink limit though?
July 18th, 2010 at 9:51 am
People don’t think or act very logically after they have 2-5 drinks in their
system.
They become a menace to others as well as themselves.
If they get behind the wheel after drinking, they could endanger their own life, someone else’s life or property or both.
Drinking and driving spells disaster.
Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.
If you see somebody drunk, it’s best to take that person’s keys and
call a cab.
July 18th, 2010 at 10:21 am
18 year old service-people CAN get liquor, on their military base. It seems like the 18 year olds that perpetuate this myth are only patriotic enough to fight for their “right” to drink – otherwise they would know better >:)
Anyhow, the best argument I have heard involves alcohol related car accident rates.
So, most people shouldn’t be able to drink until a few years into college, but most people also know that alcohol is widely available to those who are not 21 while they are at college.
The theory is that lowering the drinking age to 18 would bring the alcohol into the high school social scene even more than it already is. Since teen drivers are “new” to driving, the hope is to keep them out of the sauce for a few years until they are older and their judgement is able to catch up with their level of freedom. Making accidents less frequent, and hopefully less deadly.
July 18th, 2010 at 10:27 am
If I could have drank legally in college for my first 3 years (being 18) I never would have made it… You need to gain responsibility being an adult before you can be responsible with alcohol (even though plenty are irresponsible with it after being 21, anyway)