I drank when I was 16. Long story as to what happen when my mom found me. However, I to am torn between 18 VS 21. There are kids that are not out of school until they are 18 or 19. At 18 they can drink as a Student. They can't buy a hand gun until 21. My son got married this year. He was 20 and his wife was 18. Both very mature. Now my nephew also got married. He is 20 (I think) and his wife was 17. It lasted 4 months and now they divorced. He was far from being mature. He is in the military and should not be carring a gun. So how do you determine at what age is good? I would say the it should be up to each State to say what age they allow.

Tom

quote:

So how do you determine at what age is good? I would say the it should be up to each State to say what age they allow.

I believe it used to be but was used as a pawn by the feds to change it to 21 or lose federal highway funding. Something along those lines anyhow.

I'm constantly reminded however of the old saying that you cannot legislate responsibility. The colleges have it right when they point out that for many people the more you tell they cannot have something that those people want it more and will do anything to get it. Remember as a kid when mom and dad said you can't go out to some party, date some girl (or guy), drink this pop, or whatever else and you either sneaked out, dated the person secretly, drank soda, or whatever else anyhow? I sure do. And let me tell you a 21 year old drinking age did absolutely nothing to prevent me from drinking either. I'd be willing to bet the responsibility of a kid has a whole heckuva lot more to do with the quality of their upbringing than it does specific laws.

YES, IF YOU CAN FIGHT AND KILL IN WAR you should be able to DRINK................. What worse killing or drinking??????????????JMO.

we fought a pretty big war 150 years ago over double standerds,must we do it again?

quote:

Originally posted by Glenlivet:
Easy solution: Eighteen > twenty-one year olds should only be allowed to drink if they are in the military!
No killee, no drinkee.

I am not sure how serious he was but I kind of agree with Glenlivet. Those 18 year olds in the military don't take an M-4 or 240 home with them on leave, same with alcohol, enjoy it ON BASE. Waking up at 0500 the morning after for PT might accelerate the process of gaining the experience to drink responsibly. I was in college when my state lowered the drinking age to 18, if anyone thinks that legality does not INCREASE comsumption in the 18 - 21 group I don't know how to change your mind but the difference was huge. Fortunately, back then most students did not have cars, still the death rate rose immediately and held there until the "experiment" ended. There is no magic age at which all people will become responsable (well, perhaps 120, when all are dead), 21 seems to work for the most part for most people. Individual evaluation would probably be the only right way to do it but I sure don't want to have to deal with NObama deciding what I could do and when. I would question whether being able to join the military at 18 is based upon concept of a person being "grown-up", in fact I think the opposite is often (NOT ALWAYS) the case. At 18 many do not have a plan for their future or a family which would be broken up by service. Many join the military TO grow up and figure out what their future should be, I commend that choice and probably should have made it myself.

Bruce

The age old concept that "if they can fight for their country they should be able to drink and vote" tires me. I agree with that concept if it applies to MILITARY ONLY. Drinking should be restricted to the base. Voting should apply to honorable service only. Otherwise 21 should be the legal drinking age and 25 the legal voting age.

The argument that at 18 you are considered an adult should apply to criminal activity as well as other activities that go along with being a "consenting adult". The term "consenting adult" does not mean that you are a "thinking adult" with any life experience. You basically should know right from wrong and that does not mean you are smart enough to drink or vote responsibility. With the population we now have and the amount of cars on our highways we do not need more impaired drivers on the road. Teenagers are obtaining cars at a young age because mommy and daddy seem willing to buy them and just turn the kids loose. Alcohol should be sold at Liquor Stores only. As it is now it is everywhere and readily available.

The voting age should be 25 for the simple reason that maybe, just maybe, students educated in our liberal puke colleges will have been in the work force to see a bit of "real life", pay some real taxes and know a hard days work. Of course if they choose a career as a politician that would not apply!

When I grew up it was 18 legally, most kids started at 15-16 in the fields on a fri. or sat night. Believe it or not it taught us lessons, it was a part of growing up and being a kid. Very few kids had cars at that age. If you were caught by the cops they took your beer and sent you on your way, today it's considered a felony. When we turned 18 and legal it was really party time for a few years, by the time I turned 21 I quit drinking, it got old fast.
Today kids start at 21, most have cars and lack judgment due to being coddled all their lives. I've refused to do so with my children at the age of 16-18. There is nothing wrong with having a beer or wine cooler as long as they know not to get behind the wheel. I hope by the time they're legal it won't be a big issue.
This to me is very similar to firearms and kids, teach them boundaries and safety, take away their curiosity and you usually won't be surprised with the outcome.

kenny b

I don't consider having a drink at home with parental supervision an issue in most cases. Many Italian and Basque families have wine with every meal, even breakfast. Decent parents will control the situation, as you have done Kennyb.

Annie, with all due respect I disagree with nearly everything in your post. I can't possibly begin to fathom having a stair stepped age system where at such and such an age you can now do this or that. In your example you are bound by adult law for any wrong doing as soon as you 18 yet not allowed to partake in adult activities? All I can say is I'm glad it is too convoluted to ever be put in the books. While I respect your opinion I surly do not agree at all with it here.

This is really starting to sound like the gun control fight rhetoric. As I said earlier about legislating responsibility. If you truly believe it can be done then the solution is so simple I can't believe no one mentioned it. Just outlaw drinking and driving! If you think those that are willing to drink and drive now at 18 won't when they are 21, 25, 40, or 65, then you ain't paying attention. I asked earlier for people to think about everyone they know that has had a citation for operating while intoxicated and the ages of those people. Anyone honestly know more 18-20 year olds that has the citations than people over 21? I sure as heck don't!

I think we should just pressure our elected officials to outlaw drinking and driving. This thread and the problems being discussed would be all over.

I respect your opinion as well DUCK_SNORT.

Drinking and driving is against the law already.

From what I am reading here most of you guys drank before adulthood (18 years old). I know hubby did as well. I am pretty sure you had to do some serious sneaking around to obtain the booze. Here in California you have to be 21. Why make it easier for 18 year olds to do it? Do you think the age of 18 should be changed to 21 to be legally an adult?

The drinking issue does not concern me as much as the issue of voting at 18 even though it is a "done deal" I still find myself ranting against it.

I will consider what you have said DUCK_SNORT as you make a good point in that I know of no one under 18 that has had a DUI but hear of and read about plenty of older offenders. We will be voting on this in the near future so it is time to seriously think about it. I appreciate all view points.