Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Should We Lower Drinking Ages to 18?

The debate is raging over whether to lower the drinking age to 18, citing patriotic fervor, regarding they can fight, they can vote, etcetera. Here are my opinions on that.

I was around the last time Idaho went to 19 in the state of Idaho. At that age, people are just not mature enough to handle booze, and tend to binge. We've had several area deaths on university campuses of students that either stumble off of their third floor balconies, or die from toxic alcohol syndrome that I would not be in favor of turning this monster loose.

Now as to the points often made, such as old enough to die for their country, and old enough to vote, or even old enough to be held as an adult in the commission of a crime, I'll take these issues on by simply saying they are invalid comparisons.
I have served in the military. Most of us drank at 18 or 19 while overseas, simply because we could. The military wants people of the age group from 18-21 because they will take risks on orders that older, wiser people would not follow. In short, they think they are 10 feet tall and bullet proof, Not unlike one that is imbibing alchol.

Old enough to vote? That was a political move to attract Democratic votes, not an acknowledgment of maturity. I would venture to guess that 80% or more young people vote knee jerk how their parents do until around 25, when they start thinking unencumbered by parental or teacher brainwashing.

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