15 Reasons Why Drinking Age Should Be 18

There has been a lot of debate when it comes to the legal drinking age here in US. When it comes to law, there is always an opinion, some are for it and some are against. When it comes to the legal drinking age being 21 we are totally against it. Legal drinking age varies by country. Lets see some of the reasons as to why we think the legal drinking age in US should be 18 and not 21. We will start out with the one that almost everyone against the law seems to talk about.

1

An 18 year old in US has the right to vote, and serve in the military. If an 18 year old can make up their mind as to who the potential leader of the country should be and take a bullet for their country, they should have every right to purchase and drink alcohol.

2

It is usually said that an 18 year old has less tolerance as compared to a 21 year old. Although this might be true, in most cases you don’t really know how much you can handle as long as you try it out. Tolerance doesn’t come with age, tolerance come with realization of responsibility and there are people that are more responsible at 15 than some are at 50.

3

Anyone under 21 sees alcohol as a “forbidden fruit.” The curiosity leads to more people under the age of 21 drinking anyway. If drinking is made legal for the 18 and older, it will serve much better as the curiosity isn’t as high and the fruit isn’t forbidden anymore.

4

When in college most students under the age of 21 can get hold of drink through their seniors. They are not allowed to drink at events where others might be able to drink. This once again makes them want to be a rebel and try out what it is they are being kept away from. They will give it a shot. The fact that they don’t know when they will be able to drink again is the reason most college students tend to get overly drunk when they get a chance. As a result there are problems as serious as deaths.

5

Countries such as Italy, China, Greece are some of the countries where the legal drinking age is lower and they seem to have fewer alcohol related problems. Current law in terms of legal drinking age has caused more alcohol related deaths than there has ever been.

6

When drinking is made legal for anyone under the age of 21 and over 18, drinking takes place in public. It can then be supervised by police, security guards and health workers as well.

7

Colleges and Universities often argue that the legal drinking age should be 18 because outlawing alcohol consumption in colleges for those under 21 is making the problem worse. These colleges and universities say that allowing alcohol consumption legally might help cut down alcohol related deaths in colleges.

8

People under the age of 21 tend to drink more when they get hold of alcohol because of the uncertainty as to when they might be able to drink again.

9

Whether the legal drinking age is 21 or 18, there are going to be problems related to alcohol. And making 21 the legal age to drink doesn’t solve that problem. As a matter of fact, this is one of the reason why we see so many alcohol related deaths among teens. They get their hands on alcohol and get overly intoxicated as they are never sure if they will have access to this forbidden fruit ever again until they are 21.

10

An 18 year old is considered an adult and can be tried in court if he makes false judgement and commits a crime. So an 18 year old is capable of making every other decision as an adult but is incapable of making a decision whether or not they should drink? The 21 year old age limit for alcohol consumption sounds somewhat hypocritical.

11

If you are legal to get married at the age of 18 and end up getting married, you are not allowed to drink in your own wedding? That doesn’t sound right

12

According to a study, 22% of all students under 21 compared to 18% over 21 years of age are heavy drinkers. Among drinkers only, 32% of under age compared to 24% of legal ager are heavy drinkers.

13

If the legal drinking age were to be 18, colleges would be able to regulate alcohol use so students don’t get overly intoxicated. They can be monitored whereas when they are hiding and drinking you can’t really go sniffing their cups or making false accusations.

14

Drinking under the age of 21 is seen by most 18 years and older as a sign of adulthood. They are allowed to do everything else and call themselves an adult and they don’t want to be stopped from being an adult when it comes to drinking.

15

We have tried prohibition legislation twice for controlling irresponsible drinking problems in the past. Once in 1850s and again in the 1920s. These laws were repealed because they could not be enforced and the backlash caused other societal problems. The law didn’t work then and as we all know isn’t working now. It’s time for a change.

Let’s take a look at 4 scenarios. There are 3 people in a family. Dad, mom and son John Doe. Here is a conversation between them :

Scenario 1

Mom : John now that you are out of high school, what do you plan on doing? College?

John : Actually I am thinking of joining the military.

(John is old enough to make a decision and enlist in the army)

Scenario 2

Dad : Hey John, you are 19 years old. Don’t you think its time you get an apartment or something?

John Doe : Yeah, I am looking.

(John is an adult and families have a conceived notion that once kids are over 18, they should move on with their own lives and get on their foot)

Scenario 3

John : Hey mom, dad. I have been seeing this girl for 4 years and I think I want to marry her.

Mom : You can’t marry now. You are only 19!

John Doe : I would hate to go against your wish but I am an adult and I have the right to marry if I want. Besides she is pregnant.

(John is an adult and yes he does have the right to marry and make that decision)

Scenario 4

Mom : John, I don’t appreciate you drinking before you are 21.

(Drunk) John Doe : Whatever mom. I am an adult and I am going to do whatever I want.

(John is a rebel and feels his adulthood is in stake by not having the opportunity to make his own decision on whether or not he should drink. Result : family tension, underground drinking, drinking problems. This leads to one problem after another and in worst case alcohol related death)

Well, that’s a great law! He is an adult enough to move out, marry against his parents will and yes enlist in the army. But he isn’t old enough to drink? You decide.

Share your thoughts as to what the legal drinking age should be and why…

Feel free to discuss this topic on our forum as well

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note : We have been getting a lot of request on using this for research for school papers. Feel free to do so and please credit cognac.com

171 Responses to “15 Reasons Why Drinking Age Should Be 18”

1. Kieran says:

   December 31, 2009 at 3:56 pm

   I’m 18 and I’m from jolly old England. Here the drinking age is 18 and like you said above “it will stop many underage drinkers” well not really. Here there are kids out drinking at 13-15 then at 16 looking old enough to go clubbing and down town.

   But besides that, it would just make me want it more if the drinking age was another 3 years away….

   One thing I don’t get is… in America, alot of States have quite young driving limit. While here we have to wait while we are 17…..
2. John says:

   December 31, 2009 at 9:24 pm

   You people with friends are pissing the fuck out of me! I rarely went to any parties to binge drink! I hope all you mother piece of shits with friends suck! Yuo faggots!
3. Tom Alciere says:

   January 2, 2010 at 4:43 pm

   State Legislators’ Message To Underage Drinkers:

   1.) To prevent blood borders, the drinking age in every State has to be 21, because that’s the only integer that is equal to itself.

   2.) Drinking alcohol during pregnancy harms the baby, so we impose Prohibition on men under 21 and not on pregnant women 21 and older.

   3.) A tipsy rape victim will be arrested for internal possession if she calls the police, who are there to protect and serve.

   4.) We jail parents who are home supervising your drinking sessions in order to prevent you from holding such sessions.

   5.) A new scientific study published in the New England Journal of Medicine conclusively establishes that the politicians you voted against have a right to impose this law on you.

   6.) Statistical analysis of historical crash data proves that the United States of America ought not to be a free country, with liberty and justice for all, where the citizen decides what to drink, where parents govern their child who still lives in their house, where the punishment for drunk driving is meted out to the drunk drivers.

   7.) Freeways are more important than freedom, — especially when it’s your freedom, not ours — so we sold your freedom to get more highway construction money from Congress, (like a mother selling her daughter for cocaine money,) and we still expect you to respect this law.

   8.) The drinking age saves lives. Of course, we could save a lot more lives, maybe yours, by doing what it takes to eliminate drunk driving, but we’d have to give up driving drunk ourselves, and that’s not fair because we can drive better drunk than teenagers can sober.

   9.) A combination of driving inexperience and alcohol make you a greater danger on the road, whether you drive or not, and that gives us the right to punish you when you drink alcohol, whether you drive or not.

   10.) Don’t drive drunk? We can list some other crimes you never commit, as an excuse to deny liberty to you: murder, rape, assault…

   11.) Everybody who drinks under age is immature and irresponsible because they’re doing something that is illegal, as well it should be, because they’re so immature and irresponsible.

   12.) Liquor corporations have the nerve to advertise their products to you, and we have more respect for their First Amendment right to free speech than we have for your God-given right to drink the beverage of your choice.

   13.) We can’t stop older drunks from freely exercising their right to practice alcoholism, because they hold too much political power, but some of them started as teenagers and never had a chance to quit since then, so we punish you instead.

   14.) You shouldn’t destroy your brain while it is only 95 percent developed. You should wait until it is completely developed and then destroy it, like we did.

   15.) Even though this law is imposed on you by morons who cannot see the obvious flaws in these absurd arguments, it is embellished with a fancy seal, and a Governor years ago scribbled his autograph on it, so you have a sacred duty to obey it.

   Translated by Tom Alciere
   Webmaster, Underage Drinkers Against Drunk Driving
4. Steve says:

   January 3, 2010 at 12:40 am

   John, you’re out of control. You’re making fun of people that have friends. Think about that for a minute. Get off your computer and go make some friends. Or at least try to.
5. Gracie says:

   January 5, 2010 at 10:53 pm

   Reagan “blackmailed” the States way back when. He did this to ensure that if every state does not raise their legal drinking age to 21, then they won’t receive their federal funding for roads and transportation. Utter bullshit. And to those that are saying that lowering the legal drinking age to 18 would only cause even younger kids to want it, you obviously haven’t been in a high school recently. There are freshmen to seniors, all goin’ out and getting shitfaced. This is not about dumbass kids, it’s about adults who want the right to go out and have a beer at a bar in celebration of a promotion, joining the army, a marriage, or having a kid. Oh, and the driving ages are relatively lower the more rural you get, ‘cuz out in the boonies (believe it or not) people still farm, and they depend on their kids to help out. I used to have to drive the family tractor 30 minutes to get to the grandparents’ farm.
6. Ani says:

   January 8, 2010 at 12:24 am

   okay i’m 16 and i don’t think the age should be lowered. yes you cant fight in a war or vote at 18 but if you die in a war thats a good cause, if you die in because of drinking that just stupidity.
7. james says:

   January 8, 2010 at 11:11 am

   drinking should be aloud i get drunk whenever i can but it doesn’t make a shit of difference to my body. i am no dumber than i used to be and i am still growing what is the big problem our parents did it and we do it too
8. Luke says:

   January 8, 2010 at 2:35 pm

   Steve, I agree with you!
   But I am 16 and i don’t have a problem with it being lowered to 18. I don’t even drink but im sure, you know all of those kids that are 18, 19, 20 that do drink and try to do it Sneakily and they do get hurt?? The only reason they get hurt is because they try to sneak around drinking and they try not to get caught and they consume as much alcohol as they can in one night or at one party! So if it was lowered then im sure there would be less teen deaths/injuries of sneaking around with that stuff.
   That’s my take on this.

   Sincerely,

   Luke
9. K Man says:

   January 8, 2010 at 2:39 pm

   John your an idiot
10. bejf says:

    January 10, 2010 at 9:30 am

    in australia the drinking age is 18. but because kids want to be adults faster, they drink sooner. we now have 12/13 year olds drinking. it DOES create health problem. your brain keeps growing until you are in your mid twenties, and drinking alcohol has been proven to shrink your cortex, affect memory loss, etc etc. scientists are also beginning to prove that drinking alcohol regularly can lead to dementia and Alzheimers, or earlier onset of both of these. is drinking to “have fun” really worth that? if you lower the drinking age, kids younger then what you have now will start drinking. do you want to endanger your younger friends too?

    it is also proven that as a kid/teenager alcohol is absorbed into your body a lot faster, but you feel the affects slower. so its harder for younger people to judge when they have had enough.

    so even though i live in australia, i support keeping the age at 21. if i could, i would raise the age here too
11. Curtis says:

    January 12, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    I’m about to turn 18 in 4 months, i do think the drinking age should be lowered, me and my friends drink all the time, and we are responsible enough to cut ourselfs off, our government is used to the oldschool ways where you had to do every little thing your parents asked, this isn’t the 1920’s the young men and women these days are more responsible then their parents were when they were our age.
12. Jerry says:

    January 15, 2010 at 12:49 am

    Well i am already 18 and i am enlisting in the service and have the impression that i should be allowed to go out with buddies to a bar and tip back a few. but this is just my thoughts….. by the way John get a life and some friends because obvisoly you don’t know how to have a good time.
13. Kevin says:

    January 19, 2010 at 2:12 am

    I got a friend that is enlisted right now and whenever he wants to go get some drinks he just shows his military card when they ask for ID. He says he’s only 19, but since he shows the card they let him get drinks. But anyway I’m 17 right now and every party I go to there is drinking. Everybody where I live at either starts in junior high or in high school so the drinking laws are a stupid. Cops don’t even say anything to us. They come to break up a party and they just say to go drink somewhere else. They don’t arrest anybody so they aren’t even upholding the law. These laws don’t mean shit to me anyway cause as long as I got friends with fake ID’s then I’m good. And college is going to be fun as hell cause I’m going to make my experience just like the American Pie movies. So go ahead government, tell us your laws. Nobody gives a shit about them anyway. Like I always say, “It’s not illegal if you don’t get caught.”
14. Iol says:

    January 19, 2010 at 6:24 pm

    Alot of stupid brits drink at like 10-12
15. Mica. says:

    January 22, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    I’m only fifteen years old. And in my english class we are doing debates. Well my debate happens to be, the drinking age. And I’m on the side where drinking should be lowered to the age of eighteen. And I stumbled upon here. I noticed you repeated a lot of things, but I do think that the age requirement should be lowered. I don’t drink, nor do I ever plan on trying it. But! Once you are eighteen, you are legally an adult. You should be able to live like other adults, which should include drinking. I think that you should be allowed to make your own decisions. And it’s your fault, if you decide to drink stupidly. I don’t really know. That is just my input.
16. Eric says:

    January 26, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    Ok so basically here is my take on the situation. When a 16-18 year old high school kid makes the decision to drink, he or she usually has the resources to acquire alcohol regardless of the law. The law only prohibits them from drinking in public (say at a bar). I think the government is out of line and needs to realize that it is not their responsibility to monitor the exact age at which kids start drinking. That responsibility should fall on the parents, and subsequently the kids when they are no longer subject to their parent’s authority (A.K.A. when they turn 18). I also find it ironic that an alcohol company made this site… oh and John is not an idiot he just needs a life
17. Marky Ice says:

    February 3, 2010 at 2:25 pm

    it sould be lowered to 18
    you are saying that kids in countries with the drinking age of 18 start younger at 12 and 13 well here in massachusetts i kno kids that started that early and some even earlier you will never stop underage drinking so why dont you just lower the age to 18 so you can lower all of the binge drinking that is going on. in reality it will lower the alcohol related deaths because it wont be as “cool” to get completely wasted.
18. Emily says:

    February 4, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    I totally agree.

    I am also doing a debate class.

    the issue of 13/10 year olds drinking when the drinking age is lower is a problem, but i think with the right amount of drinking education, this will never be a problem.

    the “Just say no” thing is useless, we just need to be told the pros and cons and be allowed to choose for ourselfs.
19. mjono says:

    February 4, 2010 at 7:37 pm

    i think there shouldn’t be any alcohol so we can all drink chocolate!!!!!! yayayayayay candy.
20. Courtney says:

    February 5, 2010 at 9:47 am

    I think it should be lowered to 13… In Germany (I know this is the United States….) it’s ok for them to drink at 13 (they probaly dont get trashed everyday of their life…) and they have less alcoholics and alcohol related accidents. By the time they ARE 21 or 18, they alredy know how to controll it and by then its old news for them…

    I also think the drinking age should be lowered, I’d be fine with 18…
21. ona says:

    February 5, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    I believe drinkingage should be lowered to 18. at 18 you can go to jail for something illegal, you can take a bullet for this country. the least this country could do is lower the age limit. kids are gonna get alcohol no matter what the law is. and if the law is higher more an more ppl will get caught which will cost the government more money to fine them or put them in jail. honestly this country is amazing but its messed up as well! im doing a speech on why it should be legal at 18… so if you wanna help give some arguments??? thanx guys!!!