I was all of 20 years old when the federal gov't raised the minimum legal age for alcohol consumption to 21. All of us 18-20 year olds were "grandfathered" into the new limit; that is, if we were drinking legally when the law was changed, we were still legal. . .even if not yet 21.
Study after study, report after report has concluded that the 21 year old drinking age is not doing the job it was designed to do: prevent irresponsible drinking by young adults. In fact, there's a good case to be made that the 21 age limit is actually helping to increase binge drinking, drunk driving, etc.
It's funny that you can be considered mature enough to get married, vote or even die for your country but not so mature that you can buy yourself a beer or a glass of wine.
ReplyDeleteCrux,
ReplyDeleteExactly...the 21 age limit was just the first in a long line of Baby Boomer inspired Nanny-isms put in place by Republicans in the mid-1980's.
Father, the last time I was in the US I was frequently asked for ID when I ordered a beer. At that time I was 48! I've sometimes been told that I look younger than my years but that's stretching it a bit.
ReplyDeleteI agree, if you can die for your country or decide to get married, then you should be able to do anything every other adult can do.
ReplyDeleteOnly when alcohol consumption in the average American home becomes something associated with family, something done at meals, something that is to be enjoyed, respected, etc., only then can anything be done to curb alcohol abuse by minors and legal young adults.
ReplyDeleteBoth we and the U.K. suffer from bing drinking among the youth. Both we and the U.K. suffer from Puritanical and Calvinistic, pleasure-hating/repressing pasts. I wonder...
Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine there's music, laughter, and good red wine. At least I've always found it so. Benedicamus Domino!
My dad has long opined that the drinking age should be 18. The driving age should be raised to 40, he says :)
ReplyDeleteThe Wallaces: If you think it's bad in the US and UK you should (or maybe shouldn't) go to Sweden or Norway.
ReplyDeleteChris: Your dad might have a point. In the UK around 25% of fatal RTAs involve drivers under 25 (mostly male and under the influence).
I thought USA was the land of incividual freedom? Here in "Nanny State" Norway it's 18 yrs.
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