Posted on 08/18/2008 12:28:51 PM PDT by SmithL
College presidents from about 100 of the nation's best-known universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.
The movement called the Amethyst Initiative began quietly recruiting presidents more than a year ago to provoke national debate about the drinking age.
"This is a law that is routinely evaded," said John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College in Vermont who started the organization. "It is a law that the people at whom it is directed believe is unjust and unfair and discriminatory."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I guess these university presidents didn’t notice the drastic increase in drunk-driving related deaths of teenagers the last time the drinking age was lowered to 18, along with the decrease in such deaths when the states began raising the drinking age back to 21 in the 80’s.
correct me if I’m wrong — didn’t the current drinking age of 21 come about based on states getting federal highway funds? I think the Congress passed a law that would cut off federal highway funds to states that didn’t raise their drinking age to 21. It was justified based on fighting drunk driving, if I recall correctly.
So techinically each state could change their drinking age, but, if they did, would jeopardize their federal funds that they depend on.
I’ve heard people say that many countries in Europe don’t have a legal drinking age as such, and that children drink wine with dinner. It all comes back to responsibility. Binge drinking and drinking with the goal of getting drunk are stupid and destructive, no matter what age is set to legally drink.
University presidents didn’t notice how it failed the first time? That’s a shocker.
What does the drinking age have to do with drunk driving? Drunk driving would (and should) still be illegal even if the drinking age is lowered.
If they are old enough to go to war or prison, they are old enough to have a drink.
But for some reason, they're not responsible enough to know that drinking and driving is wrong.
Shrug.
Just look to the countries that have a lower drinking age. The binge-drinking at American colleges is unheard of here; in Canada, the campus pub is THE focal point for social activities and drunkenness is not a problem.
First, I cannot correct you.
Next, I think if your old enough to vote and serve in our military, you should be old enough to consume alcohol.
It should be 18.
The current law IS nuts.
Regards,
The current law IS nuts.
Regards,
Don’t ask me how that double post happened. Sorry.
I turned 19 when the limit went up to 21, so my whole 18th year I was legal, only to brazenly break the law from 19 to I turned 21!
while the current law might facilitate binge drinking at frat houses and such, changing the law to 18 would encourage binge drinking in dorms, dining halls, student unions, etc...!
the issue isn't the age, it's the american cultrue towards drinking. i have never met an 18 year old who really could not get booze if they wanted to.
i think the local college bars might have the ear of these college presidents. could you imagine the revenue by adding 18, 19, and 20 year olds to the bar scene?
If you lower the drinking age to 18, you put a legal alcohol-buyer into daily contact with every high school kid in the world. When the 18 year old thing was tried last time, every 14 year old in the world could find a high school senior who’d buy beer for the right enticement.
At lest make the legal age 19 unless a member of active military duty?
Ah, Sybeck...I turned legal THREE times here in NY.
Once when I was 18 (for 11 months), then I was illegal for a month, then I turned legal again when I was 19 (for 1 year, 11 months), then Congress passed that idiotic law and was I was illegal for another month, until finally turning 21.
Absolutely crazy.
Regards,
Vote at 18 but can’t drink at 18
Something doesn’t compute
Probably the ONLY time I’ll ever agree with a university president.
When I enlisted into the Army’s delayed entry program at the age of 17 I needed my parent’s permission.
After basic training while attending AIT in Indiana at the age of 18, I couldn’t drink beer even on base.
When I was stationed overseas, at the age of 18 it was legal to drink alocoholic beverages, both in Turkey and Germany. The three times I came to the USA on leave from overseas, I wasn’t legally allowed to drink.
Drinking and driving is a crime. Using a gun to kill someone is a crime. Owning a rifle at the age of 18 isn’t a crime in most states. Quit blaming an object for someones stupidity, either we believe in personal responsibility for our actions or we don’t.
If you’re old enough to register for selective service, if you’re old enough to enlist in the military, then you’re old enough to buy a freaking beer.
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