Sure, why not, the alcohol support industry, emergency rooms, alcohol treatment facilities, liquor sales, and law enforcement will all get more business. What's good for business is good for America.

Public policy should reflect reality. 21 year old drinking law does not meet that standard; everybody knowS if somebody wants to drink does drink,they will, often starting at age 13. The country needs to see less glorifcation (ads) and much more education, the real kind. PLUS MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT OF FAMILY. AND LET'S TREAT 18 YEAR OLDS FOR WHAT THEY REALLY ARE: MEN AND WOMEN

It is not the "maturity" of someone to join the armed forces. You must understand the development of the human body and the fact that the brain does not fully develop until early to mid twenties. The younger one begins to consume any chemicals, the more likely they are to become dependent on them. An 18 year old does not have the mental judgement to know when to stop drinking. They drink until they are impaired. Research shows that we have had fewer alcohol related crashes with those who are 18-20, since we have had the legal age of 21. 18 year olds, on the whole, are not men and women.

Perhaps instead of lowering the drinking age, we should raise the age for entering the military. Studies that indicate critical thinking and decision making skills are still under development and vulnerable to alcohol at age 18, are likewise applicable to the vulnerability and necessary critical thinking and decision making while in military service.

This doesn't make sense. I thought all the states finally got aligned on this issue and now they are backpedaling. With the budget crunch Minnesota finds itself in, I didn't realize they could be so blase` about highway funding.

Vermont has NOT introduced legislation to lower the drinking age. The legislation is to form a commission to study lowering the drinking age.

I am just amazed that any state would consider lowering the drinking age. Someone has forgotten that when they raised the drinking age to 21 they did so becasue of statistics that reflected a rise in DUI/DWI and fatal car accidents among 18 to 21 year olds. There was a reduction of those statistics once the drinking age was raised. As to 18 year olds to 21 year old being women and men, they are still not suppose to be entering into contracts until 21, and are not recognized as adults until 21. Rather than lower the drinking age, lets raise the age that a young person can enter into the military. Lastly, I think our first responsibility is to our young people not to businesses. We know that there is new information on how alcohol effects the brain. The brain is still developing until the age of 25, and using alcolhol while the brain is developing has a driect negitive effect on the brain's potential. In the light of that knowledge lowering the drinking age to 18 is counter intuitive. We have a responsibility to protect our young people, lowering the drinking age does not do that.

Yes, and the fact that the brain does not fully develop until early to mid twenties is indeed another indicator why we should not expose our youth to the trauma and horrors of battle at 18.

Changing the drinking age to 18 would allow colleges and universities struggling with alcohol use to deal with the problem as a public health issue rather than a legal issue.

We need to lower the drinking age to 16 and encourage parents and other adults to model moderate drinking. We basically have Prohibition for young adults and the binge drinking and unchaperoned parties are out of hand. Professor of Social Work University of Northern Iowa

ok--wow--"21" works. proven. eighteen..teen..teenager..on the way to becoming adult men and women..currently young men and women..indeed, 18 is way too young for all the virtues of adulthood.

Even though it is believed that a person should be mature by age 21, the fact still remains that alcohol changes everything and common sense goes out the window. There are people that just shouldn't dring, no matter how old they are. Now, mix that with an immature 18 year old and the results are even worse. Lowering the drinking age leads to many ill effects besides just raising the number of DUI's and fatal car crashes. The domino effect is inevitable and as an inhabitant of Wisconsin, I really don't want to have to witness the aftermath of a lower drinking age. I can't even believe that this is being considered!!

Congress should change the law to allow exemptions for several states to experiment with a lowered drinking age perhaps for a five year period to gather data. The culture is different today. Drinking and driving is much less culturally acceptable and the penalties for doing both are higher and could be raised even more so for under 21 drivers. The arguments in favor of lowering the drinking age are all winning arguments if it does not result in a substantial increase in DUI accidents for 18-21 year olds.

WOW! Can you imagine some lane brain legislators wanting MORE drunks on the road. We have too many asit is. As far as some 18 year 'children' being in the military; IF you will investigate the situation, you will find there are a large number of these young people were given the "CHOICE" by a court judge: JAIL vs MILITARY. This is the gospel truth.

Perhaps there wouldn't be much difference to lowering the drinking age because people of any age will find a way to drink or do drugs if they really want to.Most younger people today aren't drinking as much because they're using prescription drugs or Meth.

I like the idea of raising the age requirement for joining the armed forces, but I fear that would mean that society would have to absorb the responsibility for controlling the troubled population. I'm afraid that we have nothing in place nearly as effective for turning wayward boys and girls into disciplined young men and women as the military. Too, studies show that societies without prohibitions on alcohol have less problematic drinking than societies who treat the substance as a rite of initiation into adulthood by imposing age limits on its consumption. I'm a Fundamentalist Christian, but I'd be supportive of the de-criminalization of the consumption and possession of ALL substances - reserving prison space for only those involved in the distribution and manufacture of substances that do not meet the standards for government control on its quality or do not submit to taxation. My guess is that the population, by and large, would view all government-approved and taxed substances as the Establishment's attempt to keep them hooked and then I bet you'd see some folks sober up for life!

I am opposed to lowering the drinking age. I do believe if you want to consume alcohol you will consume it but I am not an advocate for making it a legal action. Young people don't understand the ramifications of alcohol consumption all they see is it makes for a good time. Not only will it be an issue with DUI/ traffic crashes it will also lead to more STD's and quite possibly an increase in unwanted pregnancy with hopefully not alcohol or drug addicted babies. Why do something that could have such an adverse impact on our young people when what we are currently doing is working.

I did not realize that volunteering for the military is an indication of maturity. I guess if you are younger than 18 and "volunteer" to join a gang you are showing real maturity and therefore we should lower the drinking age to 16, or maybe even 15. Do I hear 14? I agree with Dr. Rostenberg and others who point to prevention and parental education as the way to bring at least a slow-down to underage drinking.

Lowering would only increase more underage drinking accidents causeing deaths. I know all too well as I know of said case in NH back in the early 1980's. This person is still traumatized years later. Please do not lower the age for anyone if anything increase to at least 25.

I refer this discussion to the JTO article "Researchers Find Lingering Memory Problems Related to Binge Drinking". Until society starts to fully ban binge drinking until drunk, our children's fragile brains are at risk. Keep the discussion fully on the topic of alcohol without bringing in the military issue (which is important but confuses this issue.) I work with 18 to 21 year olds who are still so immature and fragile. Their concept of drinking is to drink until drunk or until the alcohol is all drunk up, whichever comes first. The responsible drinking that many people choose is the 1 or 2 drinks with a meal. The discussion should focus upon how to present this difference to our children so that we can limit brain damage.

Maturity has nothing to due with the fact drinking is and always will be damaging to individuals that do so. A person who is 18 is still a child in many ways and may or may not have the the ablility to make decisions that are for the greater good for themselves or for this country. Lowering the legal age for Alcohol would only increase the number of persons we see each year going into rehab for alcohol abuse.

There are many good points made here, both pro and con. Its difficult at best to justify a prohibition of lower drinking age to active duty military, especially those over seas where it is permitted. The military has appropriate measures and procedures in place to address abuse of alcohol by anyone, regardless of age. To suggest that it should be used as a "dumping ground" for abusers as an alternative to jail is at best simplistic and uninformed. In fact, such attempts in the past to use the military to "fix" people with a variety of problems (lack of education, drug and alcohol abuse, criminal past, etc.) have failed miserably. Consider: would you really want someone with an alcohol problem to guard nuclear weapons armed with a machine gun? Would you want that same individual backing up your son or brotherin a combat situation? Or flying a plane? I speak with 25 years experience in the security career field and can assure you I saw the miserable results of such social experiments. In sum, they don't work, and they constitute a huge waste of precious resources as a rsult. I will comment separately on the merits and problems of lowering the legal age for sonsumption.

The drinking age is 21 because our youg people's brains and livers are still under development. Because of this, young people are more at risk for the development of addiction. This is why the smoking age should be 21 as well. If they stop doing things that are damaging their bodies while still under 21, they have an incredible opportunity to heal their bodies from past choices. Our military are under incredible stress. In my opinion it would be better to help them deal with it in a manner that won't bring more harm to their mind, body, and spirit. I am disgusted!

Lowering the legal age for consumption to an age level presumably not ready to exercise such responsibility is tatamount to acknowledging and accepting alcohol abuse by established authority. Regardless of whether such behavior is common place and/ or on the increase, approval is little more than appeasement. Approval per se solves nothing. Proactive education for deterrence is perhaps the best approach, but incredibly difficult to achieve. We know that other nations have addressed this issue-- perhaps a study of their efforts might prove useful before taking action. Otherwise, limited exceptions may be appropriate, e.g., the military.

How can we lower a drinking age that has been set for the number for a developmental reason? We are saying that our military is "mature" enough to handle it, well what are we going to say when they get out of the military and then they are alcoholics in a recovery center and they say it is because they were "allowed" to drink in the military? What then? We already have a problem in that sense. And 90% or more of BUMS are claiming to bet military Vets. What is wrong with this picture??

I'm going to play devils advocate and argue that the allowable drinking age should be even lower than 18, while they are still under custody and influence of parents/guardians, but that the age allowing kids to drive should be increased. The European model seems to work much better than our own. Require education about drinking, let young adults experiment and learn how to drink BEFORE they get behind the wheel of a car, and require MUCH more extensive training on driving, including risks of driving under the influence, before obtaining a license.

It would be profitable for the alcohol industry, the automobile business and the health sector. All others would lose, many even their life.

I for one am glad to see that legislation, on a notional level, is sticking with the drinking age of 21. Just because you join the military doesn’t mean you’re mature enough to handle Drinking. As a matter a fact the military wants it members to be more responsible and alcohol and drugs are a problem in the military. Meanwhile, there are too many lives lost on the streets and hwy’s in this country 15,000+ a year because of Drunk Drivers. Many Families are torn apart because of Alcohol it would be great to see legislation on a national level get tougher on this issue. Think of those first responders the Police, EMT’s, Firefighters that have to see the Death of these people, and to look over and see a Drunk Driver saying “what happened” staggering around in a Drunken state. It is in our Hearts to live in harmony with one another, let’s work on that. Let’s get away from the mind and it’s lost of traditional moral values.

The idea that the European model works better is a myth. Check out an excellent report: The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking 2007 put out by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

If they want to lower the drinking age, they need to raise the driving age, lower the speed limits, make cars less glamourous. Where is all the money going to fix the roads because of raising the age nationwide. Kids drink because it's made to look that if you do you can do anything. Companies are making all kinds of stuff to get young people to try their products but nothing is done to stop the advertising. You lower the drinking age, parents will be paying higher insurnace rates for their children to drive. It looks like the lobbyists for big business wants to rule again without trying to fix any problems. Money seems to talk.

Who are any of you to say that they shouldn't lower the drinking age? People 20 years ago were drinking illegally before 21 and they are doing the same today. Lowering the drinking age encourages becoming familiar with alcohol and a mature decision maker on how much is or is not enough. Don't be a hypocrite and act like you were all perfect angels before 21.

I read an interesting proposition awhile back. The proposal was to lower the drinking age to 18 but require a license to drink. The license would be obtained after completion of a program like "driver's ed", only focused on the consequences of alcohol misuse, the danger of addiction, etc. The license could be taken away if there are infractions.

If you are interested in having facts at your fingertips to debunk the "Europe" myth related to youth drinking and lowering the drinking age, check out this wonderful report: http://www.ncjrs.gov/html/ojjdp/compendium/2001/9902NCPC_PIRE.pdf

It is astounding that proposals to lower the age, for legal possession (consumption) of alcohol, from 21 back to 18 continue to come out. This is a bad idea with no resulting public good. The only beneficiaries of such a change would be the breweries and other alcohol producers, hospitals, automotive junk dealers and undertakers.

Expecting people to never touch a drink until they are 21 and then suddenly open the bars to them when they reach that age is like never letting someone take a driver's ed class or get a learner's permit and then suddenly handing over the car keys and say "OK your old enough now... go drive. A stupid idea. A drinking license as proposed by the University of Colorado president a few yeas ago is an excelent idea. Assume responsible use is the norm... pull the license of anyone who shows they are otherwise.

A lower drinking age will mean more deaths and impairment among all age groups. History tells us that lower drinking ages mean more DWI deaths, more alcohol overdoses, more violence and more suicides. With the drinking age age at 18 that means lots more kids under 18 will have more access to alcohol too. The world will be a more dangerous place for everybody and we will spend even more time picking up the pieces. As far as the military is concerned, they have learned many lessons about alcohol and other drugs the hard way. I don't think the powers that be want to reopen that can of worms. We don't need alcohol impaired 18 year olds with their fingers on the triggers, buttons, or controls of any military equipment thank you very much. Then there is the whole issue of sexual assault and harrassment cases that have occupied the national attention in recent years... ALL ALCOHOL RELATED. Lowering the drinking age with the excuse that people need to drink to serve their country is feeble indeed. Ridiculous!

When I was in the Armed Forces, during the Viet Nam war,there were lots of local bars around military bases that banned servicemen in uniform because they were a cause of problems i.e. fights etc.. So much for the comments about being old enough to die, old enough to drink. Biologicaly, the impulse control and decision making ability in the human brain is in physical reconstruction in the adolescent/young adult brain rendering them nearly incapable of making wise choices in dangerous situations. Mixing toxic chemicals in the body at any age is not highly recomended and in a forming/reforming brain it isn't the brightest idea I've heard recently. Now remember the drug responsible for the most deaths world wide IS legal in many cases for people as young as 16(tobacco). So what's a few more dead kids?

Teens go out and get drunk no matter what. I'm 19 and I know a lot kids do it because they are simply told not to by law. That's why they do it. I wish someone could explain to me is it okay to send my 18 year old friends to war to be killed but not let them drink? By the way teens will fulfill the expectations you have for them. If you think they're non-tiping, immature, crazy drivers, they will not tip, they will drink heavily, and cut you off. Why please someone who already thinks lowly of you? Many adults think badly of teens, so they will rebel and act out. Try thinking of teens as mature, young adults and that we'll be. We haven't been around as long as you but you'll find that we actually think, breath and believe it or not we have opinions. Sometimes adults just forget or don't want to believe that. My dog use to wander around our yard and the neighbors yard, but he wouldn't run away... However, we put up a fence just in case. He jumped over the fence and darted off. We caught him but because we thought he would run away, we put up a fence and then he did run away. People, not just teens, will be who you think they are because of how you treat them.

Posted by Lauren on Apr 07, 2008 09:21 AM EDT Changing the drinking age to 18 would allow colleges and universities struggling with alcohol use to deal with the problem as a public health issue rather than a legal issue. I love this post Lauren. All alcohol and drug issues belong in the medical field, not the criminal justice field which imply locks humans away, not dealing with the problem. While the do gooders are raising the drinking age why don't they also raise the age of enlistment. Our "kids" have a better chance of being killed in Iraq than from drinking a beer. I guess that in some peoples eyes these kids are expendable. I have three college age kids. They all drink- why make them into criminals? Teach them to drink responsibly.

While I am not positive what I feel about the drinking age- Don't tell me that suddenly 18-20 year olds will stop drinking irresponsibly just because they were "legally allowed" to drink. I know plenty of 21 year olds and older who drink or have drank irresponsibly. I can see the logic in how can you DRAFT someone into a war against their will but not let them drink, but there hasn't been a draft in over 20 years, so 18 year olds today are CHOOSING to join the miliary. And if you are not mature enough to understand that joining the military may mean you have to fight in a war, you definitely are not ready to drink alcohol. And if you argue that people will drink underage anyways, well people do illegal drugs, steal, rape, murder, etc, should all these things be legal as well? Alcohol education needs to start in jr high and it shouldn't be "alchohol is bad so don't do it", it should be this is the detrimental effects of alcohol based on scientific studies, and this is how it can impair your brain and physiological development at all ages. And then lets work to make it easier for youths and college students to find alternatives to drinking.

Perhaps we should raise the age for joining the military to 21.

Want some facts? Try these: At a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08%, the relative risk for a fatal crash in an 18 year old male is 3 times greater than a 21 year old male driver with the same BAC, and 34 times greater than a sober 25 year old. There are many reasons for the difference but the fact remains, younger drivers are at much higher risk for causing a fatal crash. Source: Handbook of the Medical Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, pg 12-13 (Haworth Press, 2008)

If we follow some of the logic in some of these posts then people actually shouldn't be drinking until age 25 to be sure the brain is fully developed! I know the brain is still developing and also believe it is possible for people to do a great deal of harm to themselves when drinking to excess, I don't believe that low risk drinking would be harmful. But, while we are at it lets seperate the issues of drinking age and drinking and driving. I don't care if you are 14 (legal in SD) or 85, if you have had anything to drink, DON'T DRIVE. I truly do not believe that just because the age is lowered means we have to have an increase in car crashes or drinking and driving problems. I do agree that part of the problem is that we don't teach young people how to drink appropriately. If we are going to seriously look at lowering the drinking age then I want to know how all the young adults are going to change the bad behavior that abounds. Are you going to start acting like adults and stop all the binge drinking and stop drinking yourselves to death? Not that older adults can't and don't do that as well.

Instead of lowering the drinking age because "18 year olds are able to fight and die for this country and vote, they should be allowed to drink..." I think they should raise the military enlistment age to 21 and also make it that you are not considered a legal adult until you're 21. 18 year olds have a hard enough time trying to make decisions on college, jobs, etc. and I don't feel being 18 or 19 or 20 make you mentally capable enough to be able to decide such life altering decisions. Not to mention we need some more attentive parents out there who aren't too busy with their own lives to continue raising their children through their teen years. Too many parents take a back seat to "regain their own youth" during these crucial teen years for their children.

I am 18 and I have already drank(in states that it is legal of course). Many of my friends have also drank. In high school everyone experiments at one point or another, whether they are 14 or 18. However, none of us have ever driven drunk. I do know a few of my friends that have thrown up once. But after that one time, it never happened again. Don't even first time drinkers that are 21 make that same mistake? I have friends that have even at 21 and in college. Are you trying to say 18 year olds are completely incapable of making wise decisions? Look at my friends and I. We drink more responsibly than half of the legal drinkers out there. So instead of immediately assuming that we cannot handle ourselves, talk to us, figure out our point of views, experiences, and responsibilities before being so quick to judge us.

I am 17 and know people that have driven after drinking in order to get home or hide the fact that they’ve been drinking. If the drinking age was lower, people my age wouldn't have to lie to their parents about where they are or what they are doing. Having the drinking age lowered to 16 would allow parents to help model and control drinking in moderation. I also know people that drink to rebel against their parents and take joy out of drinking just because it is illegal. A new law would eliminate this thrill. Alcoholism many times takes its root when a person hides the fact they've been drinking. Some people have stated that people under 21 are not capable of making responsible decisions with alcohol. Whether it is legal or not, there is under-aged drinking occurring everyday. It is the parent's and the government's duty to educate, hope and pray that their child will make the best and most responsible decision they can make at the time. The government should issue permits to people between the ages of 16 and 21. These permits should only come after a mandatory health and safety class.

I fail to see the logic in allowing the drinking age to be lowered to 18...or 16, as some have suggested. The idea that this will take the infatuation with it away from teens is ridiculous. I cannot believe that there are responsible adults who would suggest legislation of this type! The only way we will keep our kids from dying on roads due to drinking and driving is if we stop telling them that it is wonderful, glamorous, sexy and cool to drink. They model us, remember? Why would we want to get them "used" to using alcohol at an earlier age? If you think this is a good thing, someone has brainwashed you into thinking this way...namely, the alcohol industry, who doesn't give a darn about the slaughter of our kids on the highways. How much more revenue do you think lowering the drinking age will create for them?

change the age to 18. if you can fight and die for your county you should be able to drunk and get drunk. damn MADD. they are out of control

As a 17 year old in high school, I feel that, because America restricts liberties and limits minors on what we can do, it makes us want to rebel. But that's not the only reason we experiment, I think it's the alcohol industry, their advertisements are very provocative and appealing to anyone really. I can't wait to be able to legally drink and go to a bar and enjoy a hard earned beer after work. But I know that it's the media that put that image into my head and it's pretty scary actually. As a country, I don't think it was smart to change the age to 21 in the first place, there wasn't a problem before that, and it was just MADDs opinions, but I also think the results would be tragic if it changed back to 18, the appeal would not go away. It would be an epidemic. So, I guess America f***ed up, but personally I don't think the states would change it back, and if they did, the government would find another way to bribe them. Also, Mel, your posts are very vague and they make you seem ignorant. Research it.

Using alcohol as a bribe to get people to join the military is sick. Either change it for everyone, or change it for no one.

as a Canadian, this is so funny.... we have limits of 18 and 19, depending on the province. and surprise - that's when most people go to university

What they should do is lower the age of consent for sex to 16. They're throwing 17 year old guys in jail for having sex with their 16 year old girlfriends - with lifetime sex offender registration. They have 22 year old teaching assistants going to federal prison for a decade for flashing their hoohah's to willing teen boys on web cams over the internet. But, they have no problem lowering the drinking age on some abstract principle of "if they can go to war and kill, they can drink" - even though the numbers overwhelmingly show the saving of lots of lives by upping the driking age to 21. Teens are a whole lot safer when they're having sex than when they're driving drunk.

I'm good with military exemptions to the law. But why not also lower it to 19 with the condition that people under 21 can only buy alcohol after successfully completing their freshman year and currently being enrolled in a college or university? That would do two things: 1) Encourage kids to get more education, and 2.) Encourage them to not drink too much. If they party too hard, they can't stay in school. No school=no liquor.

It will never happen. The states CAN set their own drinking ages BUT the US FED will impose things to make it impossible. Case in point : Up until like 10 years ago the Drinking Age in LOUISIANA was 18...then the FED said "CHANGE IT TO 21 OR WE WILL REVOKE ALL FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDING" Boom , Loisiana changed it to 21. Same will happen to these states.

Solution, just bring back prohibition, then the only ones that can drink are scofflaws and illegal immigrants.

I WANT TO KNOW WHO IT IS THAT IS INSTIGATING THIS CHANGE IN LEGISLATION? WHAT GROUP IS BEHIND THE CURTAIN, PULLING THE STRINGS OF THESE GOVERNMENT PUPPETS AND WHY?

Clayton, it is because i am using personal experiences, not research. Thus the phrase "live and learn". I do know the facts, but I chose to use my experiences. Also, parents tell kids all the time to learn from their mistakes, but how many of us wind up doing it, and making our own opinions instead. (by the way, usually cursing in an argument usually makes people begin to ignore you, not listen)

Instead of arguing that the drinking age should be lowered because if a man is old enough to contract himself and his life to the military he is old enough to decide whether or not he would like a beer we should raise the legal age to join the military to 21. I think joining the military at the tender age of 18 is far more inappropriate then drinking before 21. How can we expect someone so young to be able to deal with what they see in war, say in IRAQ. These guys can't handle drinking but they can handle watching a friend get their limbs blown off??? Higher the military recruitment age, keep the drinking age at 21.

Maybe stop treating adults like retarded children? An 18-year-old is legally an adult as far as I'm concerned, although I've known childish middle-aged people. By all means teach responsible drinking - alcohol abuse is no joke, and drunk driving likewise - but it should not be illegal for adults to drink alcohol responsibly. Prohibition simply teaches disrespect for the law. For the record: I'm Australian (drinking age 18), 23 years old, have never been drunk and don't drink at all now.

In countries where they don't make a big deal about drinking, there are fewer problem-drinkers per capita. Setting the age at 21, apart from being ridiculously high, makes it seem like a big deal, hence causing more problems. Education, not legislation.

Making something illegal only means that you lose control of it. Making prostitution illegal doesn't get rid of it, it only pushes it underground. Making guns illegal doesn't get rid of them; it just means that only criminals (you know, the guys *who are doing illegal things anyway*) and law enforcement are the only ones that have them. Same goes for illegal drugs, drinking, and abortion. It's much better to have legalized abortion than un-safe abortion. Apply that thinking across the board.

Lowering the drinking age to meet the age when one becomes an adult makes sense. If you have all of the responsibilities, you should also have all the the rights. When I started drinking at 16, most of the fun of drinking is the fact that it is illegal. After you turn 21 and the challenge of acquiring alcohol and the risk of getting caught goes away, the thrill is gone. I am 23 now, and I drink a lot less than when I was 18 and a freshmen. The same thing has happened to all of my friends who are the same age. Lower the drinking age and get rid of the thrill. Reactance is a strong urge and until the age is lowered, 18 year olds are going to get trashed like it's the last time every time they drink.

Most of the opponents of the lower limit mention traffic deaths as a major drawback. Why don't we just increase the licensing age? In some European countries, you must be over 18 to drive. Keeping teens off the road would save vastly more lives than keeping teens sober. It would also encourage walking, biking, and public transportation - all wonderful alternatives!

The 21 year drinking age serves only two purposes. The first purpose it serves is to make governments a boatload of money from underage drinking fines. the second is to blame another group for drunk driving besides drunk drivers. The point is, either you're an adult, or you're not. Childhood is extended way too long in this country because of overprotective parents and zero tolerance policies. The only way people will grow up is if they are encouraged to take responsibility.

Age-21 drinking laws save lives. It reduced underage drinking fatalities by 49% when finally enforced in 1987. Alcohol consumption by adolescents is a health issue. Also,there is a three year influence span--21 year olds aren't likely to be hanging out and buying for 14-17 year olds. Kids will drink, but don't make it easy for them to die, develop an addiction; or ruin their lives by making bad decisions while impaired.

Let's set the record straight: 1)France and countries where there is no drinking age have the highest incidence of alcohol related problems. 2)Kids drink to get drunk and don't relize that when they throw up it's because they have overdosed on alcohol (a toxin)and could die if they don't throw up. 3)Few drunk drivers believe they are impaired when they get behind the wheel of a car 4) In the military you are trained to excel as a soldier and this is NOT related to your age. 4) Age 21 was re-enacted AFTER Age 18 failed miserably. Do some homework and look at the problems when 18 year olds could drink legally 5)Age 21 is NOT designed to stop underage drinking-it is to raise awareness of the seriousness of alcohol use and to delay the age of first use. There is a big difference between an 18 year old and a 21 year old and I don't know many people who make sober decisions about sex, driving, walking, bicycling, whatever, when they are drunk. Walking impaired leads to fatalities as well.

To anybody who espouses keeping it at 21 - why don't we go ahead and raise it to 26? That will lower drunk driving accidents even more. But it's wrong because we're a free country and the decision to drink alcohol is a personal adult decision, not the government's. The ends do not justify the means. How about we ban all personal driving and require everyone to use public transportation? That would reduce accidents. And it uses the same logic.

Also, the thing that should be treated much more harshly should be any reckless driving. Too many people drive like crap and cause accidents without drinking, and get away with it because alcohol wasn't involved! Conversely, I know many people who can have one or two drinks and drive responsibly. I know I'll have some sanctimonious know-it-alls trying to rebut me, but I know I'm right - punish them for the reckless driving, not for one or two beers!!!

21 yo minimum drinking laws are age discrimination plain and simple. To those that maintain they save lives, I say so would capping the driving age at 75. Of course that will never happen because senior citizens have a much better lobbying organization (AARP). Banning bars would do wonders for reducing drunk driving, but again, bars have better representation. Basically, the 21 minimum is a civics lesson for our young. Yes, they are wrong. But by the time you can get it to court, you’re over 21 and don’t care about the rights of the others that are now in the shoes you formerly wore. The drinking/armed services argument is valid though. But I feel it ought to go the other way. You shouldn’t be able to join the military until you’re 21. If you’re not mature enough to handle the responsibilities of alcohol consumption, you certainly are not mature enough to give you life away.

You can vote at 18,buy a gun, and kill people as a member of the armed forces. But you cannot legally buy alcohol? Makes ZERO sense!

To those who say that under 18 laws were a failure. Would you support an increase in the drinking age to say 25,35,45,or 55 if there was sufficient data to suggest that lives would be saved by doing so? Why not ban alcohol all together? How about banning cars if I could prove that allowing people to drive cars increases mortality rates? If we followed this logic, there would be little left in the US that wasn't banned. Heck why not ban salt and fat while we're at it. Heart disease and mortality both raise with consumption of salt and fat, so let's get rid of them too. Take an econ lesson please!

I think you just have to ask yourself this, do you class an 18 year old as an adult, if so then then they should be allowed to purchase and drink alcohol and if not , you shouldn't be sending someone you wouldn't even regard as adult off to fight in a war.

Lowering the drinking age will provide the United States with benefits that we do not currently have: 1. The ability to give kids good role models for drinking (e.g. parents, parents' friends, friends' parents, University organized functions) 2. A sense of logic and responsibility- I know it's repetitive but an eighteen year old is currently responsible enough to choose to smoke cigarettes, go overseas to kill or be killed, and choose the future of this country through voting; also, being given the responsibility of drinking in a safe environment before being encouraged to binge drink at college or in other aspects of life would be beneficial 3. The ability to regulate- I am a proponent of a lowered drinking age (to eighteen), but a maintenance of the zero-tolerance policy until an individual is 21 (i.e. no driving after ANY drinks until 21) 4. A more relaxed viewpoint- this wall of posts, along with the national debate, shows how ridiculous and meaningful the word "Drinking" has become in our society...

take it down a notch and maybe it won't be such a big deal; it will become something on the side to have a drink or two, not the concept of "Oh my gosh I'm drinking alcohol" every time someone has a beer People have become way too caught up in everything in this country; everyone should step back and look at an issue objectively before deciding if making it a big deal will be beneficial or detrimental rather than just looking for an emotionally instigated cause.

I am stunned to read that people do not understand alcohol is an addictive substance and that there is scientific evidence that the earlier you start drinking the greater the likelihood you will develop an addiction. This is NOT the same as any other activity. Alcohol use, tobacco use have HEALTH consequences. "Age discrimination" is legal -- age of licensing, age to be elected to Congress, age to collect social security. Please stop equating "adulthood" with responsible behavior. The only beneficiaries of lowering the drinking the age will be the beer, wine and distilled spirits industries. Your brain makes a computer look primitive by comparison -- you know enough not to spill a liquid on your computer -- stop and think what alcohol does to the brain -- the impairment you seek when drinking is caused by an altered brain -- 18 year olds demonstrated they weren't capable of drinking responsibilty and the law was changed back to 21 in all states by 1987 -- what makes anyone think there is any benefit in changing the law?

drinking age should be a case to case thing. lowering the drinking age would cause less underage drinking but only to a certain extent. i know people who are my age and drink responsibly. when me and my friends drink, we give the keys to one person and have that person hide them until the next day when everyone is sober. and only one of those friends ever gets beligerently drunk. most of us just like to sit back and have a beer or two. teach more classes in school about alcahol. and honestly, the tabacco age limit should be raised before this legislation is shut down, smoking in any form causes more harm than responsible drinking. despite what "adults" think, most kids these days dont drink and drive. there are the select few that are idiots and DWI. like i said, it should be a case to case thing, if your caught drinking under 18, make it a harsh penalty and raise that persons drinking age.

i just read a lot of these posts and they are so true and the punishments for underage drinking are so absolutley ridiculous....

When the drinking age was lower most places the 18 year olds could only buy low alcohol beer. This makes it harder to get drunk and hopefully foster responciblity. If you wait until everybody is responcible, some people should never be allowed to drink.

I think that many 18 yr olds drink because it is illegal. I would rather see them out in the bars where they can be seen by peers and police, than in a private(hiding it) setting. If they do steal alcohol, then they are hiding when they drink it. In a bar a friend or relative usually takes care of them (grabs the keys) or the police will be called on them by bouncers, bartenders or owners. I think many teens wouldn't be trying drinking if it weren't the big TABOO, that we have set it up to be. We tell 18 year olds that they are old to kill someone with a gun in Iraq, but too immature to have a beer. Don't assume that underage drinker will over-drink, every person is different. In many small communities there isn't any nightlife for a young person. The only reason the drinking age was raised, is that older people lobby better. I have always believed that if we went to war, this would be overturned. It only makes sense. Young people need to be more politically active, as are the AARP set. Education, good role models, and the public all are the key. Drinking responsibly is all of our duties. Right now they just sneak and hide, which is ironic, that is the MO of the alcoholic.

16-18- Ability to pilot a multi- ton car made of metal and rubber burning fuel. 18-21- Ability to gamble money away irresponsibly, Ability to pollute lungs with cigarrettes, Ability to watch women dance naked for one dollar bills, Ability to go overseas and fight with gas- powered machine guns and explosive grenades, Ability to go to jail! 21+ Finally, I can relax and have a beer! All these other rights are starting to stress me out!

Another factor has to do with Selective Service. Maybe if the FedGov wants to "ease this in", they could allow men 18-21 drink, as they are required to sign up for Selective Service a.k.a Draft, Conscription. Then later they can give it to women 18-21 as well, but as of now, only men must sign up for SS.

It's true that if you can be forced(or willingly be preped) to go across seas and fight wars that you might not even agree with or support in any way shape or form. I really don't see where anyone gets off thinking that being drunk is the only killer of automobile drivers and even that younger children are more likely to drink and drive, because that is entirely not ture. if you look at the age group 18-21 and the remaining years of expected life 21-75(im assuming) and someone with their false facts tries to tell you that that the 18-21 age group has more of a mortality rate than the 21-75 age group is just beyond pretentious in my oppinion. It's not a case of, "if you give me certain rights, why not give me them all." entirely. but if you can select me to fight a war that you may be short people for, because no one agrees with why are there, than why should i sit here and be restricted from things that could make me happy.

I think lowering the drinking age is the worst thing they could do if u are in the military that no excuse i had to wait and they should to. Letting 18 yr olds drink is like putting a loaded gun in their hand, its dumb so dont do it

Now I'm not going to say that if you old anough to fight your old anough to drink. Because I'm not in the military. However, it makes absolutely no sence to allow us to vote and have abortions at 18, and yet, we cannot drink a beer. Also, if you basing it on physically difference, state your source, I will not take you seriosuly if you just say because M.A.D.D says so.

The United States has the highest legal drinking age in the world. Most countries allow people to drink at 16 or 18 years of age. Others, like China, Portugal, and Vietnam, have no minimum drinking age at all. If you are old enough to hold all the responsibilities of an 18 year old, such as voting, adopting a child, fighting in the military, get married, or purchase firearms, you are definatly old enough to drink alcohol. Kids need experience before college so they don't wind up dead or getting alcohol poisining at 21 because of lack of experience.

The National Minimum Drinking Age of 1984 is an insult to all Young adults in the United States. No one should have the right to decide for them if they can drink or not. I mean, if you live in a border town like El Paso, Laredo, Brownsville, if your teen wants to drink, all he is gonna do is cross the border. (i wouldnt like my kids to go to the border to drink, but if the kid really wants to do it, hes gonna do it no matter what i do). If the drinking age was 18, or none at all, there would not be any problems, and going "across" would not be such a problem. No one should decide what you want to do and "pursuit of happiness", means that if we like to drink and makes us happy, we should be allowed to as long as it doesnt bother anyone else