■ 31 August 2009 | 9:17 AM
Old enough
For online readers who couldn't see Sunday's column, have a speed read:
Lower the drinking age to 18.
Admittedly, I have selfish reasons for wanting the limit lowered. My college-aged offspring and almost all of their friends are in the drinking danger zone: They're between the ages of 18 and 20.
I would very much like to see these good kids graduate from college as I did: without a criminal record.
During college orientation last year I was made aware of the dangerous practice called "pre-gaming" - where underage students do a series of shots in their dorm rooms before heading out for the evening. It made me cringe. It's a far cry from the keggers we used to openly attend during the Jurassic Period when the drinking age was 18.
Let's hope this generation shakes this nasty binge-drinking habit after they're legal. I fear they won't.
The column yielded lots of email. I expected a load of condemnations and Prohibition-tinged arguments.
Didn't happen.
In fact, a surprising number of the messages contained confessions. Readers candidly told me about their arrests for simply drinking a beer before their 21st birthdays.
So far, the best argument for lowering the age came from a smart Naval Academy grad who reasoned that as long as people are old enough to operate nuclear reactors, we ought to trust them with a drink. (Not while they're operating the reactors, of course.)
Go ahead, argue with that.
COMMENTS ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here; comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its websites. Users must follow agreed-upon rules: Be civil, be clean, be on topic; don't attack private individuals, other users or classes of people. Read the full rules here.
- Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the report violation link below it.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
time to leave Sharon M. alone - our council are not angels
get Kerry on this - she knows what to say and how.
If you disagree with current
If you disagree with current laws, write your state legislators, instead of wasting time on a blog. In the meantime, here's a secret...the key to graduating without a criminal record is to not break the law. DUH.
Drinking @ 21 or less
I have observed that people will find a reason to justify any position they may have. If a person is old enough to die for his country, (s)he is old enough to drink a toast to it. Only in this country has the effect of the WCTU been so extended. (if you don't know what WCTU is, ask your Granddad). Carry Nation is alive and well!
The argument of the lack of a certain part of brain development doesn't hold water either. If a teenager isn't old enough to drink responsibly, even with supervision, (s)he isn't old enough to drive. Period. Even with supervision. Teen-age bingeing is a direct result of prohibition. "If you tell me I can't, I'm gonna do it first chance I get! So There!
Many years ago, while in the Navy, I was fortunate enough to be invited into the home of an extended German family for Christmas Dinner. Everyone, from the (about) 3 year old up to the matriarch had their glass of beer. This is responsible drinking.
Must agree
I always believe that if a person is considered a legal adult, and has the right to vote, then why not allow them to drink. The logic is missing. Many would say they are developmentally immature and our DUI offenses would go through the roof. Well, yes and no. Under 21 drunk drivers are still being arrested and/or prosecuted, regardless of the under age status - that is another charge. My second argument to that: far more older "adults" are charged with DUI - one, two, three, and more times. The immature argument doesn't hold water when the vast majority of drunk drivers are far older than 22 years, and just as stupid as a 21 year old, a 40 year old, or a 50 year old drunk. And, if we believe these kids have the wherewithall to make an informed decision about the future of this country, then we should believe they have the same capacity to make decisions about alcohol. Yes, I started drinking long before I turned 21, and no, I have never had an alcohol related arrest.
Kerry,
I am glad to see you have some enlightenment here. Maybe now you can see how the prohibition against pot is similar and pot is WAYYY less dangerous than alcohol. When was the last time you heard of someone getting killed by a driver high on pot? When was the last time you heard of someone dying from overdosing on pot? I have never heard of someones life getting ruined by pot, but have seen a lot of people totally ruined by alcohol. In fact, health wise, pot is way less dangerous than aspirin, jaywalking or even honeybuns.
16 Year Navy Sailor....
As a 20 year old U.S.M.C. NCO with two Viet Nam combat tours under my belt I was unable to drink a cold beer. Bugged me then, bugs me now. I don't know what you and your guys do for a living but it seems to me that by now you all should have been able to prove that you're responsible enough to drink a cold one now and then.
I agree with you here
I agree with you on this one Kerry. At the age of 18 a person is considered an adult in the eyes of the law if arrested and if in the military, law enforcement or rescue services they may be asked to risk their lifes for us. Unfortunately, they are not considered mature enough to drink alcohol until 21. I agree with what you said in the paper about the fact that it hasn't been a deterant in College Dorms. In fact it has had the same results in those environments as Prohibition did in the 1920s. You are right on target here.
I'm on active duty
I've been in the Navy for 16 yrs & do not believe that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. It should be pointed out that, with parental consent, you can join the military when you are 17. Should we make the drinking age 17? No. Should we keep it 21 with an exception for military? No. There are many nuclear engineers and others who work on million dollar gear that they are trusted with. I have no problem with that, but there are many of them that I wouldn't trust with alcohol. They haven't been to long, intense training on how to use that alcohol. They don't have LOTS of direct supervision while they are using the alcohol. They don't have to fill out a dozen forms in triplicate before, during and after their use of the alcohol. Kerrie, go see COMFLTFORCOM & ask him to let you read the hundreds of Unit Sitreps related to the use of alcohol by Sailors of legal age.
I agree with you Kerry
I can't believe I'm saying this for the second time in about a week, but I agree with you Kerry. The drinking age should be lowered to 18 but with one exception - the legal limit for drinking and driving should be lower for anyone under 21 (say .04 vs .08) and they should lose their license at least until age 21 on their first DWI. Teenagers must have strong incentives for not drinking and drive if the age limit is lowered to 18 since most of them have barely mastered driving sober, much less drunk.
Old enough
If Uncle Sam says you're old enough to carry a weapon and go to war, then YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO DRINK, enough said.............