Why is the legal age to drink alcohol 21 in the US?

[revoltub]

we are notoriously immature when it comes to alchohol.


however, there is a strange contradiction in our society. we are told about the dangers of drinking as kids but then we see the same people who tell us that merrily drink with there adult friends and also we see how much alchohol is admired in media. thats confusing for kids who look up to older people and of course they are going to start drinking.

ive noticed a lot of my friends started drinking LESS after they turned 21

 

[MadSquabbles500]

I have said many times to just get rid of the drinking age. It serves as nothing but a right of passage for college kids.

 

[Hollywood Jack]

Busybody women getting involved in politics. MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). Drinking age was historically 18. Much more sensible.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

I've always been curious about this.You can go fight in a war for your country overseas at 18, yet don't have the freedom to drink at a bar until your 21 at home?

Do liberals/conservatives here think it should be lowered? And what are the main issues that are in the way of changing this law?

They should just make the legal age like 5 or something. It will be way less cool to drive drunk.

 

[jk7707]

I've done all kind of shit I wouldn't dream of otherwise. I've deleted so many people's numbers out of my phone and blocked so many people on FB just so I won't drunk text them

So you wanted to text them, but were to scared until alcohol broke down your insecurities

 

[Hans Gercmiov]

So you wanted to text them, but were to scared until alcohol broke down your insecurities

No, I wouldn't normally talk to those people.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

if you want to know why the arbitrary number of 21, it's b/c back in the 1600's you were an adult and allowed to be a knight at 21

I alwasy thought it has something to do with playing cards like blackjack or something.

 

[WTF2008]

I have said many times to just get rid of the drinking age. It serves as nothing but a right of passage for college kids.

Don't agree with getting rid of drinking age.

But I agree about the so-called right of passage part.

It makes these kids think that they need to drink to be a grown up.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Of course the majority drink responsibly, that doesn't change the fact alcohol is an incredibly destructive drug.

• Nearly 10,000 people are killed each year on U.S. roadways in alcohol-related accidents
• Hundreds of thousands more are injured
• Alcohol-related crashes cost American taxpayers over $100 billion
• Nearly 1.4 million people are arrested for a DWI each year and 780,000 are convicted
• Of those convicted, one-third are sentenced to community corrections
• Two-thirds of those sentenced to incarceration are repeat offenders

• 5.3 million adults − 36% of those under correctional supervision at the time − were drinking at the time of their conviction offense
• 40% of state prisoners convicted of violent crimes were under the influence of alcohol at the time of their offense − the more violent the crime, the greater the likelihood that alcohol was involved
• 25% of state prisoners given a standard questionnaire to screen for alcoholism tested positive

http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/issues/alcohol-and-crime

During the age of horses, I guess none of this mattered. And we have only had cars for like 100 years of so.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Then I would say you haven't ever been around a blackout drunk. They run on autopilot and have no memory of their actions.

Blackout drunks get drunk on purpose and then act out for attention on purpose, and make sure they drink enough to black out because hopefully people will sympathize with them in the morning. Its all planned out in the beginning.

 

[MusterX]

Blackout drunks get drunk on purpose and then act out for attention on purpose, and make sure they drink enough to black out because hopefully people will sympathize with them in the morning. Its all planned out in the beginning.

Alcoholism, its a disease.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

I've done all kind of shit I wouldn't dream of otherwise. I've deleted so many people's numbers out of my phone and blocked so many people on FB just so I won't drunk text them

Texting seems like requires a lot of fine motor skills though.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Alcoholism, its a disease.

Peer pressure is worse.

Peer pressure is actually more dangerous than Alcohol. It is even more underlying than drinking.

 

[5H3RD0G]

Alcohol drinking should be based on current intelligence level. If people are dumb already no boos for you.

 

[Hans Gercmiov]

Texting seems like requires a lot of fine motor skills though.

Oh dude you wouldn't believe how articulate I can be when I'm absolutely black out drunk. In text anyway. I very rarely even make a typo. I surprise even myself.

 

[Philo-Publius]

I've always been curious about this.You can go fight in a war for your country overseas at 18, yet don't have the freedom to drink at a bar until your 21 at home?

Do liberals/conservatives here think it should be lowered? And what are the main issues that are in the way of changing this law?

To keep it out of high schools. If the legal drinking age was 18, high school kids might get access to it all the time. I agree we need to change that law though. It's simply unfair.

 

[forum poster]

ive noticed a lot of my friends started drinking LESS after they turned 21

Yeah mine and most of my friends partying days were coming to an end around 21 / 22.

 

[91 seconds]

I think it should be raised to 25 but it's not like it'd do much.

Weed is illegal but I've been winning that war on drugs for 20 years. The legal drug alcohol has caused me way more problems. I'm one of those 1's too much but 10's not enough type of people.

The way the system works as it is, I think most things should be legalized with no consequences if you only have a personal amount on you. A bundle of heroin? Big whoop. 2 bricks? Ok now you're just getting rich.

 

[WTF2008]

Oh dude you wouldn't believe how articulate I can be when I'm absolutely black out drunk. In text anyway. I very rarely even make a typo. I surprise even myself.

Lol. When I was in College I'd wake up with an answer to something I was stuck on for a week after one night of drinking.

But I do agree that it can be very damaging.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

Too many drivers ruining lives.