CNN.com (www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/08/18/college.drinking.age.ap/index.html) is reporting that college presidents from about 100 of the nation's best known universities are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, claiming the current laws lead to underground, unsafe, and binge drinking on college campuses. One college president said the current law "pushes drinking into hiding, heightening the risks."
The age of legal consent to drink can be determined either of two ways: a federal law could be created for every state, or each state could evaluate the decision and determine what age was best for that state. In Colorado, the legal age of consent for drinking is 21.
MADD disagrees, citing research that a lowered drinking age will mean more fatal car crashes and more deaths from binging.
Which is it? Will a lowered drinking age mean more responsible drinking for our college students because they won't have to hide it? Or could it mean more indulgence in alcohol...more hangovers...and more trouble healthwise and with law enforcement.
Should Colorado have this discussion at the state level?
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16 comments:
I think that lowering the drinking age what not be a problem because really the age doesn't matter it's the indviduals choice to drink or not. There is people of age that choice not to drink even know there legal to drink. If the drinking age was 18 I think that it would take away the thrill of drinking or finding a way to buy alcohol and I don't think kids will find it as amusing to drink if it's available so easily and legally. For example, getting into "r" rated movies when you were under age was fun to try to get in by looking older but when you turn of age rated "r" movies were not such a big deal. If the legal age to drink is lowered it won't be a big deal because people who choose to drink will drink and if it's not they will find a way to.
Ashley Solano mccnm 101 9:30
I think the drinking age should be lowered. I'm 20 now, and I drink whenever I want to, this does not mean that I'm stupid about it, for the most part. But think about, the average college students age is between 18 and 21, how many college kids under 21 have you met that doesnt drink. I think I've met one. So underage kids still drink, why not make it legal? People say that if you drop it from 21 to 18, then kids will start drinking. I just have to say, if a parent doesn't know where there 16 year old kid is at, and doesnt know what there doing, that kid has every right to be getting drunk. PARENTS NEED TO TAKE RESPONSABILTY!!!
One last thing,how old do you have to be to join the army, shoot someone, get shot, or vote? If you dont know the answer, it's 18. So if you can join the army and get shoot at 18, why can't you have a beer? I think we're adult enough at 18. I pay all my own bills anyway.
Isaiah Riggs MCCNM 11:00am
i feel that the drinking level should be lowerd to the age of 18 because at the age of 18 you are considered a young adult and you should be able to make adult decisions..at the age of 18 a person is able to smoke and isnt that a substance that may be harmful? i guess it all depends on a persons decision?
Emily Sanchez mccnm 101 11:00am
I too believe that the drinking age should be lowered. I myself am underage, but undergo way too many nights of binge drinking, but Im still in college, still responsible, and plainly put, am not stupid about it. I might sound bias, but the truth of the matter is, whether the age limit is 21 or 18, there is no stopping underage drinking. Whether it is legal or illegal at any age, teens and young adults will participate in social drinking, especially in college. The ultimate responsibility lies in the hands of the drinker themselves, for if you abuse any substance and you know its considered frowned upon to, then its his or her own fault. Down to the thin red line, if your old enough to elect your own countries officials, and old enough to join and fight in your own countries armed forces, then you damn well better have the responsibility to drink and have fun doing it. If not, shame on you.
Alex Spengler MCCNM 11:00 AM
i disagree to lower the drinking age due to the fact that it will indanger more lives. thanks to the media the audience will witness this law and disagree as well
Juan Martinez- tth 930
Lowering the drinking age is easy to jump to for someone my age especially in college. In my oppinion, college students are self centered when it comes to a subject such as this. We think of only ourselves and that is not a good mindset to be in when drinking alcohol. I have seen many college students that still have the "invincibility" mindest that makes them think they can drink and drive without worrying about the consequences that might occur.
On the other hand, the idea that lowering the drinking age would encourage college students to stay away from parties and bars because the alcohol would be more available. This would be safe for everyone.
We also have to look at what this would do for our economy. Would there be more alcohol advertisements directed towards a younger crowd of drinkers? Most likely this would occur, causing sales to go up which in turn would be good for the economy.
Overall, I feel that while lowering the drinking age may pose a harm to others it is only fair that if we can legally vote and enlist in the service at 18 we should also be allowed to enjoy alcohol legally. Perhaps if only 3-2 beer were available to ages 18-21 this would be a happy medium for everyone.
I think that lowering the drinking age to 18 should be done. A person becomes a legal adult at 18. So at 18 that person is old enough to go to war and is old enough to be tried as an adult for a crime. Key word there is adult. An adult should be allowed to make their own decisions whether or not to buy alcohol. The responsiblity is on the person who drinks. No matter what, kids are going to purchase alcohol one way or another, so by lowering the age it makes it seem less exciting.
Brittany Valdez MCCNM 101 9:30
I think that this should definitely be talked about at the State Level! The number one death of teens right now is drinking and driving accidents. Therefore it is obviously an issue that needs to be addressed. I think that the drinking age should be lowered because a lot of people drink only because it is the "cool" thing to do and the reason it is the "cool" thing to do is initially because it is illegal. People start before they are 18 and hide it from their parents, when people have to hide it they can get themselves into more trouble. They might be expected to come home and they have to drive drunk or buzzed. If they were able to tell the truth about it, their parents would say no don't drive. I think it is very important that the state look at the pros and cons and come out with a new law.
~Brandy Ohlschwager
MCCNM 101
I think that the drinkimg age should be kept at 21 because lowering the drinking age to 18 makes it easier for teens to purchase alcohol. Making it legal for teens to drink isn't really a good idea with how many accidents there are by teens who drink and drive. If we lower the drinking age, we'll only be hurting ourselves.
Paul Meyer mccnm 101 11:00 am
I think murder should be legal. Why? Because people do it already and so we might as well make it legal so they don't have to do it in hiding. Are you serious! This seems to be the argument that everyone uses that supports lowering the drinking age. Personally I'm a huge fan of prohibition. Why? Because I believe that anything that kills me shouldn't be repeated. Over and over again. We don't have to tell people not to smash there faces into the concrete. Why? I don't really know. Common sense says if it hurts you don't do it. So why do people drink? If you want to become dumber feel free to sniff a sharpie. It has a similar effect only you can drive immediately after doing it. So the real question is why do people drink?
I think that the drinking age should be lowered first because the kids who are in the military that are under 21 can't legaly drink if they want to have a drink to there country. Also i think it should be lowerd because now people who are 21 get into so much trouble for buying for miners but all they want to do is drink legally with their friends or family. On the other hand it could be a bad idea becasue kids 18 to 20 are still not mentally developed completly and are somtimes incapable of makeing good decisions. So yes i think the drinking age should be lowered but i'm not sure how it would effect the 18 to 20 crowd.
What is an appropriate age restriction for drinking? This question has been up in the air now for several years and with as many times as it has been reviewed and talked about it has stayed at the current age of 21. Many people think that lowering the age restriction from 21 to 18 will help protect underage people from drinking and it will in turn make for safer drinking overall because underage people will no longer be drinking in hiding. I don't think the drinking age is really all that big of a deal now because people are going to drink whether or not they are of age, they just won't go out to bars or clubs that they can't get in to. Also, right now 21 year olds relate better to 18 year old because they are relatively close in age which makes 18 year olds think that they should be able to drink. Therefore when 18 year olds are given the ok to drink, 16 year olds who can relate to them because of their age similarity are going to think the same thing for themselves If you haven’t been able to drink legally for 18 years then waiting another 3 years to be able to shouldn’t be a big deal, you have your whole life to drink legally so just wait it out. I think that lowering the drinking age won’t change the fact that people, whether they are of age or not, are going to drink if they choose to therefore I think he drinking age should be left at 21.
I personally think that the drinking age should be lowered. If you can go to war and get your arm blown off. Then I think that you should be able to home and get a beer. The reasoning for half of the kids driving after parties is because they feel the cops are going to show up, so they leave. I feel that if it was lowered there would be less drunk drivers also. Those are just some of the many reasons the drinking age should be lowered.
Zack Thompson
Media And Society 104
Wow. This is a very controversial subject to be discussing. To be 18 means that your a young adult and to be 21 means you can drink as an adult. I have read everyones arguments on this topic and really it can go either way. I do not agree with lowering the drinking age. I feel that there will be more fatal accidents,and more bad decisions. I see people saying that you can be 18 and kill someone in the service and they cant have a beer which I agree is stupid but you also have to think about how many kids will be stupid with the law getting lowered. Like I said, very controversial but also debateable .
~Kyle Morehouse
Lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 years old will create more controversy. Many 18 year olds will take more advantage of alcohol which will cause more health problems and deaths. Some will want to flaunt off the fact they're drunk with friends and think it's "cool". Well, it's not cool to binge drink to the point of alcoholic poisoning which can lead to serious, dangerous health problems.
Also, not only has teenagers being in college forced more underage drinking, advertisements showing alcoholic beverages cause it too. Advertisements showing alcohol are promoting frequently because the products sells just like "sex sells ads" with celebrities. These advertisements are promoting people having a good time with friends but not the downsides of alcohol.
Colorado should seriously discuss this matter because many young adults die from it annually. Sometimes these deaths are unnoticed which is horrible. Keeping the drinking age at 21 will be great but difficult because there are still loopholes young adults can get around.
DaMarkus James Mass Communications 101
Lowering the drinking age will not dramatically change the amount that those younger than 21 will drink. Teenagers these days have ways of getting alcohol regardless of their age. Whether it's by using a fake i.d. or just finding someone older to buy it, it is extremely easy to find a way. Obviously there will be a dramatic drop in MIP's (minors in posession), and less DUI's (driving under the influence), but how is that going to help our society?
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