Comments on The Sole Morality: The Drinking Age and The Lessons of Prohibition

Just one question: If we make marijuana legal, wil...

2009-04-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

Just one question: If we make marijuana legal, will it promote "more responsible use"?

My feelings are to enforce the law and make the punishment such that it will deter the activity. I am not saying put some 19 year old in jail for six months for drinking underage - but fine the daylights out of him and put him to work in community service for a few hundred hours.

Just my thoughts.

To all the people out there that don't want to ...

2009-03-28T09:46:00.000-07:00
To all the people out there that don't want to lower the drinking age because they don't want teenager drinking, BREAKING NEWS: they already are.

Hah. That's the crux of it, I think. I totally agree.

I actually watched this piece on the news last wee...

2009-03-02T11:37:00.000-08:00
I actually watched this piece on the news last week. . .

The opposition to lowering the drinking age (organizations like MADD and the AMA, I think) centers their argument more around alcohol-related fatalities, driving specifically. If you allow more individuals to drink, the correlation is more individuals driving who have drank, and more accidents, etc.

I'm not sure that this is exactly true, because when the stigma goes away, and young adults are not having to hide their drinking activity, then it is easier for them to call it quits earlier, assign a DD, call a cab, or make other responsible choices. Theoretically, by being able to drink earlier, and not have it be only under a binge mentality, they should (would) learn to pace themselves, to enjoy a glass of wine with a meal or a beer by the pool, how to enjoy an alcoholic beverage. Ideally, this would be with other, older responsible adults.

Still - there will always be a concern over the company you keep and it which manner ANYONE is drinking. I have heard stories of a sleepover at so-and-so's house: the parental units say anyone who comes, can drink - as long as they stay the night. I am NOT for co-ed sleepovers. At all. But if Mom and Pop serve alcohol, and act as bartenders, refusing to offer more to someone who has had enough, providing lots of water until Jane and John are ready to drive, I don't see an issue.

I can see both sides on this one, and I really think it comes down to the human capacity for regulating one's own self. We teach our kids discipline and limits with television, sweets, and activities. Why would you not teach them the same with alcohol?

This is really such an interesting idea. My bottom line though, is, that 18 is the magic number for so many other "adult" activities, that it is simply unfair to say someone can be married or die in war, and not have a margarita to enjoy, also!

With the drinking age at 21, you have adults havin...

2009-03-02T05:49:00.000-08:00
With the drinking age at 21, you have adults having to hide from authority, drinking and trying to learn what responsible drinking is. There is no one there to say
"OK, you've had enough"

If the drinking age was 18, colleges could resume hosting parties (that students would go to) in dorms. The adults would have supervision as they learned there limits, and there would be a lot less people driving home at the end of the night.

The interesting question is where does the liquor lobby side on this? Are they for lower the drinking age because they think it will increase there market? Or are they against lower the drinking age because they worry once it's legal 18-20 year olds might drink less? If the liquor lobby isn't for lowering the drinking age we should definitely lower it.

When you think of the life altering things we allow 18 year olds to do like join the military, get married, get a tattoo or have cosmetic surgery, it's seems a little hypocritical to not allow them to enjoy a cold beer on a hot day.