UConn Hazing

[Nanners52674]

I know its a whole different discussion, but I honestly think lowering the drinking age to 18 is the responsible thing to do. It's difficult situation for a college since students start underage and come of drinking age during college. The alcohol will always be there, but underage drinking is still illegal so as a result kids drink more quicker, go to great lengths to hide it including not getting someone help and many other things.

If it was legal at 18 I think it would solve a lot of these issues.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Nanners52674

I know its a whole different discussion, but I honestly think lowering the drinking age to 18 is the responsible thing to do. It's difficult situation for a college since students start underage and come of drinking age during college. The alcohol will always be there, but underage drinking is still illegal so as a result kids drink more quicker, go to great lengths to hide it including not getting someone help and many other things.

If it was legal at 18 I think it would solve a lot of these issues.

When I was in college, the drinking age was 18 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor. I know the reason for the federally-forced change was drunk driving among young drivers. I'd be interested to see statistics analyzing whether the change in the drinking age had an effect on that problem. It certainly seems to me that binge-drinking among college students is much more of a problem than it was when I was in school, though I have no clue whether that is just my perception and whether a variety of factors may be at play there.

But I've always thought it odd, to say the least, that a 20-year-old can be sent off to war to die for his country, but he can't legally have a beer before he goes.

[Nanners52674]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

When I was in college, the drinking age was 18 for beer and wine, and 21 for liquor. I know the reason for the federally-forced change was drunk driving among young drivers. I'd be interested to see statistics analyzing whether the change in the drinking age had an effect on that problem. It certainly seems to me that binge-drinking among college students is much more of a problem than it was when I was in school, though I have no clue whether that is just my perception and whether a variety of factors may be at play there.

But I've always thought it odd, to say the least, that a 20-year-old can be sent off to war to die for his country, but he can't legally have a beer before he goes.

I've always thought that, and also its weird to me that at 16 you're mature enough to drive and get a job but aren't ready for the responsibility of being able to vote.

[33girl]

Part of the drunk driving issues were people driving over state lines (PA has always been 21 and Ohio was 18 til the last minute, to cite one example).

The only reason states changed was that they were blackmailed - if they didn't change they lost federal highway funding.

This should be eliminated, but to avoid the state to state issues you should either have to be a permanent or temporary (college id) resident to drink at the lower age. That would eliminate a lot of the crossing of the border.

[Maman]

Originally Posted by Nanners52674

I know its a whole different discussion, but I honestly think lowering the drinking age to 18 is the responsible thing to do. It's difficult situation for a college since students start underage and come of drinking age during college. The alcohol will always be there, but underage drinking is still illegal so as a result kids drink more quicker, go to great lengths to hide it including not getting someone help and many other things.

If it was legal at 18 I think it would solve a lot of these issues.

I absolutely agree with you.

I hate the idea of 'pregaming.' Drinking before an event because students think they will be unable to drink at the event. So they try to guess how much to drink before they leave. They usually overestimate. Then if alcohol is present they continue to drink to excess.

I also hate the mystery punches common at some schools. What the heck is in there?

Allowing 18 yos to consume bottles or cans of beer allows them to monitor their intake more closely and become responsible drinkers.