College Presidents Seek to Lower Drinking Age

[AlphaXi_Husky]

I heard an interesting argument against this on the news today, saying that while it may fix the problem on college campuses it would then push the problem to high schools, where 16 and 17 year olds are trying to get fake IDs to say they're 18. I don't know which stance I agree with, but I thought that was an interesting point.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by AlphaXi_Husky

I heard an interesting argument against this on the news today, saying that while it may fix the problem on college campuses it would then push the problem to high schools, where 16 and 17 year olds are trying to get fake IDs to say they're 18. I don't know which stance I agree with, but I thought that was an interesting point.

I see the argument, but then again I started drinking when I was 15. Being tall had its advantages- I rarely got carded. And I was not alone. Anyone who thinks that drinking does not happen all the time in high schools is living in fantasy land (not aiming that at you AlphaXi_Husky, but at the news report you reference.)

Alcohol is so easy to get, that I think the drinking age is meaningless in terms of deterring the use/abuse of alcohol by minors.

What is more important, in my mind, is to set an age where individuals can be considered adults and responsible for their own behavior.

With the age set at 21, colleges and Greek organizations suffer an unfair burden to control or eliminate alcohol use that is so much a part of young life (and always has been), that it is futile to even attempt to fully control it.

The advantage of a drinking age of 18 is that a great deal of liability is removed from institutions and placed on individuals where it belongs.

[kappalove17]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

The advantage of a drinking age of 18 is that a great deal of liability is removed from institutions and placed on individuals where it belongs.

I wholeheartedly agree. So many of our events are ruined by ridiculous rules in place to keep 20 year olds who live own their own, paying their rent, etc. from drinking.

And BTW, I know tons of high school kids who use fake IDs that say they're 21 as it is, so changing it to 18 or 19 isn't going to make that much of a difference. At 15, I would drink at parties and then drive home because I was worried my parents would find out I was drinking. Now at 21, I'm too afraid to have even a drink with dinner sometimes for fear of DUI, not for fear of my parents. In the case of younger people, parents are a lot more threatening than the law. Lowering the drinking age would help keep drinkers to be more responsible.

[33girl]

I had seen something about this before on our national website. I thought Penn State was in on it too. Anyway, kudos to these college presidents for having the balls to stand up and say what makes sense, not what is politically correct.

The fact that MADD is saying that students wouldn't be "safe" at those schools - in effect, telling parents not to send their kids there - just points up what a POS organization they are.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I had seen something about this before on our national website. I thought Penn State was in on it too. Anyway, kudos to these college presidents for having the balls to stand up and say what makes sense, not what is politically correct.

The fact that MADD is saying that students wouldn't be "safe" at those schools - in effect, telling parents not to send their kids there - just points up what a POS organization they are.

You have an organization made for parents who have lost a child to drunk driving and you expect them to be rational?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Kevin

You have an organization made for parents who have lost a child to drunk driving and you expect them to be rational?

With as much power as they wield, yes, I do. When the founder leaves a group it's a red flag IMO.

[NutBrnHair]

I am a huge fan of Dr. Gordon Gee from The Ohio State Univ. -- I see he's one of the main supporters.