Should America lower the legal drinking age?

The legal drinking age should be lowered to about 18 or 19 and young adults allowed to drink in controlled environments such as restaurants, taverns, pubs and official school and university functions. In these situations responsible drinking could be taught through role modeling and educational programs. Mature and sensible drinking behavior would be expected. This opinion is based upon reaserch that I have been involved in for over twenty years concerning college age youth and the history of drinking in the United States and other cultures.

Although the legal purchase age is 21 years of age, a majority of college students under this age consume alcohol but in an irresponsible manner. This is because drinking by these youth is seen as an enticing "forbidden fruit," a "badge of rebellion against authority" and a symbol of "adulthood." As a nation we have tried prohibition legislation twice in the past for controlling irresponsible drinking problems. This was during National Prohibition in the 1920s and state prohibition during the 1850s. These laws were finally repealed because they were unenforceable and because the backlash towards them caused other social problems. Today we are repeating history and making the same mistakes that occurred in the past. Prohibition did not work then and prohibition for young people under the age of 21 is not working now.

The flaunting of the current laws is readily seen among university students. Those under the age of 21 are more likely to be heavy -- sometimes called "binge" -- drinkers (consuming over 5 drinks at least once a week). For example, 22% of all students under 21 compared to 18% over 21 years of age are heavy drinkers. Among drinkers only, 32% of under age compared to 24% of legal age are heavy drinkers.

Research from the early 1980s until the present has shown a continuous decrease in drinking and driving related variables which has parallel the nation's, and also university students, decrease in per capita consumption. However, these declines started in 1980 before the national 1987 law which mandated states to have 21 year old alcohol purchase laws.

The decrease in drinking and driving problems are the result of many factors and not just the rise in purchase age or the decreased per capita consumption. These include: education concerning drunk driving, designated driver programs, increased seat belt and air bag usage, safer automobiles, lower speed limits, free taxi services from drinking establishments, etc.

While there has been a decrease in per capita consumption and motor vehicle crashes, unfortunately, during this same time period there has been an INCREASE in other problems related to heavy and irresponsible drinking among college age youth. Most of these reported behaviors showed little change until AFTER the 21 year old law in 1987. For example from 1982 until 1987 about 46% of students reported "vomiting after drinking." This jumped to over 50% after the law change. Significant increase were also found for other variables: "cutting class after drinking" jumped from 9% to almost 12%; "missing class because of hangover" went from 26% to 28%; "getting lower grade because of drinking" rose from 5% to 7%; and "been in a fight after drinking" increased from 12% to 17%. All of these behaviors are indices of irresponsible drinking. This increase in abusive drinking behavior is due to "underground drinking" outside of adult supervision in student rooms and apartments were same age individuals congregate and because of lack of knowledge of responsible drinking behaviors.

Based upon the fact that our current prohibition laws are not working, the need for alternative approaches from the experience of other, and more ancient cultures, who do not have these problems need to be tried. Groups such as Italians, Greeks, Chinese and Jews, who have few drinking related problems, tend to share some common characteristics. Alcohol is neither seen as a poison or a magic potent, there is little or no social pressure to drink, irresponsible behavior is never tolerated, young people learn at home from their parents and from other adults how to handle alcohol in a responsible manner, there is societal consensus on what constitutes responsible drinking. Because the the 21 year old drinking age law is not working, and is counterproductive, it behooves us as a nation to change our current prohibition law and to teach responsible drinking techniques for those who chose to consume alcoholic beverages.

(c)copyright, Ruth C. Engs, Bloomington, IN 1998
This opinion downloaded from http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/cqoped.html

A recently launched initiative by many university presidents calling for open discussion on lowering the drinking age is a threat to public health and safety, Mothers Against Drunk Driving leaders said Saturday in Dallas.

At its national conference at the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas, MADD hosted a panel discussion called "Why 21?" to discuss the movement to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18.

Discussion centered on the Amethyst Initiative, a statement launched in July and signed by 130 university presidents asking elected officials to reconsider the drinking age and seek ways to educate young adults on the uses of alcohol, according to its Web site.

Chuck Hurley, chief executive officer of MADD, said he believes that the initiative is little more than a cry for help by university presidents frustrated by their inability to get a handle on the problem of underage drinking on campuses.

"I think the initiative has become an embarrassment to the presidents who signed it." Mr. Hurley said.

MADD president Laura Dean-Mooney said the list of universities whose presidents have signed on to the initiative is useful for another reason - those are schools she won't allow her daughter to attend.

But Dr. Louis J. Agnese Jr., president of the University of the Incarnate Word and among those who signed the initiative, said the issue partly boils down to fairness. It's not fair that youths who are old enough to die for their country do not have the right to drink alcohol until age 21, he said in a prepared statement.

"An 18-year-old is allowed to vote, get married, enlist in the military and enroll in college because society accepts her or his ability to make decisions as an adult," he said. "We should be consistent and also respect their intellectual capacity to understand the responsibility that comes with drinking, just like we already do with voting, working, getting married, joining the military or attending college."

Ms. Dean-Mooney disagreed.

"This is not about rights and responsibilities," she said. "It's about public health and safety."

Mr. Hurley said that one of MADD's biggest challenges is presenting science to the public, because whatever data it offers is considered biased, Mr. Hurley said. He asked attendees to encourage medical professionals and scientists to present their findings to the public.

Francisco Portilla, MADD volunteer from Puerto Rico has three sons and says it is an uphill battle educating them about alcohol. Mr. Portilla said he and his wife constantly tell their sons not to drink and drive.

"If it were me, I would raise it to 25," he said.

Some Points

• Since the early 1980s, the number of young people killed annually in crashes involving drunken drivers under 21 has been cut in half, from more than 5,000 in the early 1980s to nearly 2,000 in 2005, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.



• In a July 2007 Gallup poll, 77 percent of Americans say they would oppose a federal law that would lower the drinking age in all states to 18.



• Traffic crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens, and 28 percent of fatal traffic crashes involving teen drivers are alcohol-related, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.



• In 2006, about 10.8 million people ages 12 to 20 (28.3 percent) reported drinking alcohol in the past month. About 7.2 million (19 percent) were binge drinkers, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

SOURCE: Mothers Against Drunk Driving

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The table below records the minimum legal purchase ages both on- and off-premise and by beverage type (beer, wine and sprits). The World Health Organization defines on- and off-premise as follows:

On-premise retail sale refers to the selling of alcoholic beverages for consumption at the site of the sale, generally in pubs, bars, cafes or restaurants.

Off-premise retail sale refers to the selling of alcoholic beverages for consumption elsewhere and not on the site of sale. Off-premise sale takes place, for example, in state monopoly stores, wine shops, supermarkets, and petrol stations or kiosks, depending on the regulations of the country. (World Health Organization, 2004, p. 15)

The first number is for on-premise; the second for off-premise:

Albania
None
None

Algeria
18
18

Argentina
18
18

Australia
18
18

Austria
16/18 (see notes)
16/18 (see notes)
For distilled spirits, the age limit is 16 in three Federal States and 18 in six Federal States (there are nine Federal States in Austria). However, some Federal States differentiate by alcohol content, rather than by beverage type. Thus, drinks with an alcohol content of 12% ABV or more can only be consumed by individuals aged 18 and over, which therefore includes some wines and all mixtures containing spirits (e.g., alcopops, cocktails).

Azerbaijan
18
18

Bahamas
18
18

Belarus
18
18

Belgium
16 beer and wine.

18 for spirits.
None for beer and wine. 18 for spirits.

Belize
18
18

Bolivia
18
18

Botswana
18
18

Brazil
18
18

Brunei
Illegal
Illegal

Bulgaria
18
18

Burundi
16
16

Cambodia
None
None

Cameroon
18
21

Canada
18/19 (see notes)
18/19 (see notes)
18 in Manitoba, Alberta and Quebec. 19 in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon.

Cape Verde
18
18

Central African Republic
18
18

Chile
18
18

China, People's Republic of
18
18

China, Republic of (Taiwan)
18
18

Colombia
18
18

Comoros
None
None

Congo, Republic of
18
18

Costa Rica
18
18

Croatia
18
18

Cyprus
17
17

Czech Republic
18
18

Denmark
18
16

Dominican Republic
18
18

Ecuador
18
18

Egypt
18 for beer.

21 for wine and spirits.
18 for beer.

21 for wine and spirits.

El Salvador
18
18

Equatorial Guinea
None
None

Eritrea
18
18

Estonia
18
18

Ethiopia
18
18

Fiji
21
21

Finland
18
18

France
16, but 18 for spirits.
16, but 18 for spirits.

Gabon
None
None

Gambia
Illegal (18 for 5% non-Muslim population)
Illegal (18 for 5% non-Muslim population)

Georgia
16
16

Germany
16 for beer and wine. 18 spirits.
16 for beer and wine. 18 spirits.

Ghana
None
None

Greece
17
None

Guatemala
18
18

Guinea-Bissau
None
None

Guyana
18
18

Hungary
18
18

Iceland
20
20

India
18 to 25, depending on state.
18 to 25, depending on state.

Indonesia
21
21

Ireland
18
18

Israel
18
18

Italy
16
16

Jamaica
None
16

Japan
20
20

Kazakhstan
None
18

Kenya
18
18

Korea, Republic of (South Korea)
19
19

Kyrgyzstan
None
None

Latvia
18
18

Lesotho
18
18

Libya
Illegal
Illegal

Lithuania
18
18

Luxembourg
16
None

Malawi
18
18

Malta
16
16

Mauritius
18
18

Mexico
18
18

Micronesia
21
21

Morocco
None
16

Mozambique
18
18

Namibia
18
18

Netherlands
16, but 18 for spirits that have an ABV of over 15%.
16, but 18 for spirits that have an ABV of over 15%.

New Zealand
18
18

Nicaragua
19
19

Niger
18
18

Nigeria
18
18

Norway
18, but 20 for spirits defined as 22% ABV.
18, but 20 for spirits defined as 22% ABV.

Pakistan
Illegal (21 for non-Muslim population)
Illegal (21 for non-Muslim population)

Palau
21
21

Panama
18
18

Papua New Guinea
18
18

Paraguay
20
20

Peru
18
18

Philippines
18
18

Portugal
16
16

Russia
18
18

Samoa
18
18

Seychelles
18
18

Singapore
18
18

Slovenia
18
18

Solomon Islands
21
None

South Africa
18
18

Spain
18 (16 in Asturias)
18 (16 in Asturias)

Sri Lanka
18
18

Swaziland
0
18

Sweden
18
20, but 18 for beer with ABV of 3.5% or less

Switzerland
16/18, depending on the canton, for beer and wine.
18 in all cantons for spirits.

16/18, depending on the canton, for beer and wine.
18 in all cantons for spirits.

Thailand
18
18

Togo
None
None

Tonga
18
None

Trinidad and Tobago
18
18

Turkey
18
18

Turkmenistan
18
18

Uganda
18
18

Ukraine
18
18

United Kingdom
18 (see notes)
18
Beer and wine can be purchased on premise at 16 years of age if with a table meal and when accompanied by an adult aged 18 years or over.

United States
21
21

Uruguay
18
18

Vanuatu
18
18

Venezuela
18
18

Zambia
18
18

Zimbabwe
18
18

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