College Heads Unite to Debate Drinking Age

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I'm 21 and a first year college student at a major university. I think that the drinking age should be lowered. Once you turn 21, the "fun" of it wears off. You're not doing anything illegal anymore and you don't have that rush that you could get caught. I personally think that the drinking age should be lowered to 16 and the driving age raised to 18. That way, your crazy get drunk all the time years are done before you can get behind the wheel. Oh, and Rachel... drinking in high school doesn't get in the way. I did it and graduated with honors at the top of my class of 400 and got into a highly credited university after taking two years off.

Claire of AL 6:25PM April 15, 2009

I'm a middle school student researching this for health and i find that 21 should stay the leagal age. this way students finishing their last year of high school and possibly the most important wont fail and not get into better college. i say we keep it at 21. who is it hurting

rachel petersen of WI 11:37AM March 17, 2009

I am 17 and have never drank, never will drank, and don't like it when others my age drink. THe problem is that most teens think that the only way to have fun is to be drunk. Wrong! but by making it legal then those who actually follow the rules will now be found wasting thier lives away will the bottle.

hu of LA 11:54AM March 12, 2009

satbesa(sat-beah-sah)noun. beer only found in the marianas.
I think that the legal age for drinking alochol should be lowered to 18 because in the age of 18 most students or young adults start having desire to get wasted, get crunked, and just party hard. my main point is why can't the legal age be lowered to 18? whats the problem? is it because most death involves alchohol and parents/leader's starts to feel that the youth population is decreasing? i bet even george w. bush drank before the legal drinking age. i think the age can be lowered if the person who's drinking have the responsiblity of his or her action and how can teen's experienced the effects of the
SATBESA if they had to wait for the legal drinking age.

marcil taimanao 7:02PM December 03, 2008

Lowering the Drinking Age,will kill. This sounds like the "Predators",have found another way to try to lower the standards of our "Society". Leave the "Young People",out of this "Drinking". No good can come from this. Wait until someone "Kills", the one you love.Then you will change your Tune.Wanna Bet? Maybe you need to have A Higher Power in your Life.

sisgilbo of NC 6:54PM September 29, 2008

"If our country is going to agree that an 18 year old is adult enough to enlist in the service, vote in elections, and run for certain public offices, then it is hypocritical to say that same individual is too immature to drink responsibly." I fully agree. I think that kids are going to drink by the age of 21 if they're going to drink at all. If they're legally considered adults at 18, they should be able to drink legally. Also, the sooner they learn their limits the better. And although not all teenagers will live with their parents after 18, kids that age are more likely to have parental input and guidance, which may help them make better decisions.
There is still a stigma attached to drinking - the age requirement of 21 reflects that, but it also makes being able to drink a much bigger deal (whether it's legal or not). Kids will still fool around and be kids, but reducing the age would hopefully give them less of a reason to sneak around. Being treated like adults might help them act accordingly.

laurie of GA 12:32PM September 18, 2008

no person under the age of 21 will be able to get their so called drinking rights unless you raise the age of driving to either 18 0r 19 and that you have a no tollarance policy in the United states for driving drunk just like some countries in Europe have it. A first offense is around $25,000 mandatory. the second offense would be having your license suspended indefinitely with no questions asked.

of IL 10:50AM September 17, 2008

I didn't drink in high school or college. Neither did a lot of my friends. Not ALL kids do. :-) I was even fairly popular in school, so it wasn't that my not drinking led me to be a social outcast. I hardly even party now as an adult. My parents allowed us to have wine with dinner, etc. so it was never a forbidden fruit. I think that parents can do a lot to help teens drink responsibly.

Sarah of MD 10:02AM September 17, 2008

Your comment is as dumb as saying "ALL" 13 years should be able to drive because they ALL have been behind a steering wheel long enough to understand how it works. Or how about this thought how about as a society we state that women and/or men who have raped or molest someone shouldn't go to jail ever because they know better! Assumptions I guess really do need an ASS to get their point heard! Drinking Age should b 21 periond end dot! Just because you choose to join the Military don't mean you should be able to drink because that person chose that as a career.

Honesty of TX 10:57AM September 16, 2008

I think that the legal age for drinking should be lowered as stated above at 18 you can go to a federal prison and be charged and treated as an adult. If a teen ager is not expendable to adult responsibilities than juvenile hall should except inmates up to the age of 21. "Besides by the time your 21 you should be some what established who has time to get a adult id to drink I myself cant get my ID cause i work 7-4 the dmv hrs are 8 to 4. If I was able to drink right out of high school I would have had a whole summer atleast to get my ID and become a responsible drinker before moving on to college or work.

HogG DadDy of RI 12:13PM September 10, 2008