Comments on: lower the drinking age? are you stoned?

By: Paul Welch

Paul Welch — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 05:19:06 +0000

The United States is one of only 4 countries in the world that has a drinking age of 21. Making it lower teaches kids at a younger age responsible drinking practices, unlike the current system which moves drinking to unsupervised areas such as dorms and private property.If people can fight and die in a foreign war, get married, sign a legally binding contract. then they should be allowed the privileged of drinking alcohol.

Many opponents of the lower drinking age state that traffic deaths will increase. An article from the American Economic Review challenges this notion and states that raising the drinking age to 21 actually did not raise deaths; taking into consideration that deaths have declined since the drinking age was raised due to better automotive safety and advances in medical technology.

By: Doug Faunt

Doug Faunt — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 01:20:37 +0000

Hi David,
I mean real second time, not a fake second time. And a year suspension isn’t a slap on the wrist. Just doing away with “legal chicanery” would be an improvement.

By: helen sudul

helen sudul — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:33:50 +0000

Just browsing. I live in Sacramento and 2 acciidents involving teens and alochol.
Was totally avoidable and it was in early am hours. 3 died.
It seems they they think the are invincible… So sad… Hollywood isnt helping. Lower
would only make it worse.

By: LPL

LPL — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 18:16:02 +0000

If the government thinks you’re old enough to die for your Country…then you should be old enough to drink.

By: david vartanoff

david vartanoff — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 21:28:47 +0000

Doug and all. The reason why I want revocation has to do with legal chicanery. Example, an acquaintance got busted for DUI. lawyer gets judge to slap wrist for ‘ist timer’. Second DUI bust, lawyer goes in to original court asks to have 1st case expunged, second time “on paper” becomes 1st time, wrist slapped again.

By: Doug Faunt

Doug Faunt — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:44:03 +0000

I’m just glad I’m not a parent. I think drinking, like driving and other high-risk behavior is best started under parental supervision, OTOH, my perception is that too many parents seem to have no feelings of responsibility for their childrens behavior, in any situation.

And, like David, I think DUI is not punished enough now. I’d give people a second chance, because our infrastructure makes license revocation (as opposed to suspension) a major punishment. A year of suspension would be a pretty good lesson.
After that, revocation would be fine.

Note, I spent the night in jail for DUI once, but did learn my lesson.

By: david vartanoff

david vartanoff — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:14:12 +0000

The 21 drinking age merely changes the fake ID and who buys for whom dynamics. If you can’t raise your kids to be smart enough to eschew binge drinking, how can you justify EVER letting them move away to school or work? I remember watching my step daughter consume a couple of beers when she left middle school, she rarely drinks at all at 38. OTOH DUI should be a mandatory license revocation and issuance of a transit pass, Second time HARD TIME.