Should the United States Drinking Limit Be Lowered to 18 Years Old?

Recently a number of college presidents have started an imitative to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18 years old. Their request is based on what claim is a current rise in teenage drinking. These college professionals believe that if the drinking age was lowered to 18, then the appeal of drinking large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time will be reduced. This belief is based on the idea that taking the 'law breaking' appeal away will reduce the appeal.

There are many arguments for and against the lowering of the drinking age. Why does the United States have many different ages at which someone is deemed responsible? For instance being able to drive at 16, being able to vote at 18, being able to join the military at 18 and being able to drink at 21? When I entered the military at 18 I was not able to drink in some states. I was able to drink on base in California. I was not able to drink in Massachusetts even when I was of age because I didn't have a Mass driver's license and they did not recognize a federal military ID (that's another story). If someone is mature enough to be in the military they should be able to drink. I do not believe that mean alls 18 years should be allowed to drink, but military members should be able to on military establishments.

If it was not against the law to drink under the age of 21 would binge drinking still exist? Of course binge drinking would exist and it would exist at the same quantity if not more as it does now. People do not binge drink because they want to break the law. They drink because they are releasing steam and WANT to get drunk. They most likely will regret it in the morning. We (us older generations) did our share of binge drinking when the legal drinking age was 18. Moreover, wouldn't this make the 18 year old freshmen binge drink?

Should a law be revoked just because people are not obeying it? Of course not, studies have shown that since the drinking age was raised, traffic accidents have decreased dramatically. The highways are safer due to these drinking laws. If only everyone could put down the text messages and cell phones while driving I might feel safe.

All too often I hear the argument that there is no drinking age in Europe and overseas. Many times in my travels I have heard sayings like "you will never see a drunken Frenchman." This is supposedly due to the idea that they have been drinking their whole life and have grown accustomed to it. Well, whoever said that statement has never been over to Europe. Granted most Europeans can drink me under the table. I also do not mean to generalize an entire continent, but Europeans are just like anyone else. They get drunk just like we do. I have seen many drunken Frenchmen passed out in the park in France. They are just as susceptible to the affects of alcohol as everyone.

I feel these university presidents are feeling the trouble of having to police and enforce these laws. With raising tuition and housing costs, they might be feeling the pressure of having to pay for the university police force and increased insurance costs. If the law was reduced to 18 years old, these universities will have much lower insurance costs and will not be open to liable and wrongful death lawsuits.