Comments on: Simple Solutions: Underage Drinking

by: SG

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 06:25:12 +0000

joeee says “…kids wanna go get drunk or stoned not because its a rebeling thing its because we have social pressure to do it.” When did the two become mutually exclusive? Can’t there be peer pressure to “rebel” and/or ignore unpopular laws?

But the main point is that if too many kids want to drink too much, you can’t fix the problem by raising the legal drinking age. In fact, it makes it worse because we force the drinking underground where we have no ability to monitor it, much less control it. Yes, alcohol is just one small part of the “sex, drugs, and rock’n'roll” formula but as with all ideological wars, efforts to legislate responsible behavior are worse than useless.

Of course we could always engage in a bit of parsing…. If the problem is defined as people consuming alcohol before they have reached the legal age, then you do solve the problem by lowering the drinking age. If that sounds a bit silly, it’s deliberate. The problem is not underage drinking. The problem is people who drink too much and endanger others, regardless of their age.

by: joeee

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:10:46 +0000

lowering the drinking age is not a solution to the problem, the problem is a social problem kids wanna go get drunk or stoned not because its a rebeling thing its because we have social pressure to do it. i am in my second year in college and i feel you need to look at the music that we listen to and other social pressures

P.S. i still drink

by: Peetie

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:50:18 +0000

there is no point to a drinking age because if kids wanna drink they will find a way

by: Minor

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:34:54 +0000

Being a high school student, i feel the pressure to drink. I believe that if the drinking age is once again lowered to 18, there will be far less fatalities and accidents. I also live in Colorado where the laws are way strict.

by: Call me Joe

Tue, 31 May 2005 03:34:50 +0000

It is an interesting idea. I always thought that the 21 drinking age and the 55mph speed limit was unconstitutional. Well you probably know in Colorado if they catch you providing alcohol to a kid under 21 they are going to pull YOUR drivers license! Stengazette ought to be required reading in the Statehouse.