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College Presidents Call for Lower Drinking Age
College presidents from one hundred colleges and universities around the country are calling for a national debate on lowering the drinking age from twenty-one back to eighteen. Known as the Amethyst Initiative, their collective claim is the legal age requirement for drinking is not working at twenty-one, and is the major cause for the dangerous culture of binge drinking among college students. One problem seems to stem from the practice students have developed where they "tank up" (i.e., drink as much as possible) before going out to places where they won't be legally served. Some claim having it be illegal for so long during a typical four-year college period makes it hard to have any official dialog when the students would have to admit they are breaking the law in order to participate.
Opponents to lowering the age claim all it would do is move the problem down the line and make it a bigger issue in high school and general society again. They also bring up statistics showing a drop in alcohol related deaths since the drinking age was raised. Other recent studies show there is a possible tie between the atmospheres and cultures certain colleges are known to have that create an enabling and attracting environment for binge drinking behavior.
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3 Nerd-Its
Logic..
The reasoning for the assignment of the age of 21 has almost legendary roots, but the real reason is simply this: A person’s brain does not stop developing until his or her early to mid-20s. Over consumption of alcohol while the brain is still developing can lead to long-lasting deficits in cognitive abilities, including learning and memory.
Here are some interesting facts from the CDC website:
- 11% of alcohol is consumed by ages 12-20; 90% of which is consumed in Binge Drinking.
- 45% drank some amount of alcohol.
- 26% binge drank.
- 11% drove after drinking alcohol.
- 29% rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.
- In 2005, there were more than 145,000 emergency rooms visits by youth 12 to 20 years for injuries and other conditions linked to alcohol.
It is a fact that many rights and privileges all have different ages of initiation. For Example, You can get a hunting license at age 12 (but can hunt before then), a fishing license at age 16 (some states have Jr. Licenses--but no license is required until those ages are met), I can drive at 16 with a full license but with someone else as a supervisor as young a 15 in some states. I must be 25 to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives , but for U.S. President, I must be 35. Other regulated rights include the sale and use of tobacco, and legal consent for sexual intercourse in states where prostitution is legal. Vendors, such as car rental facilities and hotels, also have set the minimum age for a person to use their services—25-years-old to rent a car and 21-years-old to rent a hotel room.
However, this said, I am still a supporter of a Drinking Age of 18. Why, you might ask? Several reasons.
- I learned at a very early age about responsibilities associated with various things--guns, alcohol, driving, etc. Consequently, I've made my choices based on that instruction. While I will admit to more than one instance of drinking FAR too much--I also have never driven after consuming more than 2 drinks--EVER. Unlike the socio/psycho pundits out there, I do believe that you can instruct your children on responsibility and they will learn from it.
- People are no more responsible at 21 than they are at 18, if they haven't been instructed in responsibility. It's not something that appears magically at a certain age like puberty.
- The Brain Development argument doesn't hold water if drinking is done in moderation. Aren't we complaining now about overweight kids? In perspective, this is far more frightening to me.
- At 18, I am allowed to marry, take out most kinds of loans (not sure about mortgages), or serve in the military without Parental Consent.
- My biggest reason--and one that arguably carries MORE responsibility with it: I can VOTE at 18.
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What are they thinking? by Eye.Of.Sage :: NR6 :: Show
Okay, two major reason why college kids drink under 21. Or so I think...
1. The school doesn't try to stop it.
What I mean by that is: Yeah sure the school prohibits alcohol in the dormitory, but they don't care what happens outside[in the frat house party for example]. Therefore, the school should then take actions and make the fraternity and sorority houses as part of campus property. Stopping alcohol at one of its main source and will largely decrease the chance of a student finding alcohol.
2. The whole American Culture somehow indirectly encourage the consumption of alcohol as a essential part of socializing in the norm. And with generic media movies keep portraying colleges with alcohol and sex, no wonder incoming students think college is all about these kind of stuff.
And don't blame it on the school work either. School work is annoying, not depressing. Therefore alcohol consumption due to depression is not a valid excuse. So schools should stop making excuses, spend a little money, and fix their school.