If we were to lower the drinking age to 18, or even (as in many European countries) have no drinking age in the United States, the result could be disasterous. The issue here is mostly cultural because a part of the rush that comes from doing drugs or drinking is the fact that it's illegal. You're beating the system, sticking it to "the Man." In France, where the drinking age is virtually non-existant, I have seen less alcohol/drug-caused injuries than in the States. Could Americans handle drinking a pint at each meal ? It's common in England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland to drink at lunch and after work. These people's bodies are adapted to the influx of alcohol. How are American livers responding ? As we all know, Russians drink vodka to numb their bodies from the cold. Would Americans be able to do that ?

I know that a lot of you will say "Hell yeah, we could." But the fact is that you probably can't. It's not in your culture and if the drinking age were wiped out overnight, it would be abused so much that it would lead to disaster. Although 18 years old would be the favourable drinking age, how would Americans react to this overnight change ? Maybe after a few years it would work, but I fear that if the drinking age were lowered, people would take advantage of it in a negative way because it would be easy to acquire. Why sneak out to get one when you can get two or more without being barred ?

"Alcohol is a controversial topic, a topic even the President of the United States thinks is important to address. The statistics stated in this speech are shocking. The United States has a bigger problem with drinking than most countries. Unlike most countries, the U.S. is one of only seven countries with the highest drinking age of 21. All other countries have a lower minimum drinking age ranging from 14 to 20, some with none at all (Hanson, 1). Statistics show that countries with the lower minimum drinking age actually have less alcohol-related car crashes. What statistics do not show is that the problem with the United States may not only be the drinking age of 21, but the way the U.S. handles the situation of alcohol and integrating it into our children’s lives."

That is a good point..I think the drinking age should have been 18 years of age. But if we did suddenly lower it, a lot of people who were unable to purchase alcohol, might abuse there new rights. I'm not entirely sure...

The fact that you can die for your country but you can't have a beer in it is sick and twisted if you ask me.

I am for lowering the drinking age and having more relaxed liquor laws. They can buy liquor at the supermarket in England! I want to as well.

I completely agree. We need fewer laws based on religion, and more laws based on reason.

Couldn't have been said better. Hear hear Tadpole.

I agree. But I don't see how liqour laws are religiously based.

Restriction on alcohol is something I actually tend to agree with; much moreso than smoking or marijuana. If marijuana is illegal, then it makes absolutely no sense for alcohol to be legal. As alcohol effects many more people negatively than smoking.

I probably get my ideas on alcohol more from personal experience. Alcohol can ruin people's lives, and more importantly I think is the lives of innocents around such people.

I don't think it should be illegal. But I think we should continue to have a drinking age limit. Although I'm not sure how much good it will do anyway, considering the minors that really want to drink will do so illegally. But I do think 18 is too young. Many 18 year olds are too immature to formulate decent drinking habits, and many more people will end up becoming alcoholics.

Of coarse the fact that someone can fight in a war yet not drink is rediculous. In this case, I personally would say raise the age limit that someone can join the military (or at least serve in an active combat zone). Although I do say this without regard to the possible outcomes as consequences. But who knows, maybe it would be something good for society.

The fact that liquor laws are based on religious ideals are simply seen Kat.

How does liquor affect the human body differently on Sunday Kat? It doesn't. Liquor is heavily restricted on "God's day of rest" and it is utter bullshit.

Well unless you're a binge drinker...I doubt even an alcoholic would drown themselves in alcohol before the Sunday morning service. But I haven't really been exposed to the idea that Christians want to restrict alcohol consumption on Sundays. It sounds kind of foreign to me. Most Americans drink. And most Americans are Christians. Please stop me if you catch something wrong here, but I don't think alcohol laws supported by a majority would be based on religion. Otherwise there would only be certain restrictions for the sabbath.

The point is you can't buy liquor in most states on Sunday because of God. That is insane. What next?? You can't buy liquor on Wednesday because of the flying spaghetti monster?

Ah, well see I was mostly unaware of that. And I'll have to agree with you on that point. Although I was mostly talking about the drinking age limit as this is what the thread is about and you guys brought up religion in response to the original post.