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WHY would you ever want to go out and get drunk or party all night. Come on there is more to life then drinking. I just want to let you guys no that there is no reason you should start drinking and 16 or 17 or ever as a mater of fact. All you are doing is damageing your brain and throwing away your life.
A worried teenager

I think the drinking age should be 16 with parents present, and 18 for any other time. Letting people drink at age 16 only with their parents will guarantee that parents (who typically frown upon massive consumption) are the people that expose youth to alcohol for the first two years. Doing this will get youth into good habits by the time they turn 18. Plus, the "part of the brain that is still developing until age 25" argument for the 21 drinking age is an exaggeration of the truth. People who grew up in the states where the drinking age was lower do not show any signs of any body malfunction directly as a result of drinking at these lower ages. This indicates that alcohol does not cause as much damage on the developing brain as the youth prohibitionists say it does.

i ve been drinking a lot more responsibly now that i'm 21 and do it mostly at bars than before, when i got hammered at house parties and the like.

"Any people that would give up liberty for a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." - Thomas Jefferson

"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves." - William Pitt in the House of Commons November 18, 1783

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" - Patrick Henry

"Posterity, you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that ever I took half the pains to preserve it." - John Adams

"Guard jealously your liberty, suspect anyone who even approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve your liberty except downright force. And whenever you give up that force, you are ruined!"
- Patrick Henry

Perhaps some of you have forgotten your history and why this country was founded. It is freedom, and not safety that we should push for. People need to start taking responsibility for themselves and there actions, and not rely on the government to protect them and decide what is best for them. If safety is what you want, then move. There are plenty of countries that are more than willing to tell you what is best for you.

Wait a minute, America is supposed to be a free country, yet we are the only country that has a 21 year minimum drinking age...

The drinking age doesn't need to be reduced to 18, the drinking laws need to be changed completely.
There should be a public drinking age of 18, and a private or supervised drinking age of 12. This way, children can be taught how to drink socially and responsibly from a young age, so alcohol isn't such a mystery and there would be less attraction or desire to bing drink when they turn 21 with there college buddies. Children need to be taught how to drink responsibly by there parents, and not by some irresponsible college buddies. And, parents shouldn't have to worry about criminal charges because they choose to raise there children properly.

"Research estimates that from 1975-2002 more than 21,000 lives have been saved. Hard to argue with that!"

Yet I'm sure you would reject a drinking age of 25. Surely that would save even more lives, would it not? I feel you simply want as many people to die as possible, otherwise you would support such a measure.

There is a lot of evidence that the brain does the majority of growth and development from birth through age 21. That, as far as I can tell, is the best excuse for having the drinking age be 21.

Additionally, for all those that say that people who are allowed to sign contracts and marry and all that hoop-la-la might want to consider a few things. Such as:

1) Lower the drinking age, lower the age at which children begin to drink. Right now it is mostly high school. Lower the age to 18 and it will be middle schoolers with alcohol problems (not that we don't already have that problem).

2) It may not be a bad idea to have a system that steps up the amount of responsibility on your plate. At 16 you can drive, at 18 you can vote and enter into legal contract, and 21 you can take your life into your hands (as well as the lives of those around you).

3) The standard rule of "21 to Drink" hasn't stopped millions of teens from drinking daily for the past couple of decades, if not longer. Why such a fuss?

4) For a minor, marijuana is easier to obtain than alcohol. Maybe we are focused on the wrong subject.

On a personal note: I know a woman that drank a LOT before turning 21. She's, oh, 25+ now, and only just realized that signaling for a turn is the law and you can be pulled over and even given a ticket if you don't obey it. Let that soak in before you stamp any bill that lowers the drinking age.

very true. In Europe there is significantly less binge drinking and alcohol related deaths simply because drinking is accepted in the home. teenagers dont feel the need to go all out and get tanked just because they have limited opportunities to do so.

heck yes. that way any of the 18 year olds who are old enough to make their decision will decide their own fate if they choose to drink and die.

weeds out the herd early. this is good.

At age 18 people can participate in legalized prostitution(porn). But not have a cold one on a hot summer day or after a long day's work? Where is the justice in this? Oh, I almost forgot we live in a police state. Worry about yourself and take responsibility for your actions whether they wise or not! Vote Libertarian!

I'm curious -- not that this makes a difference to the argument, I suppose -- but how many of you folks who are saying "I can fight and be killed in the Army, but I can't take a drink" actually are IN the Army, or will join when you turn 18? Because it's a comically silly argument to be making from your dorm room.

18 is the age of majority. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. Simply cause it saves lives that doesn't mean it's the right thing, or moral, or just, or even constitutional.

If I can take a bullet in my gut and Die face down in the sand at 18 but I can't take a drink at 18 I mean really. I'm good enough to die and kill for you but not old enough to drink

that at age 18 I am forced to register for the draft. That if I commit first degree murder the state can legally kill me. But if I want to go into most bars (not even drink, but simply walk in). What is the law saying when it can punish you to it's fullest extent but you have yet to get full privileges.

And yet, while we disagree on many issues, I've got your back on this one, Kansas Girl.

Mark this date on the calendar — and hope for more of them.

Cheers! (literally ... burp!)

Jim

My man, The Big Klosowski! (A drinking nickname if I ever heard it. Right up there with Old School's "Frank the Tank.")

Great points -- both the "old enough to fight for my country but can't have a beer" and the European Way (just about the only time you'll ever find me praising the "European Way.")

Cheers, my friend. I can drink to that!