Two decades ago, the legal drinking age in the United States was raised to 21 because of the higher incidence of drunk driving accidents among teenagers. In every state with a higher legal drinking age, there was a significant drop in teenage driving fatalities.
But now there is a national movement to allow 18-year-olds to consume alcohol legally. Proponents (many of whom are college presidents and deans) say that it’s a given that teens drink, but when they have to do it illegally, it becomes a forbidden fruit they can’t resist. They buy liquor with fake IDs or have friends do it for them; they binge-drink because they don’t know where their next drink will come from. Critics of lowering the legal age say that teenagers do not have the self-discipline and sense of responsibility necessary to consume only one or two drinks, and the level of drunkenness in high schools and even middle schools would increase as seniors bought and distributed liquor for younger classmates. The American Medical Association is strongly against lowering the legal drinking age and states that alcohol is often a factor in fatal automobile crashes, homicide, suicide, date rape, and other leading causes of teen death and injury.
Parenting Teens Network reached out to our Parent Board and Teen Board and asked them their opinions about this newly invigorated discussion on the legal drinking age. Then we asked our expert, Stephen Wallace of SADD, to comment.
What the Teens Say …
“I don’t think the drinking age should be lowered. The fact is that teens will drink. Teens like to break the rules and step outside boundaries. We, as a society, should be thinking less in terms of what is legal and more towards giving ‘drinking’ teens a safer way out. Alcohol and safe-ride programs should be available at schools. I don’t think that teens should drink excessively. But there will always be that one day where you let go and have a sip, which turns into a can of booze. It will happen and America should be prepared.”
Lily M., age 18
Tracey Adamowski, IA 10/08/08
I do not think that binge drinking has anything to do with the drinking age, but rather with many other ills in our culture - too much stress/pressure, lack of family time (and not driving from one activiity to another, but rather real, quality time), bad examples set by adults using alcohol and media examples of poor choices with positive rewards to the characters or stars, etc... How about college's doing more to provide non-alcohol events - starting with "tailgating". If that shocks you then I would say that is EXACTLY what I mean about this being a cultural problem!
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