Should the US Drinking Age be Lowered to 18?

The current U.S. drinking age of 21 is not working, according to more than 100 college and university presidents. They have signed a statement calling for a public debate to rethink and lower the drinking age to 18:

"Kids are going to drink whether it's legal or illegal," said Johns Hopkins President William R. Brody, who supports lowering the drinking age to 18. "We'd at least be able to have a more open dialogue with students about drinking as opposed to this sham where people don't want to talk about it because it's a violation of the law." [...]

Several students interviewed yesterday at Johns Hopkins said lowering the drinking age could reduce binge drinking. "I think alcohol is seen, a lot of times, as a forbidden thing, and people want it," said Jamie Hittman, 20, a junior from Columbia. "It's almost like contraband. Once you get it, you have to drink all of it."

Katie Buckheit, 19 and also a junior, said if people were exposed to drinking at a younger age, they would be more mature about it. "Maybe I'm being idealistic, but in Europe you can drink once you can see the bar," she said. "I think we should maybe take a lesson from
what other countries are doing."

But Laura Kranish, an 18-year-old sophomore from Silver Spring, said students would drink as much they do no matter what the drinking age is.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-te.md.drink19aug19,0,3214922.story

What do you think? Should the drinking age in the US be lowered to 18? Would that help reduce binge drinking or lead to higher alcohol-related accidents?


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i grew up tasting alcohol my father was having a beer he would let me sip it (im 19 and i brew my own beer) its not very hard anyone with half a brain can make their own beer at home so getting drunk without buying alcohol in a store isn't a problem i think the problem is people who grow up not having alcohol and then all of sudden in college they see alcohol lets binge that probly causes problems

theirs my 2 cents
ps i live in Israel and the drinking age is 18 there
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When peope are treated like adults, and able to drink in establishments where good behaviour is expected, they will rise to the occasion and drink responsibly.
When drinking is outlawed, people will drink to get drunk, at woodsies or house parties, and act irresponsibly.
Here in Australia, 18 year olds go to the pub, and for the most part behave themselves. The goal is to spend time with friends, not to get smashed.
And to counter the MADD people argument about drunk driving, just get a few more random breath tests on the road. That will get drunks off the road fast than a dumb drinking age.
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no way should they lower the age of drinking. teenagers already bust their butts off to get alcohol and we still have many drunk-driving accidents and over the limit problems. If you give more teenagers easy access then they can get it easily and abuse the privlidge easily. It's a terrible idea and some day people will come to relize it!
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Honestly, I was in favor of it but then I put aside the hype and I think its best if it is kept at 21. There are lots more kids who don't get booze but want it - maybe the kids who dont go to parties or whatever. And imagine all the drunk kids on the roads! THey think they are invincible and will be drunk doing dangerous things, more importantly, endangering other people.

I am 18 and I feel it should be kept at 21.
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It's all part of the all knowing nanny state at work.
Drinking age, seat belt & helmet laws, no trans fats or smoking in restaurants. Many of these regulations are made by unelected civil service bureaucrats.

Somebody knows better than you what's good for you. Just not you.

THIS is the creeping fascism everyone should be afraid of.
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