States Consider Lowering Drinking Age
Joshua August 28th, 2008
Debate over lowering the drinking age is heating up in several states, fueled in part by legislators who contend that men and women who are old enough to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan are responsible enough to buy alcohol legally.
Legislation introduced in Kentucky, Wisconsin and South Carolina would lower the drinking age for military personnel only. A planned ballot initiative in Missouri would apply to everyone 18 and older. An initiative in the works in South Dakota would allow all 19- and 20-year-olds to buy low-alcohol beer.
Vermont’s legislature is considering a task force to study the issue. A Minnesota bill would allow anyone 18 and older to buy alcohol in bars or restaurants, but not in liquor stores until they’re 21.
“There’s a public interest in reopening this debate … and the idea is picking up steam” says John McCardell, a former president of Vermont’s Middlebury College who founded Choose Responsibility. The non-profit group supports allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to drink legally after they complete an alcohol education program.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says laws setting the drinking age at 21 have cut traffic fatalities involving drivers ages 18-20 by 13%. “We welcome the attention to the drinking age,” says MADD CEO Chuck Hurley. “The data is in fact overwhelming.”
Those laws haven’t ended underage drinking, says state Sen. Hinda Miller, who wants a task force to study the issue and report to Vermont’s legislature next year. “I want to start talking about it,” she says.
Maybe the laws have not ended underage drinking, however, if the law is lowering drunk driving that is well enough. To many people die from drunk drivers. If the age is going to be lowered, drunk driving laws should be harsher. Life in prison, for instance, would be a good law fro drunk driving. If you disagree go fuck yourself. Peace