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theabortionator
April, 2025

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Should the drinking age be lowered?

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Skier1478
Posts: 188 - Karma: 68
Well, here we go at my 5th attempt at making a better than complete shit thread.
Inb4 Super shitty thread

Anyway,
I'm currently doing a research paper on this and wanted to know what the opinions of NSG are. Should  the US drinking age (21) be lowered to 18 (or lower, whatever your opinion is.) ?

Discuss.

Hopefully this won't turn into a Spiderman thread like last time.
12 years ago
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Lt-Aldo-Raine
Posts: 2309 - Karma: 120
Best post so far.
12 years ago
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KANGAROOJACK
Posts: 361 - Karma: 59
Exactly, there would be a 1 month span where DUI's, deaths, and alcohol poisoning would run rampant, but then after that when everyone chills the fuck out I think it would be fine. America makes drinking into way too big of a deal, if were allowed to have a beer at 12 I think there would be a lot less drunken mishaps.
12 years ago
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,510
You should read my post about having to take classes and getting a license to buy alcohol at a younger age
12 years ago
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Lt-Aldo-Raine
Posts: 2309 - Karma: 120
I wonder how much deaths there would be the night they lower the drinking age, if that ever happens.
12 years ago
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Ac31stuff
Posts: 557 - Karma: 10
Haveing the drinking age at 21 doesn't stop kids from drinking so the law is stupid and unessesary. Also in Germany the drinking age for soft liquors like beer and wine is 16 and you don't have kids getting shitfaced at partys driving off a cliff
12 years ago
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
it would probably take closer to 10-20 years before there would be a change in culture...lol at 1 month....
12 years ago
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whipple
Posts: 1415 - Karma: 5,170
this
12 years ago
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Pancake_Fucker
Posts: 1852 - Karma: 1,989
I could drink fresh out of high school. I'm smart enough. You're generalizing and saying all 18 and 19 year olds aren't as mature as any 21 year olds. And with the military, it's not how similar they are that makes it relevant. It's the fact that you're willingly joining the army, and that has major risks too. But you aren't mature enough to have some beers?
12 years ago
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Skiingsnow
Posts: 1567 - Karma: 797
Yea what the actual fuck?

"Son, you're too young and irresponsible to drink. Here take this gun and go shoot some mother fuckers in another country instead."
12 years ago
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Lt-Aldo-Raine
Posts: 2309 - Karma: 120
What about when youre drunk are you still going to be mature?
12 years ago
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k-fred
Posts: 5363 - Karma: 1,598
its 18 here in quebec and were doing fine, idk if its because we are use to 18 but not a single person here would want it to be 21 or even 19.
12 years ago
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BertBoyd
Posts: 734 - Karma: 2,253
I think if they trust you with a car at 16, why not be able to drink at 18 when you become a official adult
12 years ago
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FreeskiThe603
Posts: 861 - Karma: 1,409
alright as much as i wouldnt mind the drinking age to be lowered i kind of think its good where its at. as much as kids still drink underage it does slightly (and i mean very minimally) diminish the number of teenagers drinking. now thinking about it 18 may not be bad. 18 is about the age that kids go of to college and i mean lets face it... theyre already gonna drink when they get to college so whats the problem
12 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 38030 - Karma: 128,863
I think If you can get sent off to war and shot at when you're 18, you should be able to buy a beer without hassle.
12 years ago
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
im not going to read any of the responses in this, ill just say my piece and leave

i think 18 is pretty fair. maybe for beer and wine, 19 for liquor? idk. 21 seems stupid though, Im so glad I didnt have to wait the extra 2 years. When i was 18 i cared a lot about this and thought it was outrageous that I couldnt legally drink at 18. then I turned 19 and now this issue doesnt matter at all to me. I really couldnt care less anymore haha

seeing as the policy makers are all legal to drink, they also probably dont really care as much as the 18 year olds do. so they dont do much about changing it. bigger fish to fry
12 years ago
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brosephstalin
Posts: 429 - Karma: 8
I live in the dorms.

Guns are okay, beer isn't.
12 years ago
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jc00
Posts: 92 - Karma: 75
i sincerely feel so sorry for you americans having to wait til 21. I thought 18 was long, fuuuuuaaarrr
12 years ago
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beezey
Posts: 9027 - Karma: 427
Awesome you are mature, now think of stereotypical kids. It's not about you it's about those dumbass kids who are going to hurt themselves or others irresponsibly, you get time to devolp after you get privileges of being 18.
12 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
yep. because of grade 13. they raised the drinking age to keep alcohol out of high schools. but now grade 13 no longer exists, they really should lower it back down to 18.



as for US. the perception that no one is mature enough at 18 or 19 simply stems from the fact that no one at that age really gets exposed to alcohol and thus goes crazy whenever they get the chance. if the drinking age is 18, or better yet 16, with very relaxed liquor laws in general then it leads to much more responsible drinking. In most provinces here in Canada parents are allowed to give drinks to their kids at any age in their own homes. from my experience those whose parents did let them try alcohol at younger ages and who weren't sticklers about it and try to protect them from it turned out much much more responsible towards alcohol at much younger ages.


absolutely the drinking age should be lowered. For beer and wine, it should be 16. for hard alcohol, 18.
12 years ago
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leninlover
Posts: 560 - Karma: 148
A family member of mine is a marine. His entire troop was diagnosed with PTSD upon returning from Afghanistan. He spoke of such a thing. Im not sure what you want me to say to his face?
12 years ago
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Funkadelic
Posts: 1967 - Karma: 391
I think it should be 18 or 19 to drink, but 21 to drink in a bar. But I don't really give a damn now that I'm 23.
12 years ago
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,510
one troop ≠ all marines
12 years ago
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leninlover
Posts: 560 - Karma: 148
Good god you have read nothing in this thread. Have you been ignoring all of the great posts regarding the reality of what actually happens in this country? People under 21 in this country drink anyway right? YES they do lol. So, what happens because their drinking is illegal? They drink in places where they wont get caught. What happens in these places? Well, they drink a lot more because finding these opportunities is rarer. Is there anyone who will stop them from consuming too much or cut them off when they are clearly drunken over their limit? NO. IS there anyone who will stop them from driving home? NO.

So, if drinking at 18 is legalized, will at least some of the drinking happen at public drinking establishments? Yes. Will this drinking be regulated? Yes. So, could there potentially be fewer accidents? Yes.

I think that rather than making the "Should we lower the drinking age?" question a yes, or no question, we have to think about it a little harder. That is because it isn't a yes or no question. There is no simple solution, but there are still accidents involving underage drinking, so there must be a better solution. Simply saying no, will get us nowhere.

We should teach kids more about drinking. Allow them to drink responsibly in public places. Maybe regulate what type of liquor they drink. Regulate where they drink. Allow for more school sponsored drinking events, where kids can only drink certain amounts and in places where their car keys will be taken. Either way their is probably a better answer then just teaching kids to abstain.


12 years ago
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leninlover
Posts: 560 - Karma: 148
He said the same about every troop he knew of. Please, will you find me the website that proves otherwise?
12 years ago
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,510
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5334479/ns/health-mental_health/t/returning-soldiers-suffers-ptsd/ 2nd thing on goggle inb4 "that's not they marines that's the army there is a huge difference." you said 100% just admit it was a dumb Statistic you pulled out of your ass.
12 years ago
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leninlover
Posts: 560 - Karma: 148
Article is from 2004. Just admit that you didn't do your research.
12 years ago
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,510
so what your saying that in less then ten years it went from 1 in 8 to 100%. You are wrong I won you lost get over it.
12 years ago
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k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,892
that's the last thing the world needs, younger drunker americans.
seriously though i think it should be lowered. i recently turned 21, and the only good thing about it is that now i can drink all over the world, instead of everywhere in the world except america. what's up with that, america? you can send your kids off to fight a war but you can't give em a beer? dildos.
12 years ago
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leninlover
Posts: 560 - Karma: 148
lol you're fumbling tonight bub. 1 out of 8 is still a very high number. And do you not realize how much has changed in 8 years anyway? Any little bit of psychological research could have told military psychiatrists that every Marine war vet gets frightened when he hears a loud bang back home in merica. I hold by my statistic. Do the world a favor and don't ever join a debate team.
12 years ago
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,510
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2012/11/11/veterans-day-post-traumatic-stress-disorder/1698281/ from 2 days ago 10-20% I'm not saying its not a big deal because it is I'm telling your full of shit because its not 100%. you still lose good day sir.
12 years ago
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,468
drinking age should be lowered. no way around that really. my parents let me have sips of beers and a little glass of wine and what not when we visit europe as a kid. i really never felt the desire to just go get blackout drunk as a youngish teen. i still dont and i know my limit very well, easy enough to breed a little restraint.
12 years ago
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Gnarbangalakazoo
Posts: 561 - Karma: 262
I think 16 for bear and wine, 18 for anything harder. Similar to Europe.
12 years ago
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homestar
Posts: 2124 - Karma: 4,197
Even if the age isn't lowered, something needs to be changed. It's a law that nearly everybody breaks.
12 years ago
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Jeebus.
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 5,823
Uh Oh
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12 years ago
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MANDER
Posts: 4017 - Karma: 2,038
Click for larger image
12 years ago
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Sit
Posts: 177 - Karma: 293
Not really, over here in NZ, it's pretty established we have a fucking bad binge drinking culture, and the age is 18. I spent a year in the UK, and it's better but not much, and thats 18 as well.

In Europe it's far more chilled out, but I think thats purely because of their attitude towards it. Those attitudes have led to their laws, and you aren't going to change the culture by lowering the age (but if in the US you cannot legally have a beer underage with our parents then thats pretty wack).
12 years ago
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fujarome
Posts: 8630 - Karma: 1,561
oh alright, that makes it legit. Everyone knows that as long as you drink high class alcohol, nothing bad can ever happen.

What is your high class alcohol?



The only way I'd support the drinking age being lowered is if it effected the driving age as well. One goes down, the other goes up. The last thing the US should do is grant the ability to purchase alcohol to it's youngest, least experienced drivers.
12 years ago
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Funnel
Posts: 7818 - Karma: 1,590
The drinking age should absolutely be 18 in America, it was in some states for awhile. However, there is no going back now because we have been educated improperly. Thanks MADD, you've done nothing but endorse stupid legislation that doesn't really help save lives, but promotes immaturity and stupid drinking when someone is of age.
12 years ago
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canudoa9
Posts: 382 - Karma: 99
it would have been better early on to have it be 18, but now we are stuck. what should be changed though is how parents handle the topic of alcohol with their kids. i think that it should be a more normal practice to have wine or beer with dinner starting when your kids are perhaps 12 or 13, which many forget is legal. its not so much that the law is messed up or should be changed, because either way, 18 year olds are still going to drink. the major cultural shift needs to be in respecting alcohol from an early age, learning how to (in most cases) drink in moderation, and the only solution i see is to start from an early age. we need to get this latent protestant bullshit out of our culture
12 years ago
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Zimmerman
Posts: 6992 - Karma: 1,021
The damage is done.
12 years ago
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7springsprod
Posts: 2661 - Karma: 3,181
Winner, winner
12 years ago
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disastertourism
Posts: 2402 - Karma: 135
I'm from the UK, and binge drinking here is a massive problem. Especially where I'm from (Geordie Shore anyone) and even though underage drinking is a massive issue, I still think the drinking age should be lower, all over the western world.

I feel it should be 15/16 for drinks under lets say around 6%, 18 years for drinks up to 15% and over 20/21 for spirits.

People end up a lot less fucked up drinking some beers because it takes so much longer to get drunk, so you feel yourself gradually getting more drunk.
It's so hard to get totally wasted on beer because of the sheer quantity you have to drink.

I think there'd be a lot less issues if people learned to drink responsibly for a younger age, rather than waiting outside an off license and getting a crack heard to buy them a bottle of vodka, which they'd then down and suddenly be paralytic.

I've lived in different European countries where the drinking age has a similar laws and there do seem to be a lot less 15-19 year olds passed out in the snow.

12 years ago
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k-fred
Posts: 5363 - Karma: 1,598
totally false... you can get wasted as fast with a beer bong or simply by shotgunning your beer one after the other. people saying '' beer and wine for 16 and hard alcohol for 21+'' this is invalid, if someone want to get wasted they will no matter what kind of alcohol they are drinking.
12 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
that's because NZ has that small town syndrome. Where hard drug use, fucking your neighbour, and drinking is much higher than anywhere else. Also a high aboriginal population.
12 years ago
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Zimmerman
Posts: 6992 - Karma: 1,021
ding ding ding
12 years ago
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
good luck shotgunning 10 beers in the amount of time it would take to put down 10 shots
12 years ago
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theabortionator
Posts: 52522 - Karma: 173,225
They should just make the age of adulthood 21.


Calling somebody an adult, but saying they don't have the rights and responsibilities that come along with being an adult is just stupid. It seems hypocritical. You're an adult, but we're going to make all these uneccessary laws to make sure that you don't have to deal with anything that comes along with being an adult.


I'm not saying that someone at 18 is as mature as they'll ever be, but to be the word adult means something.


I mean hell, they give idiots the keys to cars at 16 and most people fucking blow at driving, especially that age. They are driving a giant piece of metal down the road running into people. That's totally fine, but somebody having a beer or two is going to stop the world from turning.


Also as far as the driving thing. I wish instead of blindly enforcing speeding and other violations to make their quota of money they would actually do a real job as police. Go after the people driving in the rain or night with no headlights. Go for the girl swerving back and forth while putting on her makeup and changing her ipod. I'm much more concerned about people like that than somebody driving 10 miles an hour over a ridiculously slow speed limit.


I mean 55 on some interstates? Are you kidding me? It's a fucking straight road built for 75-85.

If you want to have the government intervene in shit. I wish they'd get out of a bunch of what they're doing and do something helpful with driving. Start going after reckless drivers, reckless doesn't have to have anything to do with speeding, but shitty careless drivers. If somebody get's a few tickets for driving horribly they should have to take a class and then pass a new test to get back on the road. I wouldn't care if everyone had to take a driving test every few years. The shitty people on the roads are literally killing people.

/half related half unrelated rant.
12 years ago
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dan1080
Posts: 1293 - Karma: 913
sounds like Massachusetts
12 years ago
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DILLINGER
Posts: 970 - Karma: 1,102
I grew up in Switzerland, where you have to be 16 to drink wine & beer, 18 to drink the stronger stuff.

I find the American system somewhat ridiculous to be honest. One thing I always say is that people should learn to handle their drink before they learn to handle a car. NOT the other way round.
12 years ago
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k-fred
Posts: 5363 - Karma: 1,598
well shotgunning 10 beer in 10 mins and drinking 10 shots in 2mins, you'll still get drunk in a little amount of time.anyway, here its 18 to drink any kind of alcohol and most of the kids still get drunk with beer so hard alcohol or beer? it doesnt matter
12 years ago
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