Posted by lou9 on August 21, 2008 at 7:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

So these educated melonheads think that by lowering the drinking age it will eliminate binge drinking? What the hell are they teaching these kids in these colleges? They will continue to binge drink, only they would be able to legally buy alcohol. The colleges are just trying to cover their asses by reducing their liability. Binge drinking is an attitude not related to age. These university heads are dumber than a box of rocks.
The only persons under the age of 21 that should be allowed to drink are those in the military, and only if they do it at the club on post. They're laying their lives on the line for our freedom so I have no problem with that.

Posted by iceman1978 on August 21, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If you can be drafted at 18 you should be able to drink at 18. Otherwise they need to increase the draft age to 21.

Posted by mademoiselle16 on August 21, 2008 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with you Iceman. If you are old/mature enough to die for your country, then you are old/mature enough to drink.

Also, looking at this from a cultural stand point, America is really too conservative/prudish about a lot of things, including alcohol and sex. Because generally as a country and more specifically as parents, we don't want to talk about alcohol and sex, teenagers see these as being the "forbidden fruit" that they must try. Yes, wpc, it is a part of growing up. However, if as a culture we were more accepting of drinking and sex, and taught our children how to do both responsibly and introduced it to them at a young age, it would lessen the "forbiddeness" of it and lead to a decrease in the unhealthy and dangerous drinking habits of today's high school and college students. I don't mean that you should spike your baby's milk bottle, but I mean that parents should be comfortable drinking in front of their children at dinner, perhaps, and explain to them that alcohol isn't something bad (which makes that child want to experiment all the more)! For instance, in many European countries the drinking age is as low at 16. And the driving age is 18. Children as young as 14 start drinking wine at the family dinner table. Then, when they become old enough to drink, they have already been exposed to it and aren't going to go crazy in the bars at college. When I spent last summer in France, the only people that were at bars doing shot after shot and making drunken fools of themselves were Americans, because most of the kids weren't 21 yet and this was their first chance to legally drink, so of course they had to make up for lost time! The French students had been used to drinking legally for several years, and were taught "how to do it" in a safe, respectful way at home by their parents. They drink to socialize and enjoy food more, not to get drunk like kids do over here. If more American parents viewed drinking like the French, and the drinking age were lowered to allow this to fully take effect, then I would expect dangerous drinking episodes would actually decrease.

Posted by iceman1978 on August 21, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mademoiselle16, Exactly. I've drank since I was 13. I spent a great deal of my childhood and teen years growing up in Europe and it wasn't at all unusual to drink wine on Sundays with the family. It may dilluted a bit or may only be a small amount but kids often have wine on Sunday. We also have wine with communion at church.

I only drink for two reasons. If I'm having a nice meal I'll have a glass of wine with it to enhance the flavor. Red wine tends to go very well with steak and whites tend to go better with seafood. Grilled salmon and Kendall Jackson chardonnay is good. Sometimes when I get home from a very long or stressful day I might enjoy a gin & tonic while shooting pool.

On driving: If you're going to be driving home only have one drink and have it preferably with a meal or appetizer. It's also good to wait an hour or so. I tend to linger over coffee and conversation while at a restaurant so waiting two hours after a meal with wine to drive home is what I usually do. If I'm going to have a second drink I wait until I home for the evening.

Posted by nikkiP on August 21, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I probably did more responsible drinking when I was underage, as opposed to when I turned 21.

I work as an RA on campus, and I don't think these kids are ready to drink. Most of them have the idea of drinking to get wasted, as opposed for a more "rational" reason. For example, they're drink PBR to get drunk. I won't drink anything that doesn't have a good taste to it. And then you start to see how it affects their academic performance.

And honestly, age has little to do with it. People will make dumb decisions no matter what, especially with drunk driving. I still know people that have already graduated and will drive when they're black-out drunk. Why doesn't MADD start giving out breathilizer tests outside of bars so people can tell when they're okay to drive?

Posted by iceman1978 on August 21, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

nikkiP, To my knowledge the bars can be sued if they serve alcohol to someone who is already intoxicated.

Posted by nikkiP on August 21, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

That depends where you draw the line at "intoxicated." i'm pretty sure I've gone bar hopping when drunk, no one really says anything.

But most people that drive drunk think they're totally fine to drive, maybe a little buzzed. Perhaps seeing that they are blowing way over .08 would help them make the right decision.

Posted by iceman1978 on August 21, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

eyefigureroa, Most people who hold puritanical beliefs still long for the days of alcohol prohibition.

Posted by STREETLAW on August 21, 2008 at 3:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey, raise the legal drinking age to 30. That way maybe fewer children will wind up abused and neglected by their parents.

As to under aged students drinking on campus. Expel them. If they are on scholarships, take it away.

The ADC (alcohol and drug cult) permeates our society and leads to over 300,000 deaths (sacrifices) a year. Meanwhile the media focuses on the deaths of our service personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan while hardly ever giving them credit for what they have accomplished.

We've got a long way to go in the US of A and Pogo looks more prophetic each day. For those of you who do not remember, Pogo intoned "We have met the enemy and it is us."

Pogo, by the way, has run for President every year since 1952 and this just may be his year.

Posted by nikkiP on August 21, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ey- I think I saw you!

I think the reason most 21 year olds are more responsible drinkers is because they've been drinking since they were teenagers. By that time you've learned from your own mistakes and have grown up about it. having parents educate their kids from a young age on drinking and alcohol is very important, but rarely done here.
I even have the little speech I give the freshman. Which always ends with "it's illegal, and you will probably get in trouble."

Streetlaw- expelling kids for drinking is like taking your license away for going over the speed limit, even if it's only by a couple miles an hour.
Most of the students caught on campus are cooperative, responsible, and typically haven't had more than a few drinks (if that.) There's no reason to expel or force a kid from school for that. Now, when they are belligerant or a danger to those around them, they are reported to the police and then they have the scholarships taken away and go through the court system.
Besides, coming down that hard on kids for drinking will only lead them to be more secretive about it. You can't stop it, so you have to educate them. And you never want to a scenario of someone that needs serious medical help, but won't call EMS because they are afraid of getting in trouble.

Posted by nikkiP on August 21, 2008 at 4:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh, my mom still does the same thing. I'm 21 and just looking forward to graduating in May, but if I don't call her she'll think I've dead in a ditch or something.

yeah, we see alot. And it varies, and shows that age has little to do with the problem. I've seen freshmen that have a few drinks, are responsible, and are kids I'd never have to worry about. Then I see kids that will buy whatever cheap mess they can get because they just want to be "wasted." It's a little intense. And I never like having to be there for a kid that needs to go to the hospital, and trying to convince his/her friends that calling EMS won't get anyone into trouble.

Posted by BerkeleyCo_Mom_of_3 on August 21, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

eyf...well said again. You are one smart lady!

Posted by rjcontego on August 22, 2008 at 5 a.m. (Suggest removal)

its about time! the usa is the laughing stock of the world on this and it does encourage massive binge drinking!