Why is the drinking age 21 in the U.S?

I'm 21, and I still think it's kind of dumb.. Why is it still 21? Should be at least 19. I have trouble drinking out with my 18-20 year old friends ( the few places I go to out to are live music venus ) because of this, which kind of sucks, beause they won't even let them enter the venue..

Blame organizations like MADD and the belief that raising the drinking age to 21 was the only way to reduce drunk driving despite every other western nation using different approaches and nearly all having just as much success. 

LOL I remember being too young to do things... I am only 24.. but it still seems like a BILLION years ago. I think the drinking age should be lower... but the only reason I can provide is that I like to drink.

I have no idea. Does the US have the highest legal drinking age in the world? Something I've always wondered. megagene

It used to be 18 in some states and 19, 20 and 21 in other states. Because of that people would drive to the states where the drinking age was lower if the drinking age was higher in their own state, and then they would drive back which was a problem. So in the 80's it was standardized to 21 to get rid of that incentive for people to drive drunk. It could've just been set at 18 nationwide but that would've made too much sense.

The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 withholds revenue from states that allow the purchase of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21. Prior to the effective date of that Act, the drinking age varied from state to state. Some states do not allow those under the legal drinking age to be present in liquor stores or in bars (usually, the difference between a bar and a restaurant is that food is served only in the latter). Contrary to popular belief, since the act went into law, only a few states prohibit minors and young adults from consuming alcohol in private settings. As of January 1, 2010, 15 states and the District of Columbia ban underage consumption outright, 17 states do not ban underage consumption, and the remaining 18 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws. Federal law explicitly provides for religious, medical, employment and private club possession exceptions; as of 2005, 31 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage possession laws. However, non-alcoholic beer in many (but not all) states, such as Idaho, Texas, and Maryland, is considered legal for those under the age of 21.[20] By a judge's ruling, South Carolina appears to allow the possession and consumption of alcohol by adults 18 to 20 years of age, but a circuit court judge said otherwise.[21] The State of Wisconsin allows the consumption of alcohol in the presence of parents. Some U.S. States have legislation that make providing to and possession of alcohol by persons under 21 a gross misdemeanor with a potential of $5,000 and a year in jail (or more).[22]

Does it really matter what age it's at? Say it was 19....when kids are 19, they'll be like "Why isnt it 18? Whats so magic about 19?" It's like an infinite regress.  Just leave it alone, IMO, drink if you want to.

As others have said, the only people who actually care about this are underage folks.  Me, I've tried it and I don't think it's anything to be so hyped about.  I find the taste quite nasty.

like all over problems in America its communism

Blame organizations like MADD and the belief that raising the drinking age to 21 was the only way to reduce drunk driving despite every other western nation using different approaches and nearly all having just as much success. 

Wasdie

Eh, not the best analogy to draw.  Other nations have far fewer car owners, a lot more public transportion, far fewer people who actually pass their driving test (I think it was something like 51% in France), and far harsher penalties for driving infractions.  In a lot of other nations drunk driving would mean losing your license pretty much on the spot.

I'm not all for treating adults like they can't be trusted to act like adults, but I think we need a more mature view of drinking in general before we go lowering the age.  We're too puritannical, we can't treat drinking like a taboo subkect that can't be discussed before the legal age and then expect eighteen year olds, or twenty one year olds for that matter, to act maturely about it.  When Americans decide they can talk sensibly with their children about alcohol before they reach the drinking age and maybe *gasp* let them have a bit of alcohol every now and again before then like at dinners then I think we'll be ready to lower the drinking age.

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

Blame organizations like MADD and the belief that raising the drinking age to 21 was the only way to reduce drunk driving despite every other western nation using different approaches and nearly all having just as much success. 

theone86

Eh, not the best analogy to draw.  Other nations have far fewer car owners, a lot more public transportion, far fewer people who actually pass their driving test (I think it was something like 51% in France), and far harsher penalties for driving infractions.  In a lot of other nations drunk driving would mean losing your license pretty much on the spot.

I'm not all for treating adults like they can't be trusted to act like adults, but I think we need a more mature view of drinking in general before we go lowering the age.  We're too puritannical, we can't treat drinking like a taboo subkect that can't be discussed before the legal age and then expect eighteen year olds, or twenty one year olds for that matter, to act maturely about it.  When Americans decide they can talk sensibly with their children about alcohol before they reach the drinking age and maybe *gasp* let them have a bit of alcohol every now and again before then like at dinners then I think we'll be ready to lower the drinking age.

I like this

Does it really matter what age it's at? Say it was 19....when kids are 19, they'll be like "Why isnt it 18? Whats so magic about 19?" It's like an infinite regress.  Just leave it alone, IMO, drink if you want to.

wis3boi

What I think is stupid is that people an go to war and die for their country at 18, but if they have a beer then it's a HUGE deal.Rattlesnake_8

[QUOTE="Rattlesnake_8"]What I think is stupid is that people an go to war and die for their country at 18, but if they have a beer then it's a HUGE deal.ad1x2

Because kids are stupid and shouldn't be allowed to have fun. mems_1224

[QUOTE="ad1x2"][QUOTE="Rattlesnake_8"]What I think is stupid is that people an go to war and die for their country at 18, but if they have a beer then it's a HUGE deal.dave123321

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think he has.  That being said, I think that was a false analogy.  If one is mature enough to make the decision of whether or not to go to war then one should be mature enough to decide whether or not to drink.  Truth is eighteen year old Americans probably aren't mature enough to do either, but at least when they go to war they're only taking their own lives in their hands.

Because alcohol consumption is part of any European's life from a young age. By the time they are old enough to legally purchase, it isn't a big deal to them. Here, 21st birthday's are a very dangerous thing. 18 year old kids couldn't handle alcohol in this country.monkeytoes61

[QUOTE="monkeytoes61"]Because alcohol consumption is part of any European's life from a young age. By the time they are old enough to legally purchase, it isn't a big deal to them. Here, 21st birthday's are a very dangerous thing. 18 year old kids couldn't handle alcohol in this country.The_Lipscomb

[QUOTE="dave123321"][QUOTE="ad1x2"] Except that enlisting is 100% voluntary and less than one percent of the US population is currently serving in the military. Now, if the draft was currently in force then I could see people using the rationale that they can die in war but since it isn't it is a moot point with the vast majority of people using that line having no intention to enlist.theone86

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think he has.  That being said, I think that was a false analogy.  If one is mature enough to make the decision of whether or not to go to war then one should be mature enough to decide whether or not to drink.  Truth is eighteen year old Americans probably aren't mature enough to do either, but at least when they go to war they're only taking their own lives in their hands.

[QUOTE="The_Lipscomb"][QUOTE="monkeytoes61"]Because alcohol consumption is part of any European's life from a young age. By the time they are old enough to legally purchase, it isn't a big deal to them. Here, 21st birthday's are a very dangerous thing. 18 year old kids couldn't handle alcohol in this country.monkeytoes61

[QUOTE="monkeytoes61"]Because alcohol consumption is part of any European's life from a young age. By the time they are old enough to legally purchase, it isn't a big deal to them. Here, 21st birthday's are a very dangerous thing. 18 year old kids couldn't handle alcohol in this country.The_Lipscomb

If we want to get technical, I think an eighteen year old is about as likely to be in a drunk driving accident as a twenty-one year old.  If we follow that to its logical conclusion, though, the age limit on aclohol should be twenty-five.  I dunno, maybe if we lowered the age people would treat alcohol more maturely (though I definitely think that if that happens first time drunk driving should be an indefinite suspension of one's dirver's license).  I also think that regardless there would be a learning curve, so to speak.  I was about as dumb with alcohol at twenty-one as I was at eighteen, and I know people older than that who are as stupid or more with it.  I don't think that we'd automatically turn into a nation of drunks, but I do think there's a good possibility that if we just went to eighteen tomorrow there would be plenty of people that would screw up pretty bad before we got the hang of it down.

[QUOTE="The_Lipscomb"][QUOTE="monkeytoes61"]Because alcohol consumption is part of any European's life from a young age. By the time they are old enough to legally purchase, it isn't a big deal to them. Here, 21st birthday's are a very dangerous thing. 18 year old kids couldn't handle alcohol in this country.theone86

If we want to get technical, I think an eighteen year old is about as likely to be in a drunk driving accident as a twenty-one year old.  If we follow that to its logical conclusion, though, the age limit on aclohol should be twenty-five.  I dunno, maybe if we lowered the age people would treat alcohol more maturely (though I definitely think that if that happens first time drunk driving should be an indefinite suspension of one's dirver's license).  I also think that regardless there would be a learning curve, so to speak.  I was about as dumb with alcohol at twenty-one as I was at eighteen, and I know people older than that who are as stupid or more with it.  I don't think that we'd automatically turn into a nation of drunks, but I do think there's a good possibility that if we just went to eighteen tomorrow there would be plenty of people that would screw up pretty bad before we got the hang of it down.

[QUOTE="mems_1224"]Because kids are stupid and shouldn't be allowed to have fun. The_Lipscomb

[QUOTE="The_Lipscomb"][QUOTE="mems_1224"]Because kids are stupid and shouldn't be allowed to have fun. mems_1224

[QUOTE="ad1x2"][QUOTE="Rattlesnake_8"]What I think is stupid is that people an go to war and die for their country at 18, but if they have a beer then it's a HUGE deal.dave123321

Americans need more time to mature

If one is mature enough to make the decision of whether or not to go to war then one should be mature enough to decide whether or not to drink.  Truth is eighteen year old Americans probably aren't mature enough to do either, but at least when they go to war they're only taking their own lives in their hands.

theone86

Those are just some examples of things that make you unfit. Another thing about war is we don't send a bunch of untrained, unsupervised 18-year olds to war alone. We have sergeants and officers who are much older than them leading them while they are deployed.

 In all honesty, the drinking age should probably be reviewed. It just doesn't seem like a valid point in my opinion using the "I could die in war at 18" excuse on why the drinking age should be lowered since most of the people who use it not only have no intention to enlist, but if a law came out today saying anybody with a military ID could buy booze no questions asked most of the people using the war excuse would say it wasn't fair they can't still drink.

I'm not even sure. Been drinking responsibility since I was 18.

Gotten drunk a few times but I know my limits. It's stupid YOLO kids that give it a bad rep.

Because America really doesn't like the concept of personal freedom like they used to. If the government and society can run a portion of someone's life without too much drama from the voting base then they will do so as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

because there is just too much politics in the US.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

If one is mature enough to make the decision of whether or not to go to war then one should be mature enough to decide whether or not to drink.  Truth is eighteen year old Americans probably aren't mature enough to do either, but at least when they go to war they're only taking their own lives in their hands.

ad1x2

Those are just some examples of things that make you unfit. Another thing about war is we don't send a bunch of untrained, unsupervised 18-year olds to war alone. We have sergeants and officers who are much older than them leading them while they are deployed.

 In all honesty, the drinking age should probably be reviewed. It just doesn't seem like a valid point in my opinion using the "I could die in war at 18" excuse on why the drinking age should be lowered since most of the people who use it not only have no intention to enlist, but if a law came out today saying anybody with a military ID could buy booze no questions asked most of the people using the war excuse would say it wasn't fair they can't still drink.

The very unconstitutional National Minimum Drinking Age Act signed by Ronald Reagan in 1984 disincentivizes states from lowering it and the Federal government sure as hell isn't going to change it.

im not sure.. if you can join the military at 17, you should be able to drink a beer

Sorry if you can enlist in the military and are considered an adult in regard to legal proceedings and contracts....you should be able to make your own decisions in regard to alcohol. don't excuse the governments double standards when it suits them.LJS9502_basic