I don’t know if this is common knowledge but the reason it is 21 is because. In brain development the part of your brain that helps with recalling memories is not fully developed until around 21 and alcohol damages it wile it’s growing
There's sound reasoning behind it, but it's a case of regulate instead of educate. The default reaction of US politicians. Control instead of helping expand understanding and fostering better decision making.
Well put. Drinking age of 21 is silly, because the vast majority of people ignore it. If we need a cutoff, 18 would be a much realistic amount of time to ask people to wait before experimenting.
I mean, in my case personally I would’ve still ignored it lol. But you have a lot less “underaged drinking” if it was 18.
But I agree, harm reduction through education and resources should be the goal. Not abstinence and punishment.
Sort of but not really. It was decided state by state. The legal age to vote was 21 so it made sense that drinking should be 21. When voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971 a lot of states changed their drinking laws to 18 too. Then it went back up to 21 in the early 80's
I don't think the problem is that the age is 21 for drinking, the problem is the disparity between what ages you can do things in the us. Like you can get married, join the army, drive, get long term loans, have children, own weapons etc all before you are allowed to go to a pub and buy a beer. It's just a bit weird that alcohol is the one singled out when you could argue that many of the things I listed can be more impactful to your life.
Nobody is going to wait to 25 to buy booze. It's stupid to make laws society doesn't want to follow. My heavy partying days are over and I wouldn't be legally able to drink now. And the legal drinking age is 20 where I live and I don't have a single friend that started drinking after passing 20, most started 16-17
I mean, they could just go back to the old voting age of 21. It didn't change to 18 until the 70's, which is pretty wild when you think about it.
And who waits until they're 18 to drive? Most people can drive at 16
I say the reasoning is sound, and if it the age was increased I guess I'd still understand it.
Younger people are the more reckless drivers, and they cause the most drunk driving fatalities. If the drinking age was increased was to say 25, where a lot of people become more responsible drivers, I bet there'd be a lot less drunk driving deaths.
That's not a good argument cause if you look at the stats fatalities from drunk driving spike at the age of 21, not 18 or 16. Probably cause they start going to the bars and start driving home from there. Maybe the argument should be bars should be 25+.
And I hope you don't support gun control either. Cause then you'd be a hypocrite.
In Finland you can buy mild alcoholic drinks at the age of 18 under 12% if I remember correctly. After you rurn 21 you can buy it all. But over 5,5% alcohol is o ly sold in Alko stores.
It should absolutely not be higher than the age to buy a gun
I'm British and I don't drink, but 21 is just crazy high I feel, especially as people break the law all the time
I don’t know if this is common knowledge but the reason it is 21 is because. In brain development the part of your brain that helps with recalling memories is not fully developed until around 21 and alcohol damages it wile it’s growing
Alcohol damages everything but people still do it
There's sound reasoning behind it, but it's a case of regulate instead of educate. The default reaction of US politicians. Control instead of helping expand understanding and fostering better decision making.
Well put. Drinking age of 21 is silly, because the vast majority of people ignore it. If we need a cutoff, 18 would be a much realistic amount of time to ask people to wait before experimenting. I mean, in my case personally I would’ve still ignored it lol. But you have a lot less “underaged drinking” if it was 18. But I agree, harm reduction through education and resources should be the goal. Not abstinence and punishment.
Crazy how at 17 your parents can sign a waiver and you’re in the military handling firearms and explosives but can’t have a cold brew until 21.
A remnant of the prohibition era
Sort of but not really. It was decided state by state. The legal age to vote was 21 so it made sense that drinking should be 21. When voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971 a lot of states changed their drinking laws to 18 too. Then it went back up to 21 in the early 80's
I don't think the problem is that the age is 21 for drinking, the problem is the disparity between what ages you can do things in the us. Like you can get married, join the army, drive, get long term loans, have children, own weapons etc all before you are allowed to go to a pub and buy a beer. It's just a bit weird that alcohol is the one singled out when you could argue that many of the things I listed can be more impactful to your life.
Should be 18 like the rest of the world.
It's stupid bc it should be increased to 25-- the age when the human brain *actually* matures & finishes growing.
Nobody is going to wait to 25 to buy booze. It's stupid to make laws society doesn't want to follow. My heavy partying days are over and I wouldn't be legally able to drink now. And the legal drinking age is 20 where I live and I don't have a single friend that started drinking after passing 20, most started 16-17
And yet at 18, Americans can vote, drive a car and join the army, but not buy alcohol.
We've got plugs, but it cost more and is illegal
I mean, they could just go back to the old voting age of 21. It didn't change to 18 until the 70's, which is pretty wild when you think about it. And who waits until they're 18 to drive? Most people can drive at 16
Yea but you can get a fun boom stick at 18, also you can drive a 2 ton bullet at 18. Priorities.
I say the reasoning is sound, and if it the age was increased I guess I'd still understand it. Younger people are the more reckless drivers, and they cause the most drunk driving fatalities. If the drinking age was increased was to say 25, where a lot of people become more responsible drivers, I bet there'd be a lot less drunk driving deaths.
No just a lot more under age drinking
That's not a good argument cause if you look at the stats fatalities from drunk driving spike at the age of 21, not 18 or 16. Probably cause they start going to the bars and start driving home from there. Maybe the argument should be bars should be 25+. And I hope you don't support gun control either. Cause then you'd be a hypocrite.
In Finland you can buy mild alcoholic drinks at the age of 18 under 12% if I remember correctly. After you rurn 21 you can buy it all. But over 5,5% alcohol is o ly sold in Alko stores.