Splicetoday

Pop Culture
May 21, 2008, 07:21AM

States Consider Lowering Drinking Age

Seven states are considering changing the drinking age to 18, in some cases only for military personnel. Perhaps some rational sanity has come to our national discussion on substance abuse? Consider that one of the leading adovcates for a lower drinking age is Dennis Kucinich.

"Fueled by concerns for "youth rights," and for the rights of young men and women serving in the armed forces in particular, several states are considering their options when it comes to lowering the legal drinking age.

Kentucky, South Carolina and Wisconsin legislatures are considering lowering the drinking age for military personnel only, while Minnesota, Missouri and South Dakota are looking at a variety of options that would lower the legal drinking age across the board. Vermont is assembling a task force to study the issue.

Choose Responsibility, a non-profit group aiming to empower young adults to make mature decisions about alcohol consumption, is headed by John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College in Vermont and one of the most vocal supporters of lowering the drinking age.

In addition to this issue is whether underaged military personnel, who make life or death decisions daily, should have the legal right to drink at age 18. The dangers and causes of sometimes deadly binge drinking are also being cited as reasons why changes should be made.

Nationally, MADD takes the position that lowering the drinking age will result in increased binge drinking.

Rehkamp also said the age group in question is not mature enough to handle drinking, and the brain continues to develop into the early '20s.

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Discussion
  • Although I don't think it's a great idea for 18-year-olds to legally buy booze, I'd trade that for SERIOUS laws (like slammer time) for idiotic soccer moms who run red lights while yakking on a cell.

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  • In addition to probably being married to wealthy/influential husbands, soccermoms vote and 18 year old kids don't. Maybe Obama will change that.

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