It would make more sense to raise the legal drinking age to 25. This would keep it off of college campuses for the most part, and by that time many of the youth will be employed. Who really wants to get up and go to work the next day after a night of binge drinking?
Not one person that I knew growing up ever bought beer, etc because there was some secret “kick” to drinking while underage. If it were difficult to accomplish maybe that thought process would apply but since it is so easy to get whatever you want. Well meh no biggie.
College (and high school) kids drink to get drunk and act out in ways they would not act while they are sober and for the most part doing the “right” thing and living as their parents raised them.
Being drunk is a “Get out of acting properly” Pass. Why else would we do “The Century Club” and drink 1 oz of beer per minute for 100 minutes. If you can do it you can do anything and think your cool while doing it.
If kids want to drink they will but why make it even easier for them. How would you feel if a 18 yr old who just became a member of the century club plowed through your drivers door when he blew through that red light?
You would also eliminate most of the jobs college kids get to pay for college in a college town. I wouldn’t have been able to afford to finish college without the money I made behind a bar. Fast food doesn’t pay half of what a good bartender/waitress makes.
College towns are full of bars. Yes, they provide alcohol, but they also provide economy to the town and jobs to the students.
Personally, I’m more worried about the 45 year old that has been arrested 8 times for DUI, is driving on a suspended license, and won’t go to jail until they kill someone.
A LOT more of those running around. Or should I say driving.
The key isn’t a drinking age. The key is to enforce DUI/DWI laws and enact mandatory sentences that are so harsh that people will actually think twice before they do it.
I have a better idea… Lets raise the minimum age of college students to 21 and there ya go! Problem Solved!
Then all the 18 year old drinkers will have it out of their system by the time they get to college and not miss half their classes because they’re either hung over, or MIA…
Don’t worry folks! For those 18-21 year olds who don’t want to postpone their college education can get it from any on-line program – Then they can sit in front of their computer and have a beer if they want in the comfort of their own home! Another problem solved!
But wait there’s more! How about a NON-DRINKING College ! Heck – they passed a law here in AZ that you can’t smoke in any public place – why not have Colleges and Universities just ban drinking altogether and have the students do a urine test once a week.
I hate to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but it seems like there is more binge drinking that goes on than when I was in college 25 yrs ago. At least I know that there are a lot more drinking-related deaths than there were then.
In regards to the comment from another post that drinking provides a way to do & say things that you wouldn’t otherwise do, why would college students be any different than every other adult who gets caught? How many politicians, businesspeople and (!) ministers/priests get caught and immediately claim they have a drinking problem?
The bigger question in this issue is why does the college student think they need to binge drink once they leave home? Why is this a totally accepted part of college students lives?
Here’s an idea. Bring back the national draft. That’s right….. the draft. For those of you who have no clue what the “draft” was, let me explain. It required every swinging “richard” to spend 2 years in their choice of military service right out of high school. Most of them have no clue what they want to do with their lives anyway and lacking focus, end up going to college to wander around, waste time and money, and develop bad habits.
The military would teach them good judgement, self-control, discipline, accountability, and responsibility. They’d also qualify for college tuition assistance when they got out. Note: our country didn’t have near the problems we see today when we had the draft.
Sound draconian? Obviously the parents can’t raise their kids to behave so somebody else will have to.
I love you man… I have a walking testosterone factory who (since the “legal” age of 18) decided to move in with one of his dads “buddies” after High School – He’s so currently unemployed, plays video games all day and gets free movie passes from one of his buds to hang out all day with friends at the movies. He’s had 4 jobs in the past 3 months – and one day this week… came to me and said… “Mom – I think I’m going to enlist in the Military – They’ll teach me things I won’t get anywhere else, I don’t know what I want to do right now and I’ll be eligible for a college education – and if I make a career out of it I can retire after 20 years at 38 and do something else if I want…”
I almost cried…
Not just from the emotional trip that every mother must make at that moment – but because he made the decision on his own (at least that’s what he thinks ;0))
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It would make more sense to raise the legal drinking age to 25. This would keep it off of college campuses for the most part, and by that time many of the youth will be employed. Who really wants to get up and go to work the next day after a night of binge drinking?
Not one person that I knew growing up ever bought beer, etc because there was some secret “kick” to drinking while underage. If it were difficult to accomplish maybe that thought process would apply but since it is so easy to get whatever you want. Well meh no biggie.
College (and high school) kids drink to get drunk and act out in ways they would not act while they are sober and for the most part doing the “right” thing and living as their parents raised them.
Being drunk is a “Get out of acting properly” Pass. Why else would we do “The Century Club” and drink 1 oz of beer per minute for 100 minutes. If you can do it you can do anything and think your cool while doing it.
If kids want to drink they will but why make it even easier for them. How would you feel if a 18 yr old who just became a member of the century club plowed through your drivers door when he blew through that red light?
You would also eliminate most of the jobs college kids get to pay for college in a college town. I wouldn’t have been able to afford to finish college without the money I made behind a bar. Fast food doesn’t pay half of what a good bartender/waitress makes.
College towns are full of bars. Yes, they provide alcohol, but they also provide economy to the town and jobs to the students.
Personally, I’m more worried about the 45 year old that has been arrested 8 times for DUI, is driving on a suspended license, and won’t go to jail until they kill someone.
A LOT more of those running around. Or should I say driving.
The key isn’t a drinking age. The key is to enforce DUI/DWI laws and enact mandatory sentences that are so harsh that people will actually think twice before they do it.
It should be the parents decision whether or not their children can drink and at what age. This should not be a gov’t decision.
I have a better idea… Lets raise the minimum age of college students to 21 and there ya go! Problem Solved!
Then all the 18 year old drinkers will have it out of their system by the time they get to college and not miss half their classes because they’re either hung over, or MIA…
Don’t worry folks! For those 18-21 year olds who don’t want to postpone their college education can get it from any on-line program – Then they can sit in front of their computer and have a beer if they want in the comfort of their own home! Another problem solved!
But wait there’s more! How about a NON-DRINKING College ! Heck – they passed a law here in AZ that you can’t smoke in any public place – why not have Colleges and Universities just ban drinking altogether and have the students do a urine test once a week.
Something for everyone – and for only $19.95 !
I hate to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but it seems like there is more binge drinking that goes on than when I was in college 25 yrs ago. At least I know that there are a lot more drinking-related deaths than there were then.
In regards to the comment from another post that drinking provides a way to do & say things that you wouldn’t otherwise do, why would college students be any different than every other adult who gets caught? How many politicians, businesspeople and (!) ministers/priests get caught and immediately claim they have a drinking problem?
The bigger question in this issue is why does the college student think they need to binge drink once they leave home? Why is this a totally accepted part of college students lives?
I DO ! ! ! Whats wrong with a little hair of the dog that bit ya for breakfast!
Here’s an idea. Bring back the national draft. That’s right….. the draft. For those of you who have no clue what the “draft” was, let me explain. It required every swinging “richard” to spend 2 years in their choice of military service right out of high school. Most of them have no clue what they want to do with their lives anyway and lacking focus, end up going to college to wander around, waste time and money, and develop bad habits.
The military would teach them good judgement, self-control, discipline, accountability, and responsibility. They’d also qualify for college tuition assistance when they got out. Note: our country didn’t have near the problems we see today when we had the draft.
Sound draconian? Obviously the parents can’t raise their kids to behave so somebody else will have to.
I love you man… I have a walking testosterone factory who (since the “legal” age of 18) decided to move in with one of his dads “buddies” after High School – He’s so currently unemployed, plays video games all day and gets free movie passes from one of his buds to hang out all day with friends at the movies. He’s had 4 jobs in the past 3 months – and one day this week… came to me and said… “Mom – I think I’m going to enlist in the Military – They’ll teach me things I won’t get anywhere else, I don’t know what I want to do right now and I’ll be eligible for a college education – and if I make a career out of it I can retire after 20 years at 38 and do something else if I want…”
I almost cried…
Not just from the emotional trip that every mother must make at that moment – but because he made the decision on his own (at least that’s what he thinks ;0))