This poses the questions for those that are 19 and married and with children. Husband and wife at this age could not drink but yet they are responsible for the children that they raise in their family. It kind of makes you wonder is there a double standard here. When children reach age 18 they can become a licensed driver, but yet they are not of legal age to drink.
Then there comes the question are 18-year-olds responsible and accountable when drinking? Are they mature enough to drink responsibly? If they drink with friends, do they have a designated driver? Then there is the question will changing the drinking age to 18-year-olds add to the college binge drinking that occurs? Think about the thousands that have been killed because of drunk drivers. Do most teenagers think they are invincible? Are they feeling that they can handle drinking and driving? I can imagine many drivers that thought they could handle drinking and driving but in reality discovered too late that they couldn’t. Do most feel they can drink a few beers and it is okay to drive?
An even bigger question is do teenagers have the experience to handle their drinking? Is 18 years enough? Four of those years, the baby through the toddler stages probably have not been in school, but at home with the babysitter and/or mom and dad. How many social drinkers have became alcoholics? What if they had never had their first drink? Then there are those teenagers that want to fit in. They are willing to try almost anything including drinking only to discover years down through life that they have become an alcoholic.
According to Wikipedia.Org MADD (Mother’s Against Drinking and Driving) argue that the brain is still developing in the early years throughout the mid-twenties. They go on to say alcohol consumption damages the development of the brain. So will lowering the age to 18 be legally allowing the 18-year-olds to commit early suicide?
It has been said that drinking can age you? Sadly enough to say, I have observed individuals that drank heavily and I was astonished at how they had aged.
Then there are those that will argue 18-year-olds are drinking anyway and the law has not been able to stop them. So what do you think?
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