The Telescope

Issue Date: 8/25/08

Drinking age movement flawed

Lowering the legal limit may hinder more than it helps

By Eric Walker

A new movement called the Amethyst Initiative, consisting of college presidents across the nation, has set its sights on opening up the drinking age to debate. Since 1984, the question of lowering the legal age of alcohol consumption has been essentially locked, as any state that lowers the age below 21 loses 10 percent of its annual highway funds. As a result, no states or schools have considered changing anything.

They make some good points, but their plan wouldn't solve anything.

It may be true that alcohol becomes a sort of "holy grail" to some underage students-an unattainable substance that they desire to try. But let's say they do get the age lowered. What happens then? All of those kids suddenly have reason to rush out and drink, making up for lost time, so to speak. Considering that the Initiative's primary points center around "binge drinking" this seems counterproductive.

On top of that, 18-year-olds (or whatever age decided on) are younger. Maturity may not be completely based on age, but in general, they are less responsible than their elder classmates. If 21-year-olds buying alcohol for kids is a problem already, what happens when we allow even younger people to purchase booze? And obtaining fake IDs only becomes easier if the desired age becomes lower.

Of course, the movement doesn't intend to directly lower the legal ages. They simply want to reopen it for debate.

But what good would it do? These changes won't remove the problems-they may shift around who does the wrongs, but the wrongdoings won't be any different. Unfortunately, while there are plenty of responsible students and drinkers, the drunks of the world seem to love ruining it for the rest of us.

The Initiative does have a few ideas with some merit, however. For instance, an alcohol education course culminating in a license to drink, much like for driving a car, would help regulate the irresponsible drinkers a bit. A flat lowering of the age may not do anything, but things like this may be the solution we need.

Editor's Note: What do you think? Visit www.the-telescope.com and voice your opinion!

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