I am a 22-year-old (23 in a couple of months) living in California. I have experienced the frustration of having friends who are 19 and 20 and undergoing inconveniences because of it. I mean, I don't drink, but sometimes I want to go to places where there is alcohol, only for the entertainment. Sometimes you can't even bring people who are under 21. Or, you can, but if they want to drink, they either have to hide, or get kicked out. Come on now, how can you tell me that 19 and 20 year olds are not mature enough to handle beer or wine, but 21 year olds can handle hard drinks? Oh, and by the way, yet you're considered an adult at 18.
Perhaps the most logical drinking age I've heard of is that which most of Canada embraces. If anything, a drinking age of 19 does a great job of reducing inconsistency in one's social standing. Most Americans agree with the 21 law, and most of those who disagree with 21 think it should be 18. Well, the problem with 21 is that it causes problems on college campuses. You may as well raise it to 25 or even 30 if you want to deal with that problem more effectively. And the problem with 18 is that it could pose a threat to high schools. You may as well lower it to 15 to deal with that. Besides, while I am aware that people mature differently (some people are more mature at 15, 16, 17, 18 than others are in their 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s), generally, from my experiences, adulthood begins at 19.
Telling me that I can do a million things at 18 but have to wait 3 years (not even just 1 year) to drink is kinda hypocritical. And if anything, how are 19 and 20 too young?
Here's the breakdown of drinking ages:
Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec: 18
everywhere else in Canada: 19
United States: 21
What do you think?
Perhaps the most logical drinking age I've heard of is that which most of Canada embraces. If anything, a drinking age of 19 does a great job of reducing inconsistency in one's social standing. Most Americans agree with the 21 law, and most of those who disagree with 21 think it should be 18. Well, the problem with 21 is that it causes problems on college campuses. You may as well raise it to 25 or even 30 if you want to deal with that problem more effectively. And the problem with 18 is that it could pose a threat to high schools. You may as well lower it to 15 to deal with that. Besides, while I am aware that people mature differently (some people are more mature at 15, 16, 17, 18 than others are in their 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s), generally, from my experiences, adulthood begins at 19.
Telling me that I can do a million things at 18 but have to wait 3 years (not even just 1 year) to drink is kinda hypocritical. And if anything, how are 19 and 20 too young?
Here's the breakdown of drinking ages:
Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec: 18
everywhere else in Canada: 19
United States: 21
What do you think?