2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
'Raising the Roof' on the Drinking Age
Simone Pringle
6/23/07
Life & Style
Life & Style
The age old argument is coming around again with the rise of a new presidential election around the corner in 2008; should the drinking age be moved?
While nationwide, teens and adults alike have differing opinions, lawmakers are stuck as to how to fix the rapidly rising problem of underage drinking and therefore risky alcohol related behaviors such as drunk driving. According to the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, "an estimated 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes." The Center also reported that each year, "about 100,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape."
Victor Lumpkin, a sophomore accounting major said, "I feel that teens would abuse the right to drink if [the drinking age is] lowered. Alcoholic related accidents will increase and teens will irresponsibly take advantage if it was lowered. If it was raised, it would be the same outcome. Either way, teens would be drinking illegally. I believe it should stay the same."
While the government has several programs to encourage teens not to drink, other groups such as Choose Responsibility, a non profit organization founded by John McCardell Jr., president emeritus of Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.
"Choose Responsibility believes that Legal Age 21 has had limited success and has also had many negative, unintended consequences. We favor lowering the age to 18 and [implementing] a program of education and licensing that would then enable young adults to purchase, possess, and consume alcohol," McCardell said of the organization's focus.
McCardell says the argument for a lowered drinking age is that it would allow teens who choose to drink an opportunity to do so in safer environments under supervision.
The organization's Web site, www.chooseresponsibility.org, says, "Should the legal drinking age be lowered to 18, the privilege to drink would be contingent upon completion of an intensive alcohol education course specifically aimed at reducing at-risk drinking and promoting responsible, safe consumption," also known as a graduated drinking system.
While nationwide, teens and adults alike have differing opinions, lawmakers are stuck as to how to fix the rapidly rising problem of underage drinking and therefore risky alcohol related behaviors such as drunk driving. According to the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, "an estimated 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes." The Center also reported that each year, "about 100,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape."
Victor Lumpkin, a sophomore accounting major said, "I feel that teens would abuse the right to drink if [the drinking age is] lowered. Alcoholic related accidents will increase and teens will irresponsibly take advantage if it was lowered. If it was raised, it would be the same outcome. Either way, teens would be drinking illegally. I believe it should stay the same."
While the government has several programs to encourage teens not to drink, other groups such as Choose Responsibility, a non profit organization founded by John McCardell Jr., president emeritus of Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.
"Choose Responsibility believes that Legal Age 21 has had limited success and has also had many negative, unintended consequences. We favor lowering the age to 18 and [implementing] a program of education and licensing that would then enable young adults to purchase, possess, and consume alcohol," McCardell said of the organization's focus.
McCardell says the argument for a lowered drinking age is that it would allow teens who choose to drink an opportunity to do so in safer environments under supervision.
The organization's Web site, www.chooseresponsibility.org, says, "Should the legal drinking age be lowered to 18, the privilege to drink would be contingent upon completion of an intensive alcohol education course specifically aimed at reducing at-risk drinking and promoting responsible, safe consumption," also known as a graduated drinking system.
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