Why do you have to be 21 to drink, in America

[Blue Wren]

I have lived in the US, since last September. I still, haven't found, a reason, for this law? The university students here, that I've gotten to know,they, are as mature, as in Europe, where you can drink, at a younger age.

 

[stray bullet]

Because Puritan attitudes made Americans think that anything pleasurable is a sin and therefore alcohol is an evil drug.

In most countries alcohol is part of daily life and is seen as a food. In America its a drug.

Until the 1980s each state could decide the drinking age. The President told states if they didn't raise the limit to 21 (in a failed effort to combat binge drinking) they would be denied Federal funding.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

American culture doesn't really promote an educated society, more consumerism and "Frat-boy" lifestyles; and in doing so, I'm sure there has been a lot more incidents involving death, life-altering, or severe accidents... The belief is that at 18 our minds are still fairly impulsive as well, and with the constant barrage of the aforementioned the minds of the youth are being spared somehow.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

Also, this...

22. Behold the alcoholic animals, bemused with drink, the right to an immoderate use of which comes along with freedom. It is not for us and ours to walk that road. The peoples of the GOYIM are bemused with alcoholic liquors; their youth has grown stupid on classicism and from early immorality, into which it has been inducted by our special agents - by tutors, lackeys, governesses in the houses of the wealthy, by clerks and others, by our women in the places of dissipation frequented by the GOYIM. In the number of these last I count also the so-called "society ladies," voluntary followers of the others in corruption and luxury.

 

[SnowyMacie]

Official reason: Your brain is not developed enough at 21 to drink responsibly, and it was a response to an increase in accidents. That is also only publicly, in many states, there is no law about private consumption or in the presence of parents.


Reality: The drinking culture in the United States, but I think it's changing, inherently promotes binge drinking. This is probably the result that American culture, which still has very prohibitionist attitude, still sees alcoholic beverages as a drug instead of just a drink. The average bars that I've been to into the U.S. have a completely different feel than bars and pubs I've been to in Europe. I know NO ONE that waited until 21 years old to have their first drink. I think the stats say that most U.S. citizens have their drink around 12 or 13, and in my experience this is definitely true.

 

[Sketcher]

It was 18 for a while, but in a bid to get alcohol out of the high schools, and to reduce drunk driving accidents, it was put on the ballot to raise it back to 21. 18-to-21-year-olds typically don't come out to vote, and so the measures passed. When drunk driving accidents noticeably went down, that made it an easier sell to other states.

 

[JackofSpades]

The average bars that I've been to into the U.S. have a completely different feel than bars and pubs I've been to in Europe.

Wanna explain a bit?

Here being publicly drunk is not really big deal. If I saw any of my bosses totally wasted crawling on street at saturday night, it would be embarassing for him/her but not really that scandalous.

 

[Sketcher]

I know NO ONE that waited until 21 years old to have their first drink.

I did, actually. No regrets about that.

 

[Rhamiel]

it is 21 because of the influence of Puritanical norms and beliefs

we even had a small amount of time when alcohol was illegal

part of it is the "bar culture"
in America, because drinking was seen as an evil, people would sneak out to drink

people going to bars to drink only made problems worse
when you drink at home at an early age, you have the socializing influence of the family to help set norms and standards
this did not get rid of all alcohol abuse, but it does play a big factor
we can even see this in Europe
where England and Ireland have a "pub culture" and France and Spain have drinking as being more a part of the family meal
the presence of the family does a lot of good
England and Ireland has a much higher rate of bing drinking

 

[GQ Chris]

because American males become d-bags when drunk.

 

[JackofSpades]

because American males become d-bags when drunk.

That's really surprising, typically human males become very civilized and sophisticated when drunk. *cough*

 

[TheGirlOnFire]

Reality: The drinking culture in the United States, but I think it's changing, inherently promotes binge drinking. This is probably the result that American culture, which still has very prohibitionist attitude, still sees alcoholic beverages as a drug instead of just a drink. The average bars that I've been to into the U.S. have a completely different feel than bars and pubs I've been to in Europe. I know NO ONE that waited until 21 years old to have their first drink. I think the stats say that most U.S. citizens have their drink around 12 or 13, and in my experience this is definitely true.

Every time I watch Judge Judy, it seems they have either only had 2 beers that's it or they haven't drink at all, and drink seems to be a big thing...



No one here waits either, I was buying drink when I was 16 lol

Erm there's a lot of drinking inside the house in England, Scotland and Ireland, actually in England children can go into pubs, this isn't allowed in Scotland only IF you are eating a meal, but thats in restaurants and only till 8pm. Also in England they sells booze 24/7, Scotland it's 10am-10pm and on a sunday 12pm-10pm. Also in Scotland we aren't allowed anymore to have deals on booze in the supermarkets....... But I know many of people who drink with their parents or under 18 drink in the house.

 

[High Fidelity]

Official reason: Your brain is not developed enough at 21 to drink responsibly, and it was a response to an increase in accidents. That is also only publicly, in many states, there is no law about private consumption or in the presence of parents.


Reality: The drinking culture in the United States, but I think it's changing, inherently promotes binge drinking. This is probably the result that American culture, which still has very prohibitionist attitude, still sees alcoholic beverages as a drug instead of just a drink. The average bars that I've been to into the U.S. have a completely different feel than bars and pubs I've been to in Europe. I know NO ONE that waited until 21 years old to have their first drink. I think the stats say that most U.S. citizens have their drink around 12 or 13, and in my experience this is definitely true.

Strange then that a person is responsible enough to die for their country at a younger age. That's the one that confuses me lol

 

[JackofSpades]

Strange then that a person is responsible enough to die for their country at a younger age. That's the one that confuses me lol

There is a war movie about ww2 where guy has two days leave from the front, goes to meet his gf and at some point the girls parents tell him to go home. Then the guy says to her mother: "So, I'm good enough to die for you, but not good enough to stay the night.". I just love the scene. It makes me think something about the role of young men as disposable drones Nano mentioned in other thread

 

[hedrick]

There are two concerns about alcohol:

* Driving. There is at least some evidence drunk driving is more of a risk for teens than adults. As you probably know, brain development continues until the 20s. The degree to which alcohol impairs judgement does seem to be more serious at 18 than later. There is at least some statistical evidence that raising the drinking age lowers fatalities.

* Age of first drink. There’s reasonable evidence that alcholism is more prevelant among those who start drinking early. However what I’ve seen would suggest that 18 is late enough.

I’m in favor of changing the age back to 18. Currently colleges have to pretend that they can stop kids from drinking. That means that they can’t create realistic programs for helping with alcohol.

 

[Tess]

Yeah, it's interesting how different the cultures are.

So in America legally you have to be 21, but do most young people actually abide by that or not?

Here in England you have to be 18, but the first time I got drunk I was 15, and through the ages of 15 to 18 I went out and got drunk every weekend.

I guess I got it out of my system though because me (and most of my friends) hardly ever drink now, haha!

 

[JackofSpades]

I guess I got it out of my system though because me (and most of my friends) hardly ever drink now, haha!

That seems to be rather common way. I think I was 14 when I got drunk first time, and ofc spent quite lot of time drinking from there on for some years, but nowadays I get drunk like once in a year or something like that. I get 1-3 beers now and then but that's hardly getting drunk.

I think it's much more fun when you're not supposed to do it. Now that I could legally get drunk any time, without condemning parents or teachers anywhere, where's the fun in that?

 

[Sketcher]

Every time I watch Judge Judy, it seems they have either only had 2 beers that's it or they haven't drink at all, and drink seems to be a big thing...

There are a lot of lightweights on this side of the pond.

Erm there's a lot of drinking inside the house in England, Scotland and Ireland, actually in England children can go into pubs, this isn't allowed in Scotland only IF you are eating a meal, but thats in restaurants and only till 8pm. Also in England they sells booze 24/7, Scotland it's 10am-10pm and on a sunday 12pm-10pm. Also in Scotland we aren't allowed anymore to have deals on booze in the supermarkets....... But I know many of people who drink with their parents or under 18 drink in the house.

That's stricter than the laws in my state.

So in America legally you have to be 21, but do most young people actually abide by that or not?

Here in England you have to be 18, but the first time I got drunk I was 15, and through the ages of 15 to 18 I went out and got drunk every weekend.

I guess I got it out of my system though because me (and most of my friends) hardly ever drink now, haha!

Most don't, admittedly. It used to be that you could go over to Canada when you were 19 to legally buy alcohol. The people that did were the ones who got trashed underage here anyway. Then the Canadians got sick of it and ceased to serve alcohol to Americans under 21.

Since we issue driver's licenses at 16, I shudder to think of what it would be like if we allowed legal alcohol usage at that age as well. It seems you can let teenagers drive at a certain age OR you can let them drink at that age. Driving seems to come later in a lot of countries that let them drink . . .

I'm also not sure how many actually start when they're under 18. It would seem that more start between 18-21 than under 18.

 

[dayhiker]

I was in my teens when the law was changed from 18 to 21 in Maine. The main thought was to limit the amount of alcohol 18-21 year olds were buying for underage friends that they knew since they went to high school together.

The Puritans had not problem drinking some alcohol on special occasions.

 

[SnowyMacie]

Erm there's a lot of drinking inside the house in England, Scotland and Ireland, actually in England children can go into pubs, this isn't allowed in Scotland only IF you are eating a meal, but thats in restaurants and only till 8pm. Also in England they sells booze 24/7, Scotland it's 10am-10pm and on a sunday 12pm-10pm. Also in Scotland we aren't allowed anymore to have deals on booze in the supermarkets....... But I know many of people who drink with their parents or under 18 drink in the house.

Different states have different laws (we're very federalist here) about timing buying alcohol, even then, some states leave it up to the county, and Texas is one of them. The county were I went to college, you couldn't buy alcohol after midnight (most bars closed between 12:30-1), and you couldn't purchase liqour on Sundays, and some counties in Texas are still dry.

Strange then that a person is responsible enough to die for their country at a younger age. That's the one that confuses me lol

This argument seems to be pretty popular.

So in America legally you have to be 21, but do most young people actually abide by that or not?

In my experience, no. It's also not always 21 for consumption, that's the legal age to purchase. Only very few states actually have an outright ban on consumption under 21.


45 States That Allow Underage (under 21) Alcohol Consumption - Minimum Legal Drinking Age - ProCon.org

I'm also not sure how many actually start when they're under 18. It would seem that more start between 18-21 than under 18.

Parents or older silbings.

I’m in favor of changing the age back to 18. Currently colleges have to pretend that they can stop kids from drinking. That means that they can’t create realistic programs for helping with alcohol.

I was even on a dry campus (we could still drink off campus), and underage people still drank.