Boulder, CO police chief speaks out to lower drinking age to 18

Watching Fox News (local Fox) and they ran a story about a Boulder police chief who intends to speak to lawmakers to get the legal drinking age of 21 lowered to 18. I didn't catch the entire story, so I'm not sure if he wants the age lowered across the nation, or just for CO, but it was interesting that police officer would be fighting to get it lowered. He's saying based on personal experience, the age limit of 21 is pretty much ineffective, and the statistics of binge drinking and alcohol related accidents continue to rise with those younger than 21. He feels that by allowing 18-20 year olds, who of which are old enough to vote and fight in wars, the ability to drink legally, they may start to learn how to drink more responsiblity at a younger age, thus eventually lowering the number of accidents and alcohol poisoning incidents.

I'm not sure what I really think about this idea. I mean, I can see the point that a lot of teenagers drinking are doing it because they like knowing they're breaking the law... but then again, if it's more easily accessible, the more irresponsible kids can get their hands on more and more liqour, increasing the likelihood of killing themselves, or killing someone else. Then again, it seems kinda asinine to have the drinking age at 21, when other countries like Canada and Australia (I think) have it at 18.

Your thoughts?

At some point it was 18 in the US before they moved it up to 21. (I think it was 18.) A pizza parlor in my town still has a really really old notice next to the bar that says no one under 21 can purchase alchohol, and the 21 has been taped over the 18.GeForce2187

Some states held out for a long time before changing it to 21. Any state that wouldn't change their law to 21 got all of thei federal highway money cut.

I figure, if you can fight and die for your country, you should be allowed to have a damn beer.cell_dweller

Yeah, I've always agreed with that. You can fight and legally kill other people, and sometimes die, but you can't have a beer? It seems ridiculous.

[QUOTE="GeForce2187"]At some point it was 18 in the US before they moved it up to 21. (I think it was 18.) A pizza parlor in my town still has a really really old notice next to the bar that says no one under 21 can purchase alchohol, and the 21 has been taped over the 18.gobo212

Some states held out for a long time before changing it to 21. Any state that wouldn't change their law to 21 got all of thei federal highway money cut.

Yeah apparently it was 18 in Massachusetts until 1984 when they were forced to change it.

Now that I think about it, that makes the poster in the pizza place pretty damn old.

If you can kill people in the military than you should be allowed to drink.