South Carolina to change the drinking age to 18?

Drinking laws make no sense to me. Teenagers are gonna drink alchohol regardless of the age limits.

here in the netherlands is 16 :|

I'm sorry but any state but them, they already can't drive... Jk folks juuust kiidding.

Mercenary848

It's a good idea, but it won't pass. SC is very conservative.

south carolina and jersey. the two states im most affliialted with. i feel horrible now :cry:

[QUOTE="Mercenary848"]

I'm sorry but any state but them, they already can't drive... Jk folks juuust kiidding.

SAGE_OF_FIRE

Judging from the Sopranos people hit you with cars on purpose there. People from SC do not practice courtesy driving. :P

If you can die for your country at 18 and you are old enough to vote, then you should be able to drink.

It's a good idea, but it won't pass. SC is very conservative.

Hot-Tamale

Who lives in South Carolina?:? Who cares?

The drinking age has always been 18 here in australia.

The drinking age has always been 18 here in australia.

vaultboy_ninja

It's always going to come down to the individual.

Who lives in South Carolina?:? Who cares?

cowboymonkey21

18 your an adult anyway

[QUOTE="MrPraline"]Great idea, though 18 for a beer is still too high in my opinion. I think the drinking age of 21 is preposterous.MoonMarvel

I've never really understood the imposition of three extra years in the United States before you can drink compared to the rest of the West. Alcohol consumption is not really more harmful at 18 than it is at 21. A three year delay may do your liver good if you're an unhealthy drinker, but then why start at 21? Why not 25? Why not 30? Maturity isn't really the issue either; 18 year old Americans are considered mature enough to vote, smoke, enlist in their military and drive. Access and desire to consume alcohol also rapidly increases at 18. Colleges are notorious hotspots for underage drinking, so it seems impractical too.Danm_999

I think the main argument is against drunken driving, but even then there's a statistical spike in the 21-25 age group that doesn't really start to drop until after your mid twenties. I don't think the answer is age restriction, I think it's to get rid of the taboo surrounding it. If you tell people they can't drink and absolutely forbid it, as soon as they get their hands on it they're more likely to go crazy. I like the 18 age, and there's another law I like in Wisconsin that minors can be served as long as they're with an of age adult. I know there's potential for abuse there, but I do think people would drink a little more responsibly if they're allowed to have a serving of alcohol with dinner from a younger age, maybe 15 or 16.

[QUOTE="Danm_999"]I've never really understood the imposition of three extra years in the United States before you can drink compared to the rest of the West. Alcohol consumption is not really more harmful at 18 than it is at 21. A three year delay may do your liver good if you're an unhealthy drinker, but then why start at 21? Why not 25? Why not 30? Maturity isn't really the issue either; 18 year old Americans are considered mature enough to vote, smoke, enlist in their military and drive. Access and desire to consume alcohol also rapidly increases at 18. Colleges are notorious hotspots for underage drinking, so it seems impractical too.theone86

I think the main argument is against drunken driving, but even then there's a statistical spike in the 21-25 age group that doesn't really start to drop until after your mid twenties. I don't think the answer is age restriction, I think it's to get rid of the taboo surrounding it. If you tell people they can't drink and absolutely forbid it, as soon as they get their hands on it they're more likely to go crazy. I like the 18 age, and there's another law I like in Wisconsin that minors can be served as long as they're with an of age adult. I know there's potential for abuse there, but I do think people would drink a little more responsibly if they're allowed to have a serving of alcohol with dinner from a younger age, maybe 15 or 16.

Its 18 here in the UK.

It's 18 in Australia and has been for as long as I can remember. The legal drinking age doesn't matter, because most people drink WAY before and drink WAY too much, and those people drink so because of uncaring/neglectful parents or because of peer pressure.

It works fine over in the UK so why not in America? I couldn't imagine the drinking age being 21, I was already annoyed at them raising the smoking age to 18 just after I turned 16 :| Oh yeh, I've been old enough to get married and have children for a little under 2 years now but I can't buy alcohol or cigarettes for another 3 days - woot :roll:tofu-lion91

They should, you can drink at any age in the UK as long as your under your own roof with permission from your parents. The legal age is 18 to go and drink at pubs etc.

[QUOTE="Travo_basic"] C'mon. Three days isn't that long. :Ptofu-lion91

Damnit, it's the 15th for me. :P

Always found it strange that you could die for your country, but are not able to legally have a beer.

Fandangle

This post speaks the truth.

[QUOTE="tofu-lion91"][QUOTE="Travo_basic"] C'mon. Three days isn't that long. :PCBR600-RR

Damnit, it's the 15th for me. :P

I live in South Carolina! Yay! Oh... wait... I don't like alcohol...

[QUOTE="clyde46"] Such younglings :P I'm 19 this year.tofu-lion91

*hi5* :P

Two of my mates are 19 a month after me. :x

I don't see the problem with that. If you can smoke at 18 you should be able to drink. BTW, does communion count because I knkow some kids that are like 8 years below the age drinking in church!

[QUOTE="Droymac"][QUOTE="Fandangle"]

Always found it strange that you could die for your country, but are not able to legally have a beer.

CruxisXIII

That was the point.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="Danm_999"]I've never really understood the imposition of three extra years in the United States before you can drink compared to the rest of the West. Alcohol consumption is not really more harmful at 18 than it is at 21. A three year delay may do your liver good if you're an unhealthy drinker, but then why start at 21? Why not 25? Why not 30? Maturity isn't really the issue either; 18 year old Americans are considered mature enough to vote, smoke, enlist in their military and drive. Access and desire to consume alcohol also rapidly increases at 18. Colleges are notorious hotspots for underage drinking, so it seems impractical too.Danm_999

I think the main argument is against drunken driving, but even then there's a statistical spike in the 21-25 age group that doesn't really start to drop until after your mid twenties. I don't think the answer is age restriction, I think it's to get rid of the taboo surrounding it. If you tell people they can't drink and absolutely forbid it, as soon as they get their hands on it they're more likely to go crazy. I like the 18 age, and there's another law I like in Wisconsin that minors can be served as long as they're with an of age adult. I know there's potential for abuse there, but I do think people would drink a little more responsibly if they're allowed to have a serving of alcohol with dinner from a younger age, maybe 15 or 16.

Actually, I'm pretty sure it was. Drinking age used to be 18 a generation ago and I think it was in the late 70's/early 80's when they extended it citing drunk driving as a major factor. Like I said, though, it's a pretty flimsy excuse seeing as how drunk driving in the 21-25 age group is higher than in the 16-18 group, and how it really doesn't start to come down until age groups where people traditionally mellow out. Anywyas, while drunk driving may have been the reason give, I do think the real driving reason was and always has been social control. It's just that if you come out and say, "we're going to extend the age limit to 21 because we don't like the behavior of the generation that comes after us," you'll probably get less support, but if you cover it with a pretense of reducing drunk driving accidents then more people will go for it.

I don't see the problem with that. If you can smoke at 18 you should be able to drink. BTW, does communion count because I knkow some kids that are like 8 years below the age drinking in church!

brickdoctor

Communion wine has minimal amounts of alcohol, but I would have misgivings about having someone younger than maybe 12 drinking regardless. They're not going to get drunk, but there is still alcohol and I don't think that's a good thing for developing children, to be drinking on a weekly basis.