Why is the legal drinking age 21 in the U.S.?

[Mega Ultra Chicken]

You can go die in a war or be a pornstar but you can't drink at 18. Yeah, makes total sense.

[Q-T_3.14.exe]

Escrito originalmente por Dom:

No one should be drinking alcohol because it is harmful to not only you but to people around you. Drinking contributes to a huge percentage of active cop duties; you're looking at assaults, threats and unrest caused by drunk people in massive numbers. The damage greatly outweighs the "benefits" from drinking.

It's not in any way comparable to posting intimate pictures which is just entertainment.

Let's try Prohibition 2: Electric Boogaloo

[Ulfrinn]

Escrito originalmente por Kiryn:

Escrito originalmente por Ulfrinn:

How many people here have actually had an alcoholic drink prior to the legal drinking age? Let's be honest, it's stopped virtually nobody.

I had some (wine or beer), with dinner & my parents' approval, at 10 and younger. As well as small sips of cocktails/liquor they were drinking. Part of being raised by a first-gen-immigrant German mother.

It allowed me to learn about alcohol in a responsible manner (as opposed to some mid-teens stealing dad's bottle of scotch and binging), and realize that I don't like the taste of alcohol and have no desire to get "buzzed". I'm in my 50's, I've never been "out drinking" at a bar or club, and have never been drunk. And saved a lot of $ not buying alcohol.

But that's a very different experience & trajectory than the usual "kids drinking" idiocy. Letting 18 year olds drink legally wouldn't help that - they'd just start getting drunk at bars 3 years earlier.

Yet there are dozens of countries with a much lower driving age that don't have an increased rate of DUIs or other alcohol related crimes. Because I'll reiterate, the issue is irresponsible driving and laws don't stop that. It doesn't even put a dent into access.

[RRW359]

Escrito originalmente por Q-T_3.14.exe:

Escrito originalmente por Dom:

No one should be drinking alcohol because it is harmful to not only you but to people around you. Drinking contributes to a huge percentage of active cop duties; you're looking at assaults, threats and unrest caused by drunk people in massive numbers. The damage greatly outweighs the "benefits" from drinking.

It's not in any way comparable to posting intimate pictures which is just entertainment.

Let's try Prohibition 2: Electric Boogaloo

I thought we already did that with Cannibis. Hopefully 3'rd time's the charm!

[xDDD]

Escrito originalmente por Dom:

No one should be drinking alcohol because it is harmful to not only you but to people around you. Drinking contributes to a huge percentage of active cop duties; you're looking at assaults, threats and unrest caused by drunk people in massive numbers. The damage greatly outweighs the "benefits" from drinking.

It's not in any way comparable to posting intimate pictures which is just entertainment.

I think p*rn is very destructive too, in fact maybe even more destructive than alcohol in terms of overall societal impact.

BUT otherwise I agree with that first paragraph. Drinking is awful indeed and it sucks that it is so normalized. I don't see much issue with a kid having a glass of wine at dinner or something but excessive drinking has gotta be one of the top killers in terms of preventable deaths.

[Dom]

Escrito originalmente por RRW359:

Escrito originalmente por Q-T_3.14.exe:

Let's try Prohibition 2: Electric Boogaloo

I thought we already did that with Cannibis. Hopefully 3'rd time's the charm!

Well, that's quite crazy how cannabis is illegal but alcohol is completely legal.

[Ulfrinn]

Escrito originalmente por Q-T_3.14.exe:

Escrito originalmente por Dom:

No one should be drinking alcohol because it is harmful to not only you but to people around you. Drinking contributes to a huge percentage of active cop duties; you're looking at assaults, threats and unrest caused by drunk people in massive numbers. The damage greatly outweighs the "benefits" from drinking.

It's not in any way comparable to posting intimate pictures which is just entertainment.

Let's try Prohibition 2: Electric Boogaloo

There are some people in the world who think everything should be illegal by default except for a short list of activities they deem acceptable by their degree. Thankfully, modern society has moved beyond those type of people having much control in the western world anymore.

[Raelic]

These kind of arguments come up often where people try to equate something with something completely unrelated.

The legal age for consuming alcohol isn't based on the things you're equating it to. It's based on what's safe.

21 was where it started because at the time 21 was the legal age for many of the equivalencies you're drawing. As States lowered the age, they noticed that many alcohol related accidents like Driving Drunk increased. So they kept it at 21.

Many States don't care if you drink at home even under 21 because you're home. The entire purpose of the law is just to keep alcohol related accidents low.

Other countries don't rely on cars as much as the US as well.

It's just not the same.

And this is an easy thing to google instead of asking on a video game off-topic forum.

Also, it's not even a big issue in the US. Alcohol in general in the US has declined significantly. It's a waste of money.

[Squingus]

Escrito originalmente por εnigmatic:

Because you are not smart enough not to poison yourself. Trust the government

an A.C. government?

[WhiteKnight77]

Escrito originalmente por Raelic:

These kind of arguments come up often where people try to equate something with something completely unrelated.

The legal age for consuming alcohol isn't based on the things you're equating it to. It's based on what's safe.

21 was where it started because at the time 21 was the legal age for many of the equivalencies you're drawing. As States lowered the age, they noticed that many alcohol related accidents like Driving Drunk increased. So they kept it at 21.

Many States don't care if you drink at home even under 21 because you're home. The entire purpose of the law is just to keep alcohol related accidents low.

Other countries don't rely on cars as much as the US as well.

It's just not the same.

And this is an easy thing to google instead of asking on a video game off-topic forum.

States, or rather localities, do care if you are drinking while under age, even at home. Parents get busted all the time for hosting parties and providing alcohol to those under 21 all the time, as well as those under age getting busted as well.

[Dom]

Escrito originalmente por :D:

Escrito originalmente por Dom:

No one should be drinking alcohol because it is harmful to not only you but to people around you. Drinking contributes to a huge percentage of active cop duties; you're looking at assaults, threats and unrest caused by drunk people in massive numbers. The damage greatly outweighs the "benefits" from drinking.

It's not in any way comparable to posting intimate pictures which is just entertainment.

I think p*rn is very destructive too, in fact maybe even more destructive than alcohol in terms of overall societal impact.

BUT otherwise I agree with that first paragraph. Drinking is awful indeed and it sucks that it is so normalized. I don't see much issue with a kid having a glass of wine at dinner or something but excessive drinking has gotta be one of the top killers in terms of preventable deaths.

It may not be the type of impact that I'm talking about then.

Because cops are not out there every night on duty taking calls because of adult entertainment. But they are because of alcohol. I'm also completely certain that alcohol contributes to far more domestic abuse & need for social workers to step in than adult entertainment. Provided that adult entertainment we are discussing is based on consent and equal understanding by (all) parties involved.

These are just few examples but they put alcohol pretty high up there in terms of *negative* societal impact.

[Squingus]

Does it truly actually matter though? Think to yourselves why do you care so much ? Im not trying to flame anyone, or derail this thread, but why waste time arguing over the ins and outs of a law that does not permit you to partake in drunkenness?

[WhiteKnight77]

Escrito originalmente por SQUINGUS:

Does it truly actually matter though? Think to yourselves why do you care so much ? Im not trying to flame anyone, or derail this thread, but why waste time arguing over the ins and outs of a law that does not permit you to partake in drunkenness?

Laws do not matter to people. While drinking underage does not mean one is necessarily a criminal, there are repercussions do doing so. There are sooooooooooo many videos on YT about underage drinkers getting busted due to shear stupidity. Drunk driving is criminal no matter what age, but being underage and drunk while driving is beyond idiotic. While a DUI can be given for .08 and up, for anyone under, the amount for them is typically .02.

[Boblin the Goblin]

Escrito originalmente por Dom:

No one should be drinking alcohol because it is harmful to not only you but to people around you. Drinking contributes to a huge percentage of active cop duties; you're looking at assaults, threats and unrest caused by drunk people in massive numbers. The damage greatly outweighs the "benefits" from drinking.

It's not in any way comparable to posting intimate pictures which is just entertainment.

Banning it only made all of that worse. In fact, it's attributed to letting mobster crime grow enough to become a permanent thing in America.

[Boblin the Goblin]

Escrito originalmente por Dom:

Escrito originalmente por :D:

I think p*rn is very destructive too, in fact maybe even more destructive than alcohol in terms of overall societal impact.

BUT otherwise I agree with that first paragraph. Drinking is awful indeed and it sucks that it is so normalized. I don't see much issue with a kid having a glass of wine at dinner or something but excessive drinking has gotta be one of the top killers in terms of preventable deaths.

It may not be the type of impact that I'm talking about then.

Because cops are not out there every night on duty taking calls because of adult entertainment. But they are because of alcohol. I'm also completely certain that alcohol contributes to far more domestic abuse & need for social workers to step in than adult entertainment. Provided that adult entertainment we are discussing is based on consent and equal understanding by (all) parties involved.

These are just few examples but they put alcohol pretty high up there in terms of *negative* societal impact.

So you don't have actual numbers but want to ban something based off speculation?

[Dom]

Escrito originalmente por SlowMango:

Escrito originalmente por Dom:

No one should be drinking alcohol because it is harmful to not only you but to people around you. Drinking contributes to a huge percentage of active cop duties; you're looking at assaults, threats and unrest caused by drunk people in massive numbers. The damage greatly outweighs the "benefits" from drinking.

It's not in any way comparable to posting intimate pictures which is just entertainment.

Banning it only made all of that worse. In fact, it's attributed to letting mobster crime grow enough to become a permanent thing in America.

Didn't say that we have to ban it.

The comparisons made here are just absurd, that's all I said.