Maryland, Minnesota consider drinking age reform

[Nordenkalt]

As of now the drinking age is 21 in the United States so being that today is a day where people drink a lot here I think this would be timely. Puerto Rico is the only US territory to have a drinking age of 18 which shines light on the misconception that the drinking age is a national law. The Act was signed in 1984 to withhold highway funding to states that don't raise their drinking age to 21, Puerto Rico refused and had 10% of their highway funding cut. Maryland is considering to allow 18 year old service members to drink while the proposal in Minnesota is closer to all-out reform of the age in bars and restaurants. Several Supreme Court rulings from 2012-2015 (including Obamacare) have hinted to a more favorable environment for states to lower their drinking ages.
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_27469941/kahn-again-proposes-lower-drinking-age
http://www.wbaltv.com/politics/lower-drinking-age-proposed-for-service-members-in-maryland/31523706

What do you guys think? Should everyone (including those not in the army) be able to drink at 18? I think this would be a great step towards civil freedom but I don't think there should even be a minimum age.

[Bentrada]

It should be 18 or even 16. I find it strange that at 17, with a parents permission, a person can join the military and die for their country, but you have to be 21 to legally drink a beer? Besides, having the drinking age at 21 has hardly stopped teenagers from drinking.

[Rightful Revolution]

As a college student, I can firmly assure anyone who thinks that citizens under 21 can't get alcohol, it surely happens.

[Neutraligon]

As a college student, I can firmly assure anyone who thinks that citizens under 21 can't get alcohol, it surely happens.

I am very sure people are...personally... aware of that.

[Scomagia]

It should be 18 or even 16. I find it strange that at 17, with a parents permission, a person can join the military and die for their country, but you have to be 21 to legally drink a beer? Besides, having the drinking age at 21 has hardly stopped teenagers from drinking.

It definitely shouldn't be 16. 18 is a good enough age.

[Diopolis]

Replace the drinking age with a licensing scheme.

[BK117B2]

I think it is weird you go as low as 5 but skip 17

[MERIZoC]

I heard an interesting proposal once that instead of having a set age to drink, you have to take a class, and pass a test.

[Geilinor]

I heard an interesting proposal once that instead of having a set age to drink, you have to take a class, and pass a test.

This^. If you know how to be safe, then why not?

[Scomagia]

I heard an interesting proposal once that instead of having a set age to drink, you have to take a class, and pass a test.

That's completely asinine. The State should not be in the business of protecting consenting adults from themselves.

[Val Halla]

Age to purchase alcohol in the UK is 18, and it works fine here. Actually drinking, there is no age limit.

[Diopolis]

I heard an interesting proposal once that instead of having a set age to drink, you have to take a class, and pass a test.

Ninja'd

Replace the drinking age with a licensing scheme.

[Luziyca]

In Canada, it varies by province. Where I live, it is 19, but a while back, there were proposals to lower it to 18. Personally, it doesn't matter to me if it is 18 or 19.

[Empire of Narnia]

18 should be the drinking age.

[Greed and Death]

Sadly they will lose highway funds if they budge.

Though some states in the south have only outlawed those under 21 from buying booze.

[Nordenkalt]

I think it is weird you go as low as 5 but skip 17

Yeah I messed up on the poll choices I should've also said 18-20

[Risottia]

It should be 18 or even 16. I find it strange that at 17, with a parents permission, a person can join the military and die for their country, but you have to be 21 to legally drink a beer? Besides, having the drinking age at 21 has hardly stopped teenagers from drinking.

Actually, having such high drinking ages only encourages binge drinking, instead of creating a culture about the sensible use of alcohol.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

Good. Banning and highly restricting things tends to work in the opposite direction from the intention.

If you can smoke, buy property, go to war, and drive a car, you should be able to have a beer.

[Napkiraly]

In Canada, it varies by province. Where I live, it is 19, but a while back, there were proposals to lower it to 18. Personally, it doesn't matter to me if it is 18 or 19.

I am lucky enough to come from the civilized province of Manitoba, where the age limit is 18 but cops nor store owners particularly care if you're 16 or 17 and getting shitfaced.

[Geilinor]

I heard an interesting proposal once that instead of having a set age to drink, you have to take a class, and pass a test.

That's completely asinine. The State should not be in the business of protecting consenting adults from themselves.

How about a drinking age of 18 or a test to drink earlier?

[Yukonastan]

Honestly, two-tier it. 16-18 for beer and wine, and 21 for strong liquor. And educate people in school about the dangers of bingedrinking, stigmatize drinking just to get drunk or drown sorrow, make drinking something you do as a social activity.

[Luziyca]

In Canada, it varies by province. Where I live, it is 19, but a while back, there were proposals to lower it to 18. Personally, it doesn't matter to me if it is 18 or 19.

I am lucky enough to come from the civilized province of Manitoba, where the age limit is 18 but cops nor store owners particularly care if you're 16 or 17 and getting shitfaced.

Yeah. I don't care much for booze, really. But 21 is a smidge too high, methinks.

[Seaxeland]

I don't care, so long as it isn't anything younger than 17.

[Scomagia]

That's completely asinine. The State should not be in the business of protecting consenting adults from themselves.

How about a drinking age of 18 or a test to drink earlier?

I'd be more open to that.

[Grolsch]

The Netherlands raised the drinking age from 16 to 18 several years ago. While it did work in the big cities, elsewhere it's worked in the opposite direction as parents and teens have cooperated to build so-called binge sheds where teens can chill, listen to music, play games, watch movies and drink both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Many parents also don't agree with the current policy and buy alcohol for their kids. As someone who has been lucky enough to be 16 to 18 several years before the introduction of the new drinking age, I can say most 16- and 17-year-olds at the time knew how to handle alcohol responsibly. At that time - and this is still the case - the real problem came from 12- to 14-year-old binge drinkers ending up in hospital. Oh, there's also another popular solution for 16- and 17-year-olds who want to get alcohol and happen to live near the border: get your bicycle (or moped), drive to Germany or Belgium and get beer over there. Since there rarely are any border controls (wonderful European Union at work), it works very well.