The debate over lowering the drinking age has been heating up in several states, fueled by some lawmakers who believe if men and women are old enough to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan they are old enough to consume alcohol legally.
Advertisement
Lawmakers in Kentucky, Wisconsin and South Carolina introduced bills that would lower the drinking age for military personnel only. A planned ballot initiative in Missouri would apply to everyone 18 and older and an initiative in South Dakota would allow all 19- and 20-year-olds to buy low-alcohol beer.
Many of you responded to the latest poll on the Edmond blog about lowering the drinking age in Oklahoma. Fifty percent said the law should be lowered for those in active military service while 33 percent voted no, 18 is too young. Only 16 percent said if a person is considered old enough to fight they should be considered old enough to drink.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says laws setting the drinking age at 21 have cut traffic fatalities involving 18- to 20-year-old drivers by 13 percent.
A 2007 Gallup Poll found that 77 percent of Americans oppose lowering the drinking age to 18.
Richard Prawdzienski of Edmond sent his comments by e-mail on lowering the legal drinking age in Oklahoma. "I agree, some people between 18 and 21 are immature and irresponsible. Maybe we need to change our laws to make it illegal to be immature. If an older adult allows an underage to be immature, that older adult should be fined and/or sent off to jail under a Social Host Law?
"We need to change the debate about drinking age. Instead, we need to ask why 18 year olds haven't learned to be responsible,” he said.
Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
Leave a comment.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).
What most people do not know is that you can drink at age 18 in the military. The military policy is the law of the land or age 18. Therefore, in the unlikely event a person is drafted they will be permitted to drink. Oh and by the way, the military does not allow you to be a drunk lush. More than one alcohol related incidents will land you in DAPA classes. If you constantly get in trouble when under the influence you will see punishment, lose you drinking privelages and you may be dishonorbly discharged.
If anything we need stricter enforcement of current laws. Lowering the drinking age will just open the flow for kids who are 17,16,15,14,13,12. As soon as those laws change you will see increase of Jr. drinking parties and sexual assaults. There are many 18 year old high school boys that pursue jr. high girls and brag about it.
What most people do not know is that you can drink at age 18 in the military. The military policy is the law of the land or age 18. Therefore, in the unlikely event a person is drafted they will be permitted to drink. Oh and by the way, the military does not allow you to be a drunk lush. More than one alcohol related incidents will land you in DAPA classes. If you constantly get in trouble when under the influence you will see punishment, lose you drinking privelages and you may be dishonorbly discharged.
If anything we need stricter enforcement of current laws. Lowering the drinking age will just open the flow for kids who are 17,16,15,14,13,12. As soon as those laws change you will see increase of Jr. drinking parties and sexual assaults. There are many 18 year old high school boys that pursue jr. high girls and brag about it.
What most people do not know is that you can drink at age 18 in the military. The military policy is the law of the land or age 18. Therefore, in the unlikely event a person is drafted they will be permitted to drink. Oh and by the way, the military does not allow you to be a drunk lush. More than one alcohol related incidents will land you in DAPA classes. If you constantly get in trouble when under the influence you will see punishment, lose you drinking privelages and you may be dishonorbly discharged.
If anything we need stricter enforcement of current laws. Lowering the drinking age will just open the flow for kids who are 17,16,15,14,13,12. As soon as those laws change you will see increase of Jr. drinking parties and sexual assaults. There are many 18 year old high school boys that pursue jr. high girls and brag about it.
What most people do not know is that you can drink at age 18 in the military. The military policy is the law of the land or age 18. Therefore, in the unlikely event a person is drafted they will be permitted to drink. Oh and by the way, the military does not allow you to be a drunk lush. More than one alcohol related incidents will land you in DAPA classes. If you constantly get in trouble when under the influence you will see punishment, lose you drinking privelages and you may be dishonorbly discharged.
If anything we need stricter enforcement of current laws. Lowering the drinking age will just open the flow for kids who are 17,16,15,14,13,12. As soon as those laws change you will see increase of Jr. drinking parties and sexual assaults. There are many 18 year old high school boys that persue jr. high girls and brag about it.
Look at Europe. Alcohol abuse among teenagers is not nearly the problem there that it is here. Kids will alays go after forbidden fruit and over indulge when they do get it. If it is readily available and part of their culture growing up, they are less likely to abuse it.
Why don't we just lower the drinking age to 15? Include everyone! I mean, if they're going to drink, might as well make it as easy as possible. Because people are going to get drunk when they want to get drunk. Although I honestly hope I never see an 18 year old walk into a store to buy a 12 pack. Still in high school or fresh out of high school people will open up a whole new realm for the younger high school kids. I wouldn't be surprised if within 5 years of a new law being passed the fatality rate from 'drinking accidents' would surge for adolescents. I hate to even think about it, because I know the people who would be allowed to drink, and I know they just simply are not mature enough.
It's funny because people under 21 are still able to get alcohol, & get into clubs/bars with fake id's. lower the legal age to 18. Military or not, if your old enough to get drafted & fight for your country your definitely old enough to drink what ever you want.
Have high gasoline prices squashed your vacation plans for the summer? Send your comments to jwilliams@oklahoman.com or go to the Edmond blog at blog.newsok.com/mile103. There you can see the current prices on gas in Edmond and vote on the latest polls.
What do you think?
Many of you responded to the latest poll on the Edmond blog about lowering the drinking age in Oklahoma. Fifty percent said the law should be lowered for those in active military service while 33 percent voted no, 18 is too young.
8
Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
If anything we need stricter enforcement of current laws. Lowering the drinking age will just open the flow for kids who are 17,16,15,14,13,12. As soon as those laws change you will see increase of Jr. drinking parties and sexual assaults. There are many 18 year old high school boys that pursue jr. high girls and brag about it.
If anything we need stricter enforcement of current laws. Lowering the drinking age will just open the flow for kids who are 17,16,15,14,13,12. As soon as those laws change you will see increase of Jr. drinking parties and sexual assaults. There are many 18 year old high school boys that pursue jr. high girls and brag about it.
If anything we need stricter enforcement of current laws. Lowering the drinking age will just open the flow for kids who are 17,16,15,14,13,12. As soon as those laws change you will see increase of Jr. drinking parties and sexual assaults. There are many 18 year old high school boys that pursue jr. high girls and brag about it.
If anything we need stricter enforcement of current laws. Lowering the drinking age will just open the flow for kids who are 17,16,15,14,13,12. As soon as those laws change you will see increase of Jr. drinking parties and sexual assaults. There are many 18 year old high school boys that persue jr. high girls and brag about it.