Now, here’s a debate to weigh in on…
For the past two decades, the legal drinking age in the United States has been 21. Recently, however, nine states have given voice to lowering the legal drinking age to 18, and three states have bills under legislative consideration. Additionally, some 100 university presidents from the likes of Duke, Ohio State, Syracuse and Tufts Universities are calling for a discussion on the issue, in what’s being called the “Amethyst Initiative,” saying a “culture of dangerous, clandestine binge drinking” [defined as drinking 5 or more drinks for adult males and 4 or more drinks for adult females on the same occassion], according JoinTogether.org’s August 19, 2008, News Summary titled, “College Presidents Rekindle Drinking Age Debate.”
Yet, Nationwide Insurance conducted a survey about Underage Drinking in April 2008, and according to its survey findings, “Americans continue to overwhelmingly reject an ongoing push to lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 18. …72 percent of adults think lowering the drinking age will make alcohol more accessible to kids and nearly half believe it would increase binge drinking among teens.” Nationwide further reported survey results showed, “More than half even say they are less likely to vote for a state representative who supports lowering the legal limit or send their children to colleges or universities with ‘party school’ reputations.”
What do you think?
