Growing up was fun especially during our teenage years. To parents, this was the dreaded period of peril as they sleeplessly and nervously watched their children grew up becoming young adults. Their demands for more freedom and breathing space to express their individuality piled on rapidly within the next seven years or so. However, to a teenager, the party was just about to begin. And by that, I meant beer, booze and brandy.During my teenage years, my country (Philippines) was under Martial Law. Minors below the age of twenty-one caught under the influence of alcohol faced long-term imprisonment and hard labor. So my cohorts and I considered ourselves “late bloomers” as the dreadful situation during our time put our adrenalin “shots” within a certain threshold. We never felt the kind of rush like the new wave kids are going through right now. Nevertheless, it was not something to feel sorry.
The topic of the talk show I was watching last night wrapped around the legal drinking age. Lately, a petition was filed in the US requesting the drinking age be lowered to 18. The issue triggered an outpouring of emotions from parents, as they have to deal with another problem in addition to the mounting case of premarital sex, teenage pregnancy and drugs.
The legal drinking age around the world ranged between zero to twenty-one. The US National Minimum Drinking Act in 1984 dictated twenty-one as the legal age for its citizen to consume alcohol. And for that, United States uniquely was the highest in the world, closely followed by Japan and South Korea. Countries with no MDA (Minimum Drinking Age) like China, Thailand and Vietnam ranked bottom.
Why the unusual high drinking age? Advocates of the current law believed the earlier the teenager started drinking alcohol the more likely he became alcoholic later in life. Another reason was, the law does not want teenagers to obtain their driver’s license the same time they were allowed to drink alcohol. They thought the newly found freedoms do not mix. There may be a grain of truth to this. But that did not explain the high rate of alcohol related misdemeanor American teenagers committed before they reached twelfth grade. Was it because teenagers were not allowed to legally drink, that is why they did it in secret? If Americans were worried about alcohol related accidents then which should come first? Driving age or drinking age?
From this perspective, it seemed the Drinking Act sowed more harm than good in the last two decades. Setting the legal age to 21 made criminals out of the overwhelming majority and enforcing the law until everyone gave in was pointless. Lowering the age to 18 will not even do wonders either.
It is time for a new approach, a new line of attack. I think it should start with a new attitude towards drinking alcohol. If teenagers are allowed to drink, they should do it with adult supervision to avoid excess. Just like teaching them how to drive a car before giving them a license. European teenagers’ first encounter with a glass of wine is at the dinner table under the watchful eye of their parents, not at a binge drink - promoting frat party. Responsibility is one of the key aspects in successfully implementing the law.
After the lifting of Martial Law, the Philippines saw a new beginning. Finally, patience paid off. It called for a celebration. It was then that I had my first mug of icy cold draft beer at Shakey’s – at 20 years old.
5 comments:
When I turned 19 in the summer of 87, the jack offs in the US government had already decided the drinking age would be raised to 21. That year I was "granfathered" into being alowed to drink. All my friends, however, had a year to go before even hitting 18.
I had a few requests to buy alcohol for them, which I reluctantly did, worried I'd somehow get into trouble. Now, I wish I had done so with a big ass smile on my face while staring the casheer right in the eyes. :D They knew my friends standing next to me or "reading a magazine" had me making a "beer run" for them. lol
The lame a** excuse the government used was that raising the drinking age would "save lives by preventing drunk driving and keep kids from becoming alcoholics" BULLSH*T!!! They knew damn well it wouldn't work and the last three decades have been tragically proving them wrong ever since. As always, it's just our government talking out their a** and blowing smoke up ours.
So many teens, as well as colege students, have died of binge drinking alone it's insane. That, plus all the other deaths caused by teens driving drunk is more proof that our infinately wise, brainless wonders in Washington D.C. (nicknamed "Big Brother") have no clue what they're talking about.
People of all ages argued right back with VERY good points. The fact that parents had a much harder time keeping an eye on their kids drinking habits was one. Since then, many parents now have a criminal record because some retarded kid at a party told his/her parents, who then called the cops on the parents hosting the supervised party.
I GUARANTEE you the same sh*theads in government who support this law staying in place are also supplying alcohol for their kids when they host parties. The diference is, polititians have the luxury of the "Get Out Of Jail Free" card.
Another valid point people of all ages made is, if kids had to fill out a draft card by age 18 or risk getting tossed in federal prison, and could join the military by 18 and risk being killed or maimed, they should have the right to drink by 18 too.
By the way, the legal driving age here is 16 so, how the hell does that figure into the legal drinking age being 18 or any age higher? Now the Feds want to raise the legal driving age to maybe 18. Does this mean the drinking age will be pushed up to 23?
Yeah, good idea Washington. Piss off an even larger percentage of the US population while causing that many more alcohol related deaths and tragities. Bunch of f*cktards.
Sorry...I meant to say the "last two decades have been tragically proving them wrong ever since." :(
@Angry American
I think the legal drinking age issue is not the main problem here. The staggering percentage of alcohol-related crime might be attributed to US teenagers' attitude of drinking "like there's no tomorrow".
true, in europe kids are drinking a glass of wine at meal time especially dinner together with the family. it is a common fact that the more you forbid the youngs to stay away from alcohol they more they are getting curious and rebellious of doing so. a party without booze is not a party at all for teenagers and even for adult males and some adult women too. I myself would love to have a party with wine and entree. i'll say that drinking is not bad at all as long as it's properly taken( for socialization and relaxation) and not excessive that may hamper your fair judgement.I had one experience where i drunk wine more than my limitation and i had to drive home, i lose my concentration at the road and was vey much thankful that i was able to come home safe and sound..never again!
migt be different in USA but our legal age for drinking here in North America is 18 years old same with going to casinos and buying cigarettes. fatal accident on alcohol related is very high more than anything else..crimes?? yes, it's very high as well but big time crimes are pre-planned , well coordinated by high level criminals without any influence of alcohol at all.
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