Introduction
By age 18, you can fight a war in Iraq, vote against the president, buy a gun, drive a car, pilot an airplane. But having a beer ... In the United States, that's considered much too dangerous! This web site is dedicated to the abolition of one of America's favorite forms of age discrimination. Read about the harms the drinking age does to society. Read about the myths of the drinking age.
Alcohol, of course, is a dangerous substance. There are dangers such as those associated with driving or operating machinery under the influence of alcohol, other alcohol related accidents, alcohol poisoning, long adverse medical effects ranging from alcoholism to psyrorsis of the liver. All of these dangers are independent of the age of the consumer. Our society must overcome many of its problems with alcohol. The drinking age is more often part of the problem than part of the solution.
This site does not advocate the consumption of alcohol by anyone. It merely discusses facts and myths associated with the drinking age.
Myth #1. The drinking age reduces underage drinking
The drinking age fails to even bring this result. Studies of college student drinking show that the students under 21 actually drink more than the students over 21. Clearly the underage students have no problems acquiring alcohol. One can also compare the rate of alcohol consumption in the US with the rates in countries that have a drinking age lower than 21 or no drinking age (by the way, that's virtually every single country in the world). In the US, where the alcohol is forbidden, they actually drink more.
Why Police selectively enforce the law
TThe majority of all US citizens between the ages of 16 and 21 consume alcohol. It is impossible for police to catch all of them. Therefore, the police and court systems rely on "selective enforcement." Because of selective enforcement, some underage drinkers will be caught, arrested, fined, and have their future careers wrecked. Other underage drinkers are allowed to slide through the system. They become the future lawyers, doctors, bank presidents, and US senators. The drinking age provides a tool to weed out the undersireables.
Didn't they drink when they were under 21.
The vast majority of those clamoring for enforcing the 21 year drinkiing age drank when they were under 21. These include most of the police officers arresting under age drinkers, parents prohibiting their teens from drinking, judges enforcing underage drinking laws, college disipline officers, state and federal lawmakers. Their message is clear: "Do as we say, not as we do." Whenever you are face-to-face with a age-based prohibitionist, ask them the question: Did you drink when you were under 21? It might not help, but at least their answers are entertaining.