Adirondack Community News

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August 2007

• Aug. 16, 2007 - Keep Our Drinking Age at 21?

Plattsburgh's newspaper, The PressRepublican, had an editorial statement about our drinking age law. It stated that the "gold plated" arguments, If you can vote, you can drink. If you can join the military, you can drink., are all well but not enough to convince the jury to lower the age back to 18. It stated our streets are safer because inexperienced drivers who would have been drinking are off the streets.

I disagree.

I agree that underage drinking is a problem; however, I do not agree that the drinking age should stand at 21. Why? Telling someone he can't have something will make whatever that something is more valuable in his eyes. If our society would teach our future generations about everything in life rather than shy away, beat around the bush, or tell them they can't have it, our future society would be better prepared for life than today.
I disagree with the statement of "our roads are safer today because of the raised drinking age.". It is not the alcohol that is the problem. It is the inexperience. We give our children the privilege to drive at such a young age and without proper education. Look at Germany. You can't obtain your license from a cereal box as you can here in the States. If the U.S. raised the requirements to obtain a driver's license after studying Germany's example, most of our driving issues would be resolved.
The editorial stated to keep the status quo. Keep our drinking age the same. I say raise our standards. Provide more education.

What's your opinion?

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