Cultural attitudes should address legal drinking age

A difference of three years in the legal drinking age does not make any particular difference in this country. Since in the United States it is culturally as well as legally forbidden for minors to drink, reaching the legal drinking age is akin to the opening of floodgates.

Not all people, but many, are so excited by the opportunity to drink that they lose all sense of moderation. Since they have no prior experience with what their limits are, both in terms how much they should drink, when they should drink and what they should do when they drink, they are more prone to accidents or simple errors of judgement.

In many European countries, drinking regulations are more lax for minors, and while technically they also have a minimum drinking age, they are introduced to alcohol at a younger age, and therefore are better able to make sound judgements. Since their parents are often the ones who let them try alcohol for the first time, they are in a supervised environment instead of amidst peers of questionable character. Instances of alcohol related accidents and crimes, as well as alcoholism itself, are less prevalent as a result.

The negative effects brought on by alcohol are best addressed not by arbitrary adjustments in the legal drinking age, but a change in cultural attitude about drinking in general.

Marc Sernatinger

Sophomore, School of Sciences

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