I Don’t Get How You Can Be a Completely Legal Adult at 18 but Still Don’t Have the Right to Drink Til 21…?

Question by Seung-Hui Cho: I don’t get how you can be a completely legal adult at 18 but still don’t have the right to drink til 21…?
Can someone explain why to me?

How is it that you can do anything else in this country like join the military, own a house, get married, don’t need permission from your parents to do anything anymore, but yet you can’t get permission(in a matter of speaking) from the government to drink any kind of alcohol til you are 21? If they think you are too stupid to control your alcohol before 21, why do they think you are smart enough to get married or own a house? I am 18, i just think that the situation is silly. I just want to drink responsibly in my own home. I heard that small amount of alcohol could actually benefit my health. About kids in high school drinking, they could use other more dangerous illegal drugs like heroin or pcp. Dont give me the argument saying, lets lower it to 16 or 10. It should be 18 when your legally officially considered an adult. And dont tell me about teenage binge drinking. They are doing it because its forbidden and they are not supposed to. They are counting the days left til they turn 21. Even if they get it illegally, should they be charged the same way a 30 year old would for the same thing? In Europe they ecourage RESPONSIBLE drinking.

“maybe they think that your liver is still growing and they dont want it to bust.”

I understand what your saying but then why can we have cigarettes? And what about medication… things as simple as Ibuprofen can destroy your liver WAY before a glass of wine twice a month, or a beer when you come home from work. “I suspect that it’s because people understand that most 18-year-olds are stupid when it comes to alcohol”

I agree to that whole heartedly but then if we don’t think an average person is responsible enough to have alcohol at that age, why do we think they are responsible enough to join the military or even drive a ton of metal on highways which is legal at 16!? I think there should be MUCH stricter drunk driving laws. No matter how intoxicated someone could be, if the drunk driving law was strict enough, they would think twice about getting in a car and driving and if they do get caught, THEY SHOULD BE IN BIG TROUBLE! What about people way over 21 who abuse alcohol and hurt or kill others. Should they be forced to limit their alcohol use and have all bars stop serving people after 2 or 3 drinks? United States is the only civilized country with a 21 drinking age. All over Europe and Canada the drinking age is much lower at 18 or even 16 and they dont have half as much problems with people drinking and going crazy. Its a violation of my rights as an responsible adult. Why not raise the driving age to 18 and have tougher harder exams to get a license?

Wouldn’t it make more since to let them drink at 18 and then when they’re 21 and the binge drinking out of their system, teach them how to drive? Its not fair that I have to wait another 2 years just to enjoy a beer or 2. I cant stand it.
I dont care about renting a car or running for office!
Why should I have to suffer because of some other dumbass 18 year olds who abused that privilege?

Best answer:

Answer by Ralphy
It is called a law. It is a law which grants adult status at 18, just like it is a law that makes you wait to drink until you are 21. It has nothing else to do with anything. We live in a Democracy and have passed these laws.

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