Let me start off by saying that this is not a moral debate. Whether or not, you personally believe that the consumption of alcoholic beverages is right or wrong makes zero difference to me, and it should make zero difference in the laws about it. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is a secular activity, and thus should be governed with the same respect. This is a logical debate about the rights of adults in the United States of America, and why the age limit of 21 for the consumption and/or purchase of alcohol does not make any logical sense.
Zero Logic.
Picture yourself interviewing for a job against one other applicant. The interview goes extremely well, and you’re expecting to be hired. You do some research on the one other applicant and find out that they have no education, and no experience. Sweet, you think that you have this job all tied up, and it’s pretty much guaranteed. Three weeks go by with no call, so you call into the company to check in. The person who interviewed you answers the phone and says, “Hi there. I’m sorry, but we decided to hire the other applicant because they were born two years before you.” You politely say thanks and end the conversation completely baffled. The fact that the other applicant was two years older than you shouldn’t have anything to do with who received the job, should it? The same logic is applied to the drinking age in the United States of America. A post-adult status age based limit in this situation makes no sense. Why should anything after the age of 18 be based on age? The only reason 18 is used as turning point in this situation is because in the United States of America, 18 is the age at which adulthood responsibilities are assumed. Once a person reaches 18 years of age, they can legally: join the military, get married, obtain a line of credit / go into debt, declare bankruptcy, pursue legal action, get arrested, and go to jail. Therefore it makes sense that along with those responsibilities, also come adult rights. This however, is not the case with alcohol.
Essentially, the message I receive from lawmakers is that responsibility levels are 100% age-based. As time has told, and will continue to tell, this is not the case. Responsibility levels, in my opinion, are largely based on self-control and are closely tied to education. An article taken from MADD (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving), says that the 21 year old drinking limit drastically decreases drunk driving fatalities. While I don’t disagree with that claim, I do not feel that they are not approaching the problem with the level of care it needs. You could use the same arguments from the MADD article for banning religion (deaths caused by religion in the 2oth century), because they are solely based on the amount of lives saved. What I’m trying to say is that this age based limit is equivalent to killing flys with nuclear weapons; yes you may rid the whole area of flys, but you have also rid the whole area of everything else too.
The Solution.
What we need, is a test based licensing system which then, once obtained, allows you to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. This would be a nationwide system, which would be valid in all states. The testing and training could be administered similar to Drivers License testing and training. The age limit for the test would be 18. Not only would this provide a better non-discriminatory based system for regulation of alcohol, this would force all who consume alcohol to be educated in it’s effects. This alcohol license would be beneficial not only in ridding ourselves of age based discrimination, it would also be beneficial in the regulation of alcohol sales, the prosecution of alcohol related offenses, and most of all, it would aid in the prevention of drunk driving felonies. If caught driving while drunk, your alcohol AND drivers license would be instantly revoked. On the second offense, not only are you charged with driving and drinking without a license, but you also end up in jail. The alcohol license makes sense.
Closing.
I feel like I am being discriminated against by my country on the grounds of age. I am 19 years old, currently hold a college degree, and am working on my second degree. Tomorrow, I could take out a loan for a quarter of a million dollars, but I won’t be able to set foot in a bar for two more years. It seems like our priorities, as a society, are a bit skewed. Why does this stupid law continue to be in effect? Once people turn 21, they cease to give a shit about what it was like before. Similar to my level of caring about this issue; it will probably completely drop off of my radar in two years. The only people who care, are the ones directly affected by it, and due to the slowing birth rates of the 90s, 18 – 21 year olds make up a very low number of voters. Please leave me comments, questions, and arguments. I would love to know what others think.