We have to give a speech about a controversial topic for my English class next week, so I decided to do mine on the debate over the legal drinking age. As many of you may already know, our government is looking into lowering the drinking age down to 18.

In my opinion, legal drinking age is just a number, not a law. No matter how high or low the legal age is, under aged kids like me can always find ways to obtain alcohol with ease.

Do you think the drinking age should stay where it's at (21)? Or do you support lowering the age back down to 18?

If you're old and mature enough to fight and die in a foreign country, I think you're old and mature enough to enjoy a beer in your own home.

__________________

It's 18 here and i think that's the perfect age. If i'm mature enough to work, pay taxes and fight for my government then i'm perfectly mature enough to enjoy a drink with friends.
I don't think it should be any younger than that though as even if you can get alcohol underage, most teenagers aren't responsible enough.

__________________
www.chasingafairytale.tumblr.com Follow me =)
Ask me anything (anonymously!) - www.formspring.me/itsmyfairytale

I wouldn't mind it being 16 if a parent or guardian is present in their own home. Or if there is a restriction on how much is consumed, like BAC.

__________________

Can't you already do that? Over here at 16 we can legally drink at a meal with our parents (used to be 14 but they moved it up) and we can drink in the house with them from even younger, that one used to be something stupid like 5 but not sure what it is now.

__________________
www.chasingafairytale.tumblr.com Follow me =)
Ask me anything (anonymously!) - www.formspring.me/itsmyfairytale

Pretty sure you can't here. You can be charged with providing a minor with alcohol, unless something has changed that I'm not aware of. Of course, it's difficult to enforce because there aren't police officers standing in your living room, but it's still technically illegal.

__________________

Well, seeing how partying is a part of the 'culture' for the American teens, I doubt lowering the drinking age would do too much (except makes it easier for us to get alcohol).

If you look at most European countries, their legal drinking age is at either 16 or 18. But you rarely find the teens there partying nearly as much as we do.

You have a very wrong impression of europe there love. We're just as big on partying, the only difference is that we're introduced to alcohol at a much earlier age.

__________________
www.chasingafairytale.tumblr.com Follow me =)
Ask me anything (anonymously!) - www.formspring.me/itsmyfairytale

When you're 16 in England you can drink with a meal in restaurants and pubs around the country. I know some American brand restaurants here refuse people under the age of 18 to drink which I'm assuming is just them deciding to stick with the American approach, but I think we can appeal against it if we get annoyed, however as they're a private business i think it's within their rights.

To be honest I like the fact that I can drink. I couldn't see myself at university and not getting slaughtered most nights; that's pretty much what being a student is! Being able to go out and have a laugh. I'm 21 in a months time anyway so it wouldn't exactly bother me if they did raise the age, although I wouldn't see much point in it.

Here Children from the age of 5 are allowed to drink in their own homes with their parent's permission however I'm sure the government doesn't encourage things like that and even if that was outlawed, they can hardly keep tap on the situation.

__________________
http://sig.xboxlivenation.com/sig7806.png

I blame my math teacher for providing me with false information lol.
He was like "I've been to Europe when I was young and the kids there have no party spirits whatsoever..." Then he went on explaining the culture crap and I totally bought it for some reason

Don't worry, my teachers say all sorts of stuff about americans you just need to not take it seriously, even if you visit europe on holiday chances are you won't get an insight into the life of a typical teenager there, i know i didn't in america.

__________________
www.chasingafairytale.tumblr.com Follow me =)
Ask me anything (anonymously!) - www.formspring.me/itsmyfairytale

exactly my thoughts!!!! like the drinking age around the majority of the world is 18, even lower, once acccompanied by an adult, very few countries have the drinking age any higher!!! in ireland its 18, but i, along with friends my age were able to get their hands on alcohol and drink illigally!!! i started quite late at 16, where some of my friends were drinking since 13-14!! like its all down to the person really, some people can hold their drink, where others cannot!!! why shouldnt it be 18 everywhere!!! it just means that those who start drinking at 21, means that they will be unexperienced and could be dangerous, thats not to say that everyone who drinks is not dangerous, but those who drink underage will most likely stay in one place, for fear of being caught!!!!

21 in America always seems such a high, high age. They need to lower the limit so you can start earlier and build up a good tolerance

__________________
Do you ever take drugs so that you can have sex without crying?

18 is a good solid age for a drink.

__________________

18 I'm tried of America's stupid 21 crap. I want to move to Europe.