Drinking age should be 18 years and over

In July of 1984, Congress passed a bill requiring all states to enforce a minimum drinking age of 21.

Technically, the minimum consumption age for alcohol is set by each state individually; however, those who failed to adhere to the bill would lose their federal highway funding as punishment.

Why did Congress find the issue so important to threaten the states with an incentive? Their goal was to trim down on alcohol-related traffic deaths. However, the effectiveness of raising the drinking age to 21 is still being debated. The facts have shown that fatal traffic accidents associated with drunk driving have grown smaller in numbers since the mid 80s. This can be attributed to seat belt laws created at the same time which lowered overall fatalities.

Raising the drinking age has been about as effective as national prohibition. Prohibition destroyed moderation and instead promoted abusive drinking because when the alcohol was available, people would drink it in large quantities. Speakeasies did not exist before prohibition when people could drink leisurely. By raising the drinking age to 21, what we have created is age-specific prohibition causing people to create their own “speakeasies” in dorm rooms or other secret locations where binge drinking often occurs.

When alcohol is seen as the “forbidden fruit” by college students, it only becomes more tempting. In 1999, Harvard University surveyed students at 119 colleges and found that 47 percent of college students who consume alcohol drink to get drunk. Almost one in every four binged three or more times in a two-week period.

Now I am not arguing on this side because I want it to be as easy as possible for every college student to go out and get drunk. However, as a member of the Army ROTC program here on campus, I am mystified by the fact that on the day I am commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army, I will not be legally entitled to a toast to celebrate. Another example of this law’s idiocy is the men and woman in Iraq and Afghanistan right now defending our freedom. These soldiers are trusted with equipment that costs millions of dollars and officers are entrusted with the lives of other men, yet the message the government sends to them is that they are not competent to drink alcohol in a responsible manner. The voting age was brought down to 18 partially because of the age requirements to serve in the military; therefore, why not the drinking age?

Currently, the 18-year mark means you can get married. You now have the right to vote for who you want to represent you in a political office. You can enter into legal contracts. You can walk into a convenience store and buy cigarettes or purchase pornographic material. But you can’t buy even one alcoholic beverage. I think it’s time we get realistic about alcohol and solve this problem.

Erin Cooksley is a freshman political science major from Texas City.