Drinking Age

[Gustaf]

I favor lowering the drinking age to 18.

I heard that in Denmark you can buy alcohol at 16 but can't drink it until you're 18.  I may have it backwards, but I heard that somewhere.

That sounds like Swedish law...but the other way around. You can drink at 18, but IIRC you're allowed to buy at 20.

[Gustaf]

I don't like the idea of an age limit for alcohol whether it be 14, 16, 18, 21, or 36! I think the government should trust Americans to make the proper decisions regarding the substance.  I also think that common Americans do have enough sense to make these judgements. True, some people will always be alcoholics, but as a free nation with personal accountability we must not have the government trying to control someones' problems that their own bad judgement created.

P.S.  I also don't like having a voting age and driving age. There are plenty of underage teenagers mature enough to vote, there are plenty of kids over sixteen not mature enough to drive. Having one age doesn't work.

So 5-year olds should be allowed to vote? They'll probably all form their own opinions...

[Gustaf]

Here in Sweden people band together at each other's houses and drink till they pass out. Or they get together in a park and drink till they pass out. Or they get together in the street and drink till they pass out. It's pretty sad.

[Gustaf]

Oh, and some of the issues raised here are fixed easily: simply raise the voting age and the drinking age. As far as fighting goes, that has to do with obligations and we all have obligations without necessarily having rights.