YES
from members:
Lisa DeJesus
Stamford, CT
Although today’s
18-year-olds appear
to be more mature,
they still are not truly
responsible when
alcohol comes into
play.
GET T T Y IMAGES
Marvin West
Jacksonville, FL
I have a problem with
the 18-year-old, cellphone in one hand,
alcohol in the other,
attempting to drive.
Paula Dunmire
Meridian, ID
With age is supposed
to come wisdom.
Should 21 be the
legal drinking age?
NO
from members:
RECENTLY, SOME 120 chancellors and presidents of universities
and colleges across the country called for debate on the current drink-
ing laws. They say the 21-year-old drinking age is not working, that it
has created a culture of dangerous binge drinking on campuses and
should be replaced with education, certification and provisional licens-
ing for 18- to 20 year-old high school graduates who choose to con-
sume alcohol. Critics of this initiative argue that countless lives have
been saved since Congress raised the national minimum drinking age
to 21. Also, they say that it is impossible to ignore the scientific evi-
dence demonstrating the dangers of underage drinking and that lower-
ing the drinking age is irresponsible. What do you think?
Kayvan Khatami
Leesburg, VA
If we can send 18- to
21-year-olds to war
and expect them to
make the right decisions, we can expect
them to be responsible
with drinking.
Judy Krzan
Richland, WA
Twenty-one should
be the minimum age;
25 should be the new
legal drinking age.
Find out more about this topic on the Web:
• http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/
lweb24binge.html?_r= 2&oref=slogin&ref=opinion&pagewanted=print
• http://why21.org/
• www.amethystinitiative.org/
• http://inst.sfcc.edu/~hfl/speech/drinkage.htm
Daniel Negrete
Union City, CA
There will always
be drunk drivers,
regardless of age. It
all depends on the
person.
