18 or 21?
It's been coming up in the news a bit lately, so I figure why not throw it out there.
The 21 age limit is a broken system (trust me) but it makes Uncle Sam a ton of money in fines and what not, and I'm sure it probably does cut down on DUI deaths quite a bit. The problem I have with that arguement though is the belief that this is an unalterable consequence of an 18 year age limit.
If I remember correctly, Sweden (the person, a foreign exchange student from high school) told me Sweden's (the country) laws on the subject and it almost made too much sense. Why not lower the age to drink out (as in at bars and resturants) to 18, but keep the age to buy it from a store at 20 (in the case of Sweden) or 21 even? At even the dingiest of hole in the wall bars, there is a bartender there to cut you off and a bouncer to throw you out the door for wearing a hat like the gays do.
It is just enough of a level of control to keep Uncle Sam happy, while at the same time teaching teens their limits so they don't have to learn it from everyones friends over at the Delta house. And shit, the money some people will blow at the bar in one night, let alone two or three years when that is the only possiblity, far far exceeds that of an underage fine. Talk about an economic stimulus package! If anything, it's a hell of a lot of a better idea than the "lite beer" bullshiat law that my parents always use as their disclaimer for "back in the day." I highly doubt that really worked as planned. At least here there is a definite line drawn in the sand. Empty the top shelf if you want, but drink it here, don't take it with you.
Lemme hear em'
