Should the legal drinking age be changed?

After all, at the age of 18 you can vote. Die for your country. Watch rated “R” movies, drive a car, have a credit card, and for most of us, attend a university, live on your own, and make your own decisions.

So why is the drinking age 21? Some college officials are asking that very question. Presidents from 100 top college universities are seeking to make the new legal drinking age 18 to curb binge drinking, and the emphasis on that infamous 21st day. http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/08/18/college.drinking.age.ap/index.html?iref=werecommend

Mothers Against Drunk Driving are the first to raise concern. They say a younger drinking age will lead to more drunk driving accidents. And studies support this concern: since the age was raised from 18 to 21, there has been a reduced amount of drunk driving deaths in the U.S.

But is age just a number? We all know that some of us are more mature at 18 than our 23 year old friend. But the government cannot issue beer on a case by case basis. So are we mature enough to handle a younger drinking age as a society? Let’s be honest: most young adults do not wait until 21 to drink. I didn’t. And I turned out okay. But a lot of responsibility goes along with a bottle.

Whether they decide to change the age or not: you will still be accountable for you. You have a choice to drink, or not to drink, and do what you think is best for your body. “Minors” are drinking, so maybe it’s time we stop pretending that it’s not happening, and prove that we can handle it.