Does having a drinking age of 21 contribute to binge drinking and alcohol abuse among college students, as claimed recently by a group of university presidents?
The first thing that crosses my mind when reading this ugh! Our 18 year old young soldiers at war. Over there fighting for our lives and freedoms. Losing their lives and not even legal to pull up a stool at the bar. These are kids that see death everyday! Yet they have not earned the right to have a drink?
My answer NO! Wow here we go. This is another article that will touch me in a personal way as I AM one who deals with alcoholism and addiction. It doesn't matter what the drinking age is. I can remember being in junior high school and being with another girl as we sat in the parking lot of a party store. Walking up to older guys, batting our eyes with one question..."Excuse me sir will you buy for me?" Staggering odds. 1 out of every 3 guys would buy for us at the age of 12 year olds."We were two of eight girls that were staying at the house. Now single parents working , they were part of the creation of the word latch key kids( CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM UNKNOWINGLY!) cause that's what we were. We were a group of girls alone. With single, young, struggling parents.
We would all get together in the woods in a fort and drink. We hung out at 2 popular teen dance clubs in Detroit in the 80's. One being Valentino's the other being Thomas Manor. The backdoor was another that didn't make it like the other two. There is a big gap between 12 and 18 not at these clubs though. It was nothing for us 12 year old to mix with and attend parties with people as old as 22 back then. Alcohol always being a part of the mix. We also used to take runs over the border. It was the thing to go over into Canada...crossing the border where the drinking age was 19 and hang at "Danny's" or "Jason's"
What does cause binge drinking is parents that are not there. Wanting to fit in, hereditary problems, kids with too many pressures and helping take care of a one parent household, No discipline or structure. Too much discipline or structure. If alcoholism is something that runs through your family there is no age for binge drinking. It is easily sought out and found for teenagers and preteens. Think back, when is the first time you had your first interlude with alcohol? I don't care what age limit you set drinkers and "BINGE DRINKERS" Are drinkers way before they hit college.