# It seems ridiculous to me that after being on this planet for over two decades I still can't drink.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 25, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916 "2012-04-25T16:29:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/41 "2012-04-26T18:40:21Z")
I was in the Air Force when I was 18. We could drink in the Airmen’s club at 18, but not in the city outside the base. I don’t know if this is still true. That was 48 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/42 "2012-04-27T17:36:36Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > You aren’t missing that much. I’m going to go against the crowd here and say that alcohol is awesome and you’re missing a lot, in moderation. Nothing worth being stupid about in an attempt to procure some however. With that said, dude, you’re 18, right? Soon you will go to college, I assume. You will make friends there, I assume. There will be parties there, I assume. I assume you will have fun and survive the experience. Just relax. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/43 "2012-04-27T19:24:52Z")
I always think of Mojo Nixon doing a side rant on the raising of the drinking age in the middle of a completely different rant of a song, “[Burn Down The Malls](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAoh_yteKkc)” - at about the 1m40 mark… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2012, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/44 "2012-04-28T11:16:58Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > I’m going to go against the crowd here and say that alcohol is awesome and you’re missing a lot, in moderation. I’m with you (except for the moderation part). Heaven in a glass, without the negative social stigma tied to heroin. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/45 "2012-04-29T06:29:05Z")
I’m in WI but not originally from here but I’ve never been anywhere where so many adults drink irresponsibly, often, and in front of their children. When 50 yr olds make comments about planning on not feeling good on Saturday because they know they’ll get blasted at whatever event on Friday night it’s ridiculous. I’m not talking about isolated events, it’s the weekend year round pastime. The problem isn’t the drinking age, it’s the attitude about drinking that it’s the most fun ever and can only be done in excess. Really, anyone who is upset that they can’t drink until a certain age is probably not mature enough to drink yet. Until adults and parents model responsible drinking the problem will never go away. All the MADD programs in school are meaningless if mom and dad glorify getting drunk and laugh about being drunk like it’s fun and funny. Many local kids and young adults have died the last few years from various drunken acts and you know what I see on facebook? The kids at memorial parties after the funerals drinking, underage drinking. Did they not learn anything? (rantrantrant) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/46 "2012-04-29T12:26:10Z")
I’ve been a pretty hard-core goody-goody all my life - very much the rule-follower. My parents allowed me to have some watered-down wine and mixed drinks on occasions when I’d be with them and in their control. It certainly removed the forbidden allure of alcohol, especially because the taste of most of the stuff. I still can’t stand beer and most straight distilled products, but at the time, I thought I was hot stuff - look at me! I have a whiskey sour!! (Ok, it was way more sour than whiskey…) Anyway, it wasn’t a big deal, and to this day, I’m not really a drinker. My youngest sister was the other extreme. She drank (and still drinks) a lot. She totaled a car when driving after drinking (fortunately, apart from the car, the only damage was her broken ankle.) When she goes on cruises, her bar bill is many hundreds of dollars. And for the last 25+ years, she’s worked as a bartender. The only big difference between her teen years and today - she no longer drives when she drinks, so I guess that’s something. The 3 sibs in between us vary from not drinking at all ever to getting drunk on occasion when someone else will drive. All from the same family and more or less the same environment. Even within our little 5-person sample, one law with one age limit would have seemed arbitrary to at least a couple. But my own opinion is that the “legal age” should be older rather than younger, not that I expect it to make much of a difference anyway. Beyond that, I still don’t understand the mindset that dictates one must be drinking to have a good time. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/47 "2012-04-29T13:26:26Z")
I don’t see any real injustice here. If the public health is improved by a change in the drinking age I don’t see that there need be any alignment with other ages. I also don’t see it as the difference in being able to drink at 18 or 21 as any big injustice. As injustices go, it’s more on the order of adult men not being permitted to go in the women’s restroom. And given the dysfunctional atmosphere, conditions, and behavior of the military in wartime, I can see how reducing alcohol use might very well be a good thing. I wonder to what degree the excesses of the current wars can be correlated to the use of mood-altering and brain-hammering substances. I’d be more comfortable giving 17-20 year old soldiers access to marijuana than alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/48 "2012-04-29T13:39:11Z")
And one of the things I hate about our culture is the widespread assumption that fun, enjoyment, relaxation, celebration and the like requires the use of alcohol. The longer young people are given ti learn that they can have a good time without it, the better off our society is. Now of course there’s a point at which it becomes overly oppressive or silly, but I have no problem with 21 or even 22, which would cover most people’s college years. Alcohol use and abuse by college students is at shocking levels. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/49 "2012-04-29T14:00:16Z")
I read the memoir of a man who enlisted in the Army when he turned 17. Almost 4 years later, he had served 2 tours in Vietnam and been a platoon sergeant. He had fought in a brutal war, had been decorated and had lead other men in battle. One of the pivitol scenes of the book comes when he leaves the Army and sits, as a civilian, in a bar and orders a beer. The bartender refuses to serve him because he is still 20 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/50 "2012-04-29T14:08:57Z")
My feeling is that the Voting age, Draft age and Drinking age should be set to be the same. I agree that the decision what age this should be is arbitrary… but I foresee trouble trying to disenfranchise over-18’s; so there you are. I would **also** raise the minimum age for getting a Driver’s License to the same age - but that’s probably a non-starter as well. To the side-topic, I think it is absolutely essential to allow parents the right to introduce their children to alcohol. Sure, some parents will be irresponsible about it – but probably no more so than the kids would be _sans_ parental guidance. And it definitely takes off some of the “aura” of drinking. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/51 "2012-04-29T20:00:48Z")
I hate to tell you this, Old-Timer, but, don’t even think about running for President for a very, very long time. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/52 "2012-04-30T13:46:47Z")
Some of the OP’s points are well-taken. At first blush it does seem odd that one is a legal adult at 18 in \*almost \*every respect, but then you can’t legally have a drink for 3 more years. Other posters have offered some decent counterpoints to the argument. Personally, I don’t really have a dog in the fight. I had to wait until 21 to be legal, but 27 years later I couldn’t possibly care less about that. Frankly the OP strikes me less as an attempt to have a reasonable discussion about the legalities of drinking, and more as simply boo-hooing about the fact that he wants to do something he’s not allowed to. I say, just chill. Hopefully you’ll be of legal age for many more years than you weren’t, and those years between 18 and 21 will be little more than a faint blip on your life’s radar all too soon. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/53 "2012-05-01T03:25:58Z")
> [@colonial](#): > > The drinking age used to be 18 in many states for beer and/or wine, and it was 18 > for all alcoholic beverages in New York and maybe 1-2 other states. > > The reason it was raised everywhere was the abysmal driving habits of the 18-19-20 > demographic, especially the males. They were killing themselves and others at a rate > sufficiently alarming to lead to a national movement, with the Federal government > eventually taking the lead to coerce all states (through highway funding leverage) to > raise the drinking age. > > Highway death reduction is actually a significant success story, with a decline from ~20 > per 100,000 people to ~15 per 100,000 since 1981. The rate per mile driven may be > even better. I have no idea, however, if the increased drinking age had anything to > do with it. And yet somehow Canada, an incredibly similar country to the US, gets along just fine with its 18 year old drinking age. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/54 "2012-05-01T03:39:11Z")
> [@MichaelQReilly](#): > > And yet somehow Canada, an incredibly similar country to the US, gets along just fine with its 18 year old drinking age. Well, it is 18 or 19, depending on the province. But the OP, at age 20, is legal in all provinces. C’mon up, OP; we’ll head out for a few beers. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![2ManyTacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/3da27b/32.png) [@2ManyTacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ManyTacos)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/55 "2012-08-06T16:54:54Z")
I’m reviving this thread because my 21st birthday is at the end of this month. I’m looking forward to it; gonna drink my fuckin’ ass off. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/56 "2012-08-06T17:07:15Z")
Just do it in a safe place, bro. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/57 "2012-08-06T18:36:25Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > I’m reviving this thread because my 21st birthday is at the end of this month. I’m looking forward to it; gonna drink my fuckin’ ass off. 😃 Very soon you’ll realize that alcohol is nothing special, and you’ll wonder why you were making such a big fuss over it. At least that’s what happened to me. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916/58 "2012-08-06T18:57:52Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > I’m reviving this thread because my 21st birthday is at the end of this month. I’m looking forward to it; gonna drink my fuckin’ ass off. 😃 If you go out somewhere, please have someone drive you home who is not drinking. Take a cab, rent a limo, have one of your buds be a designated driver. That’s better than the police giving you a ride to jail. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-seems-ridiculous-to-me-that-after-being-on-this-planet-for-over-two-decades-i-still-cant-drink/619916.md?page=2)