Vt. To Consider Lowering Drinking Age

Latest State To Eye Binge Drinking Link To Younger Drinkers Who Consume Alcohol Illegally

(AP)  More than two decades after the country established a uniform drinking age of 21, a nascent movement is afoot to allow 18- to 20-year-olds to legally buy alcohol under some circumstances.

Proponents say the higher age hasn't kept young people from consuming alcohol and has instead driven underage consumption underground, particularly on college campuses.

"Our laws aren't working. They're not preventing underage drinking. What they're doing is putting it outside the public eye," Vermont state Sen. Hinda Miller said. "So you have a lot of kids binge drinking. They get sick, they get scared and they get into trouble and they can't call because they know it's illegal."

On Thursday, a committee of the Vermont Senate approved Miller's bill to have a task force weigh the pros and cons of rolling back the drinking age and make a recommendation to the Legislature early next year.

Organizations and lawmakers in other states are toying with similar ideas.

In South Dakota, Flandreau lawyer N. Bob Pesall has drafted an initiative petition to allow 19- and 20-year-olds to legally buy beer no stronger than 3.2 percent alcohol.

In Missouri, a group is using the Internet social networking sites Facebook and Meetup to try to collect more than 100,000 signatures to get a measure on the ballot to lower the drinking age to 18.

In South Carolina and Wisconsin, lawmakers have proposed allowing active duty military personnel younger than 21 to buy alcohol. A similar proposal was rejected last year in New Hampshire.

And last year, former Middlebury College president John McCardell started Choose Responsibility, a nonprofit that favors allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to legally buy booze once they've completed an alcohol education program.

"We don't simply advocate the lower age, but believe mandatory alcohol education and licensing with very strict enforcement for violations of the state's alcohol laws might work," McCardell said.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving and others call this folly to even consider, saying the higher age limit has saved thousands of lives since the 1984 enactment of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. The act required states to raise the age to 21 or lose federal transportation money. South Dakota was the last state to comply, in 1988.

Vermont voted to raise the age in 1985, and in the ensuing 20 years, alcohol-related traffic fatalities dropped by 40 percent, according to Vermont State Police.

"Is there any significant support in the U.S. Congress for changing the law? We don't see that," said Chuck Hurley, CEO of MADD.

Typically, when states flirt with the idea, they quickly abandon it for fear of losing the highway funding, he said.

Vermont stands to lose about $17 million a year if it were to flout the federal government and lower the drinking age.

McCardell said an effort is under way to persuade Congress to grant waivers exempting states from financial penalty if they lower the age.

"If Congress would grant a waiver, the states would be willing to try something, and at least then we could get some evidence and see whether things are better or worse," he said Thursday.

Politically, it's a hard sell, in part because there are other public health hazards associated with excessive alcohol consumption, not just highway fatalities.

But proponents of a younger drinking age say alcohol-related highway fatalities were dropping before the legal drinking age was lowered, and argue underground drinking presents its own risks.

In 2006, 28.3 percent of youngsters aged 12 to 20 said they'd had a drink in the past month and 19 percent were defined as binge drinkers, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey defined a binge drinker as someone who, in the past month, had drunk five or more alcoholic beverages within several hours.

Miller, a Democrat, says she isn't sure that lowering the drinking age is the answer, but calls the idea worth exploring.

Her bill, which calls for a report to the Legislature by Jan. 15, does not propose a specific drinking age, only sets up a five-member task force to study the implications of lowering the age from 21. The bill now goes to the full Senate.

State Sen. Vincent Illuzzi, chairman of the committee that approved the bill, said he would vote against lowering the age if he had to decide now.

But he said it's nonetheless worth looking into.

"I sense the Senate will buy into our rationale, that a law on the books for 20 years should have a look-see, to see if it's having its intended effect or should be modified," said Illuzzi, a Republican.

But critics are leery.

"I think it is irresponsible legislation, to be quite honest," said William Goggins, director of education and enforcement for the state Liquor Control Board.

"The facts speak for themselves," he said. "Once the drinking age was raised, the number of alcohol-related fatalities decreased. To me, saving lives is the grandest argument of them all."

[michellem99-2009]

I heard that same line when I was in high school. Raise the drinking age to 21.

[grammawhamma]

I wonder why my post from early this morning was removed? I was just thanking a soldier and his family for giving his life for our country...if someone found that as offensive...then I give up!

[dowjones20k]

I struggle with the notion that you can vote, enter into a legal contract or serve your country at 18 .. but cant drink ...

However, we have serious issues in alcohol related deaths ... and young adults not being able to drink responsibly ...

Leave it to VT to cry because the laws dont seem to be working .. so dumb them down and let lawyers get an even bigger piece of the pie ...

If serious consequences were implemented such as loss of college attendance .. loss of drivers privilages .. maybe then we could get a handle on this ..

Funny one does not hear or see any push back from the Surgeon Genral on drinking .. or any politicians ... start taxing alcohol like they do cigarrettes ... then you might see a reduction in irresponsibility ...

Just a few thoughts ....

[bb19631]

Keep the legal age at 21yrs. old. I remember when I was 18 yrs. old you could legally drink in NY. then, the DWI''s increased, motor vehicle accidents increased also. I''m sorry, but 18-20 yr. olds are not mature yet- hell some 50 yr. old are not mature either. I feel sorry for military people who can vote and fight in combat, but not drink legally. They do anyways. We have a high number of alcoholics as it is. Keep the 21 age.

[katrina_f_p]

hell, most grown men i know that drink are assho***s but its still their right to do so. those are the weak *** men that dont pay support for their kids. the only reason drinking is legal is because it can be taxed, "unlike marijuana" so please dont blow smoke up our a**. if you treat us like intelligent voters we may just surprise you!!!!!

[katrina_f_p]

THASNKS GRAMMA WHAMMA FOR YOUR SUPPORT !!!, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS TO US!!!!!

[katrina_f_p]

as most of our politicians cannot say they have seen a "REAL" WAR.
shame on you for daring to think you are worthy of what these young men have been through. sit on the side lines and drink "KOOL AID" YOU HYPOCRITES!!!!!!......... YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS HAVE NEVER!!!!! BEEN DEPLOYED YET CREATE THE MOST RUCKUS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, SPOILED BRATS!! YOU NEED TO THANK GOD THAT YOU NEVER HAVE TO FEEL THE WAY I HAD TO FEEL WHEN A CHAPLAIN CAME TO MY HOUSE TO TELL US THE NEWS!!, IMAGINE SEEING THEM COMING KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO SAY, IMAGINE HOW IT WOULD FEEL TO BE RELIEVED THAT HE WAS "just killed" INSTEAD OF CAPTURED LIKE THOSE OTHER FALILIES HAD TO ENDURE, KNOWING THAT THEIR LOVED ONE MAY BE BEING TORTURED WHILE THEY ATE SUNDAY DINNER, I HAD 30 MINUTES TO CONTEMPLATE WHETER OR NOT THAT WAS OUR FATE, BUT WHEN THEY CAME TO MY DAUGHTERS HOSPITAL BED IT WAS THE LATTER "luis was killed" NO WORDS CAN COMPARE TO THAT, BUT SICKLY ENOUGH I WAS RELIEVED TO KNOW HE WASNT CAPTURED AND TORTURED BY THE ENEMY. I PRAY THAT NONE IN THIS COUNTRY HAS TO FACE THIS EVER AGAIN, ALTHOUGH WHETHER DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN I KNOW THAT WE WILL ENDURE THIS FOR MANY YEARS TO COME, PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SON I HAVE THERE NOW, IN TIKRIT, WHICH IS RIDDLED WITH INSURGENTS AND PEOPLE VERY, SIMILAR TO VIET NAM, THAT "DONT WANT US THERE". HE JUST WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND "COME HOME". THANKS TO ALL THE MOMS OUT THERE AND THE DADS THAT GIVE A *** YOU ALL ARE GREAT PEEPS!.......... KATRINA.

[katrina_f_p]

how dare we ask our kids to vote or die for this country but not allow them their freedom to choose to drink,if they break the law they pay as any other!!!! but come on, you are man enough to see the etrocities of man kind but not man enough to drink????? if we experienced what these boys go through we may "need a drink" i am not saying that drinking is the answer to bad experience but that it''s their choice to decide to deal this way, when you step in front of an enemy that wants to blow your head off then tell me that you need no relief. that talking may be the best way!!! well i know many soldiers and that doesnt seem to be the trend, i dont know what they need but they seem to find comfort in a drink or two, and then retire home and appreciate their return to humanity, that is what i have seen first hand. if anyone knows a better way from "EXPERIENCE" let me know cause i have lots of wayward boys that i "HELP".

[katrina_f_p]

well let me just say that my son in law 19 years of age, didnt believe in drinking, even though his nerves were so shot because he knew he was going to iraq in a few days, vomitted every day of his last week home, i told him have a drink it will calm your nerves, insisted that it wasnt the answer, he had fore knowledge that he was going to die, said "i want to be sharp when i meet my maker" and make my bride proud. i really dont know "WHAT" to say in this situation other than that its a personal choice. but if you are old enough to fight you are old enough to drink !!!! how dare you politicians that have nerve seen battle judge,have nerve to ask these yong men to vote when you wouldnt be the one to bail them out for relief the stress of these young men going to battle against an enemy that knows no moral standard like these boys are used to. could you imagine running over a small child because the enemy has pushed them in front of your convoy? i think i would need a drink after that!!! that is what my son in law knew he would have to face as a fuel truck driver and he chose the later death b4 dishonor!!!! behind he leaves a widow that has been with him since 8th grade. and the family that has served the military 25 years or more. let these kids decide if alchohol is right for them or not. old enough to die old enough to drink !!!!! this is coming from a family that doesnt drink at all!!!!! rip pfc.luis a .perez.......... Love mom.

[grammawhamma]

Under age kids drink anyway. I''m not saying this is a good thing but it is a fact. I would rather have an 18 year old be allowed in a bar then have that kid driving to a remote area to hide in the woods to binge drink at a under age party. Maybe the novelty of being allowed to drink will wear off if it becomes legal for them to do so.

I do agree that if you are considered an adult at age 18...then you should be allowed "all" the rights older adults have. Personally I would prefer the adult age be raised to 21 for everything.

[fishinfool43]

I never understood, you can die for your country at 18, but you cant have a beer or whisky for another 3 years. It sets a double standard

[libsrweak]

and i am sure the lower the age the more responsible they become..

[kansas1946]

About time that someone looked at that stupid law. It has been a disaster ever since it was inacted. If a young person can die for their country at 18, sign binding contracts, and can be tried as an adult, then they should not be blocked from having a beer. It is REALLY stupid.

[grammawhamma]

I started drinking when I was 16...(it was easy to get even way back then). When I was 18 they lowered the drinking age to 18. My friends and I actually drank more sensibly when it became legal. We no longer felt the need to binge drink.

[iraq45soldie]

You all say it saves lives, how about you all go to Iraq and see what real 18-20 year olds go thru, they don''t deserve a brew, you are all selfish pigs whom never e-mail your congressmen or senators, so just sit there and SHUT UP

[nolalou]

The article quotes someone saying ""The facts speak for themselves," he said. "Once the drinking age was raised, the number of alcohol-related fatalities decreased. To me, saving lives is the grandest argument of them all."

Well, then how about making the drinking age 31, or 41, or I know.. let''s make it illegal, then even more lives will be saved! Oh wait, they tried that, and it didn''t work! The US is one of the few (if not only) major country with a drinking age of 21. Most European countries have a drinking age of 18, and some as low a s 16. There is a very good article about US vs European drinking age here:http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1077563832.html

[marcosis78]

So if you lower the drinking age to 18, how is that going to prevent more teenagers from accessing alcohol and maybe even bringing it to school. Now that they can legally drink and get drunk, what prevents them from getting drunk (legally) and deciding to take out some anger with a gun. Seeing that alcohol clouds a persons judgment, whats to say that wont happen more-so now? People don''t think logically now-a-days. We are a society that takes things into their own hands. We, teenagers do too, take justice into their own hands and dont think of the reprecautions of what they do. I just dont see that making it legal for them to drink is a good thing. Its a given that laws dont work with this sort of thing, so why not make the penalties a LOT more severe.

[gunnerv1]

smiley676 Doesn''t matter, I was just pointing out that the Gov''t doesn''t grant rights, They can take them away, suspend and restore, but they don''t grant them. In the United States, you are born with certain inalienable rights as written into the Constitution by the Founding Fathers of America by the People and for the People.
Do you really think that Vermont will give up Billion$ of Federal Highway funds to let a bunch of 18 year olds to have 3.2% beer? Why do think all of the states are at 21 now? Hint: they were "blackmailed" with the threat of losing the Highway funds.

[excoachken]

jwind: Interesting that you bring the Cowardly Cowboy into this discussion, because if Bill Clinton is to blame for the popularity of alternative sexual expression (like bjs) then wouldn''t it be fair to blame W for the bullying and newfound lack of accountability among today''s youth?

[ringading3]

Vermont is the cesspool of the Nation. Child predators, *** offenders, drunks are allowed free access in this state. Boycott everything from Vermont: syrup, teddy bears, tourist traps. It is a rotten state.