Commonwealth Times

Media Credit: Rachel Larue [Click to enlarge]

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Our nation's forefathers founded this country on rights that every citizen is entitled to; where would we be without the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? And what better celebration of these rights than to consume alcohol?

Why is it the age to drink is so high? At 18, in America, you have the right to vote, pay taxes, serve in the military, get married and enter into legal contracts. Why does the age to drink eclipse all other rights we as Americans hold dear?

Very few countries have a drinking age this high. Belarus is the only other nation in which you have to be 21 to purchase alcohol. With Chilé and Egypt, you must be 21 to consume alcohol. Every other nation that allows drinking has a lower age limit.

If the drinking age is lowered, it will help remove the mystique from drinking. Alcohol no longer will be on that list of forbidden fruits. If people are not allowed to consume alcohol until they are older, they will be prone to consume more. "This is one of the few times I will be allowed to drink," they tell themselves.

He or she does not know how to handle alcohol and because of it, he or she makes poor social decisions.

If a teenager is raised to have an occasional glass of wine with dinner, he or she will be less likely to drink extensively when he or she gets older. Alcohol will no longer be seen as something that person can only have in private, and he or she will be a much more responsible drinker.

Not only will the mystique of drinking disappear, but occasional drinking with the family will teach a teenager about the effects of alcohol and discourage the practice of drinking and driving. These teens will see the effects of their actions and will have responsible adults around to look over them and answer questions, resulting in healthy and educational experiences with alcohol.

Because of the laws in place against underage drinking, many people our age have gone to great lengths to consume alcohol. Some decide to forgo alcohol for other illegal substances that are easier to obtain. If one purchases weed from a dealer, he or she is not asked for indentification. All that is needed is money. It also has become popular for people to take medications for which they are not prescribed. This can be extremely dangerous.

Last school year, I befriended a group of Italian exchange students who were studying at VCU. They were shocked by the amount American college students drink. They spoke of university-sponsored parties where students and professors get together, socialize and moderately drink.

Imagine a VCU in which large social events could take place on the Compass Pointe, with professors and students greeting one another and welcoming in a new semester while casually sipping a glass of wine.

I have a friend in the army. He's done a tour in Iraq, is married and has two kids. And he can't legally drink. To think the men and women who serve our country and risk their lives to protect our liberties can't enjoy the freedom of walking into a bar and enjoying a cold beer is preposterous.

As a citizen of America, I have the right to drink alcohol. I pay taxes, I am supporting myself through college, I am eligible for selective service and I vote. I am no longer a minor, and I deserve the respect and responsibility that accompanies my status as an adult.

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The way people lick the liquor laws

Because of the ridiculous nature of these alcohol laws, many college students have had to resort to all sorts of methods to procure alcohol. Here are some examples:

Knowing the bartender/server - Some students befriend bartenders and servers, because knowing them makes them more likely to serve without carding.

Knowing the restaurant - There are some restaurants and bars around campus that are notorious for not carding.

Fake IDs - Some college students use fake IDs to get alcohol. This can be dangerous, because it is identity fraud. While few people actually manufacture fake IDs anymore, older people might sell their IDs and get new ones from the DMV. Those who receive the fake IDs normally memorize the ID information, in case of that 1 in 20 chance that the bar thinks it isn't yours.

Liquor Connects - Some students make friends with older people just so they can get alcohol. Many get large orders all at once so as not to annoy them too often, or have a rotating list so they don't annoy the same one person too often.

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Media Credit: Rachel Larue [Click to enlarge]

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Our nation's forefathers founded this country on rights that every citizen is entitled to; where would we be without the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? And what better celebration of these rights than to consume alcohol?

Why is it the age to drink is so high? At 18, in America, you have the right to vote, pay taxes, serve in the military, get married and enter into legal contracts. Why does the age to drink eclipse all other rights we as Americans hold dear?

Very few countries have a drinking age this high. Belarus is the only other nation in which you have to be 21 to purchase alcohol. With Chilé and Egypt, you must be 21 to consume alcohol. Every other nation that allows drinking has a lower age limit.

If the drinking age is lowered, it will help remove the mystique from drinking. Alcohol no longer will be on that list of forbidden fruits. If people are not allowed to consume alcohol until they are older, they will be prone to consume more. "This is one of the few times I will be allowed to drink," they tell themselves.

He or she does not know how to handle alcohol and because of it, he or she makes poor social decisions.

If a teenager is raised to have an occasional glass of wine with dinner, he or she will be less likely to drink extensively when he or she gets older. Alcohol will no longer be seen as something that person can only have in private, and he or she will be a much more responsible drinker.

Not only will the mystique of drinking disappear, but occasional drinking with the family will teach a teenager about the effects of alcohol and discourage the practice of drinking and driving. These teens will see the effects of their actions and will have responsible adults around to look over them and answer questions, resulting in healthy and educational experiences with alcohol.

Because of the laws in place against underage drinking, many people our age have gone to great lengths to consume alcohol. Some decide to forgo alcohol for other illegal substances that are easier to obtain. If one purchases weed from a dealer, he or she is not asked for indentification. All that is needed is money. It also has become popular for people to take medications for which they are not prescribed. This can be extremely dangerous.

Last school year, I befriended a group of Italian exchange students who were studying at VCU. They were shocked by the amount American college students drink. They spoke of university-sponsored parties where students and professors get together, socialize and moderately drink.

Imagine a VCU in which large social events could take place on the Compass Pointe, with professors and students greeting one another and welcoming in a new semester while casually sipping a glass of wine.

I have a friend in the army. He's done a tour in Iraq, is married and has two kids. And he can't legally drink. To think the men and women who serve our country and risk their lives to protect our liberties can't enjoy the freedom of walking into a bar and enjoying a cold beer is preposterous.

As a citizen of America, I have the right to drink alcohol. I pay taxes, I am supporting myself through college, I am eligible for selective service and I vote. I am no longer a minor, and I deserve the respect and responsibility that accompanies my status as an adult.

---

The way people lick the liquor laws

Because of the ridiculous nature of these alcohol laws, many college students have had to resort to all sorts of methods to procure alcohol. Here are some examples:

Knowing the bartender/server - Some students befriend bartenders and servers, because knowing them makes them more likely to serve without carding.

Knowing the restaurant - There are some restaurants and bars around campus that are notorious for not carding.

Fake IDs - Some college students use fake IDs to get alcohol. This can be dangerous, because it is identity fraud. While few people actually manufacture fake IDs anymore, older people might sell their IDs and get new ones from the DMV. Those who receive the fake IDs normally memorize the ID information, in case of that 1 in 20 chance that the bar thinks it isn't yours.

Liquor Connects - Some students make friends with older people just so they can get alcohol. Many get large orders all at once so as not to annoy them too often, or have a rotating list so they don't annoy the same one person too often.

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