McCardell proposes a new legal drinking age
Sonja Pedersen-Green
Issue date: 2/14/07 Section: News
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The campaign and the new organization come after more than a year of research by McCardell's team, which granted The Campus an interview and preview of their findings just before the Feb break.
"We don't want to be a bunch of people beating our spoons on a highchair saying we want beer," said McCardell, who stressed the "commonsense" logic of his group's proposal.
Rather than simply lowering the national legal drinking age from 21 to 18, Choose Responsibility advocates that states launch alcohol education programs to teach young adults about responsible purchase, possession and consumption. Upon successful completion of an alcohol safety course, a participant could receive a new license granting them full adult privileges to use alcohol at age 18, according to a draft copy of Choose Responsibility's proposal.
The license would be legal in the state in which the 18-year-old is a resident, and in the state in which he or she attends college, if they attend out of state. Individuals who drank illegally before turning 21 or before receiving the 18 year-old license, would delay or jeopardize their eligibility for the privilege.
Grace Kronenberg '06, one of Choose Responsibility's student researchers, equated the program to that of driver's education.
"Learning to drive a vehicle and learning to drink responsibly are remarkably similar processes," said Kronenberg.
Supporters of existing drinking age laws had yet to see Choose Responsibility's proposal, but were skeptical of any campaign to lower the current minimum age.
"We do not think that lowering the drinking age is a good idea," said Barbara Cimaglio, Vermont Deputy Commissioner for Alcohol and Drug Abuse, about the state of Vermont.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 38
Laura Grafton
posted 2/14/07 @ 10:18 AM EST
As a person who attended college during the all-too-brief era of 18 year olds' legal drinking, and the parent of two young adults, I have seen both sides of this issue at close range and am a firm believer in lowering the drinking age. (Continued…)
Meg McCullough
posted 2/14/07 @ 2:54 PM EST
I can not believe that with all the brain research that is available, John McCardell can with a clear conscience promote an 18 year old drinking age. Clearly he has not felt the pain of having a loved one with alcohol issues. (Continued…)
Nancy Devaney
posted 2/14/07 @ 2:57 PM EST
I too attended college during the time that it was legal to drink at age 18. But we have learned much since that era. As a substance abuse prevention specialist, the idea of returning the legal drinking age to 18 is an incredibly misguided response to college drinking. (Continued…)
jamfam
M. Paulson
posted 2/14/07 @ 3:56 PM EST
Of all the items that can be chosen to benefit the public well being especially youth and young adults, lowering the drinking age to 18 should fall extremely low on that list. (Continued…)
Colin Breeze
posted 2/14/07 @ 4:36 PM EST
Dear editors,
Let's debunk some vicious rumors.
Drinking, per se, does not kill people. Drunk drivers do (so do inattentive, distracted, enraged, sleepy drivers etc. (Continued…)
John Underwood
posted 2/14/07 @ 4:53 PM EST
Ivy walls May Occlude President's View
Let's Just Legalize Everything
What a brilliant idea from the ivy halls of Middlebury College.
Helping prepare youth for their role in society is a monumental task with all they face in health crisis alone. (Continued…)
J. Wambach
posted 2/14/07 @ 6:34 PM EST
Mr. Underwood's use of capital letters for entire sentences is very impressive. Even more impressive is his masterful use of unbiased facts. I have no desire to drink anymore. (Continued…)
Ron Bogle
posted 2/14/07 @ 6:45 PM EST
Only by totally ignoring all of the medical research and scientific studies surrounding the public health dangers of underage drinking does the proposal of the McCardell group make any rational sense. (Continued…)
Lynn Harris
posted 2/14/07 @ 8:05 PM EST
I personally believe that if at 18 our young people are considered old enough to serve in the military and go to war, they should be able to have a drink at the of the day. (Continued…)
Lynn Harris
posted 2/14/07 @ 8:06 PM EST
I personally believe that if at 18 our young people are considered old enough to serve in the military and go to war, they should be able to have a drink at the of the day. (Continued…)
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