COLUMN: Lowering the drinking age should be a no brainer.

Travis Kolupanowich, guest columnist

Do you really believe the drinking age should remain 21? Let me tell you why we should lower the drinking age to 18. At the Howl this year there were 20 alcohol related arrests made, and almost all of them were for a minor in possession (MIP) of alcohol. One MIP of alcohol citation can cost an individual over $1,000. This doesn’t benefit anyone.

 

As you know, the legal drinking age in all 50 U.S. states is 21 years of age. If you’re like me, you believe the drinking age should be lowered.

 

People who are worried about minors drinking and getting into more accidents due to the alcohol consumption shouldn’t be worried at all. According to a study done by Duke University, “there isn’t much difference between 18-to-20-year-olds (who cannot drink legally) and 21-to-24-year-olds. Both groups have about 16 homicides per 100,000 and 30 vehicle deaths per 100,000.

 

It’s hard for some people to think a kid right out of high school can sign four or more years of his life away to nobly serve his country with the risk of losing his life, but at the same time cannot have a drink. If we trust a young man or woman to make a decision to take a life, I see no reason why we cannot trust them to have a drink.

 

In comparison to many European and Asian countries where the minimum legal drinking age is 18, 16 or not enforced, have fewer alcohol-related issues. This debunks the false stigma that younger-aged alcohol consumers equal more problems.

 

I do not see any evidence pointing to why we should have the drinking age be anything over the age of 18. We should go back to having the minimum drinking age to be 18. With millions of Americans between the ages of 18-21, there is no doubt a large majority of them would purchase alcohol if they were legally allowed to. Thinking about that, the United States and private business owners are missing out on millions of dollars in sales and taxes they would gain from lowering the drinking age. There is no denying the positive economic effect a lower drinking age would have on our economy.

– Travis Kolupanowich is a junior double-majoring in business administration and marketing from Somerville, N.J. He’s an avid outdoorsman who hates staying indoors. Send any comments to travis.kolupanowich@aggiemail.usu.edu.