18 year old - drinking waiver

[cmhdoogalsatsea]

Have the US ever considered lowering the age back to 18?

 

There has been some such discussion; however the public health benefits that accrued as the result of the increase in the minimum age have been demonstrably great. The drop in fatalities from traffic accidents proved to be pretty stunning after it was raised. Given our continued dependence on the automobile, until self-driving vehicles come into their own, it certainly wouldn't be wise. (And that doesn't take into account the increasing body of evidence regarding the affects of alcohol on brain development into late adolescence/early adulthood.)

 

Interestingly, while Australia arguably got gun control "right", physicians have for some years lobbied for their following the USA's "lead" in a 21 min age for alcohol consumption. New Zealand is another good test case in reverse. They lowered the age from 20 to 18 back in 1999 and have seen pretty dramatic increases in problems since.

[Payd]

.. Hey .. Canada here...…..For Canadians the age is 19 except for Quebec which is 18

 

Alberta

Manitoba

Quebec are all 18.

 

The rest of Canada - 19 years of age.

[Rode Warrior]

You can thank Ronald Reagan administration for the 21 and over law.

The public campaign against drunk driving took off like wildfire. One result of this is that Ronald Reagan’s administration tied funding for maintenance of the Interstate Highway system to a state’s changing their drinking age to 21. States were free (and still are) to make their drinking age anything they like, but if it wasn’t at least 21, they’d receive no federal funds for maintaining their portion of the Interstates that ran through them. That worked out to many millions of dollars states couldn’t afford to do without, so they all changed their drinking age to 21.

 

Democrats controlled the House of Representatives during the Reagan years. Just saying.

[legaljen1969]

It isn’t worth the employee’s job to serve someone under age and risk being sent home with no reference and having to pay their own way.

 

That's the truth. I don't know why people expect others to always make exceptions for them, especially when it could cost someone their job to make that exception.

[RDC1]

absolutely- the policy is 21 on usa sailings - so a bit like wanting things differently on any other policy - you accept the policy of the ship/hotel/country etc you are in and that is the law there.

 

as in I am european - so being in certain states in the usa where i know there is probably a percentage of people around me carrying firearms - is uncomfortable knowledge for me - but then i have the choice not to travel in usa. ....

 

same as the original poster and the 18 yr old have the choice not to travel on a cruise from usa...

 

In other states there is still a percentage carrying, just illegally.

[markeb]

Democrats controlled the House of Representatives during the Reagan years. Just saying.

 

And Republicans controlled the Senate, where it passed 81-16. It was bipartisan. Just saying.