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TechnographStatistics show that students behave more like adults now
By Jonathan Wroble
Posted: 4/18/07 Section: News
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"There is a lot of evidence ... to suggest that the legal age of 21 is not working," he said. "I think the drinking age has worsened the problem of drinking abuse."
The legal age is a result of Congress' 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which withholds 10 percent of federal highway funds from any state with a drinking age under 21. In Vermont, that would translate into a loss of $17.5 million per year - a number that would be much bigger in a more populous state like Illinois, McCardell said.
He explained that this law "imposes an impossible dilemma for universities and parents," who are disenfranchised due to their inability to constantly supervise college students. In turn, many of those students have resorted to unhealthy drinking habits.
"You can call it binge drinking or alcohol abuse, (but) the name matters less than that it's going on in the closet," McCardell said. "Social life is far more healthy, natural and normal if it's out in the open."
To solve this problem, McCardell proposes drinking licenses for 18- to-20-year-olds, which would allow young adults to purchase, possess and consume alcohol after completing an alcohol education course similar to driver's education. The young adults would only be eligible for the course after high school, but immediately upon turning 18 they would be allowed to drink in their homes under parental supervision - a sort of "learner's permit," McCardell said.
"We believe that young adults will act responsibly if we give them the opportunity," he said.
The legal age is a result of Congress' 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which withholds 10 percent of federal highway funds from any state with a drinking age under 21. In Vermont, that would translate into a loss of $17.5 million per year - a number that would be much bigger in a more populous state like Illinois, McCardell said.
He explained that this law "imposes an impossible dilemma for universities and parents," who are disenfranchised due to their inability to constantly supervise college students. In turn, many of those students have resorted to unhealthy drinking habits.
"You can call it binge drinking or alcohol abuse, (but) the name matters less than that it's going on in the closet," McCardell said. "Social life is far more healthy, natural and normal if it's out in the open."
To solve this problem, McCardell proposes drinking licenses for 18- to-20-year-olds, which would allow young adults to purchase, possess and consume alcohol after completing an alcohol education course similar to driver's education. The young adults would only be eligible for the course after high school, but immediately upon turning 18 they would be allowed to drink in their homes under parental supervision - a sort of "learner's permit," McCardell said.
"We believe that young adults will act responsibly if we give them the opportunity," he said.
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