Issues Poll 4: Alcohol and the legal drinking age

[Lady Door]

Not gonna vote, because my option isn't there.

Physiologically speaking, the development of the brain precludes alcohol into the mid-20's or later. We all know THAT isn't going to happen, and as long as the facts are made available (hello, internet), it's up to people to make their own choices.

Socially speaking, a drinking age that allows parents to monitor and guide their kid's development into a reasonable attitude toward alcohol is preferable. So, say, 16.

This has so many conflicts it's not even funny, not the least of which are access problems (high school being mixed ages) and concurrent milestones (learning to drive).

But: kids are gonna drink if they're gonna drink, and I don't think banning alcohol at high school is any different than banning cigarettes. Legal or no, your behavior can still be regulated when you're on someone else's property and schools haven't really shied away from proscribing undesirable behavior (see: zero tolerance policies).

I'm of the mind that allowing something and not making a big deal of it makes it less of an issue overall. Abstinence-only sex ed is laughable and has pretty damn predictable consequences. My only real worry is that it will push the popular age of illicit consumption down even further (from high school's 14-18 to middle school's 12-15).

[Cotigo]

Education.  Emphasize moderation, teach people about the health effects of alcohol consumption but let them make their own choices.  I don't think teenagers should be drinking necessarily by themselves so I'm OK with 16 to 18 drinking age.

Also, for fuck's sake, let them do it under parental supervision before setting them loose, especially if the drinking age is 18 or twenty fucking one.  If a parent feels comfortable enough to let their kids drink during dinner, then they're more likely to stop them before they get obnoxiously drunk and hurt themselves like retards.

Or, the parents will just troll them and trick them into not drinking.  Or turn them into RAGING ALCOHOLICS with SERIOUS PROBLEMS.  Either or. 

[Dunefar]

I'm going to leave this one open 'till after DLcon. No point of doing one that conflicts with it, since a lot of the userbase is busy.

[metroid composite]

DLCon doesn't start for another week.  (Today's Wednesday; most people arrive next Thursday).

Wouldn't it make more sense to leave Issues Poll 5 open for two weeks, rather than leave Issues Poll 4 open for three weeks?

[Dunefar]

I'm also busy and distracted this week, so the timing is good.

[SageAcrin]

Went with 18, as the former is too vague thanks to how badly defined adult is(Which is sad, since it legally should be defined.).

Seems simple enough, if people can go to war and kill who they're asked to, they can get drunk. Lower would be okay to me but I dunno where I'd set it.

[Dunefar]

Last call on votes, I'm updating this tonight or tomorrow.