The drinking age in America needs to be lowered. Usually, I don’t get into the main point of my argument within the first sentence, but this isn’t one of my normal articles.
I understand the controversy behind the statement. I bring this argument to light due to the hypocrisy posed by Ohio University. OU’s nightlife revolves around drinking and yet students are expected to not be tempted to partake in it.
Before I continue, alcohol is poison. If you are going to drink alcohol, please adhere to the CDC guidelines on moderate drinking.
OU has 15 bars located on Court Street — a lot of bars for a place where thousands of underage students live. While there are still options for Bobcats around campus at night, no one can deny the significance the bars hold in Athens.
College students are supposed to receive independence once they arrive at OU. Why give underclassmen 15 bars a short walk away from their dorms and not allow them to enter?
Just because students are supposed to stay away from the bars doesn’t mean they adhere to that.
Students have combated the temptations of bars by purchasing fake IDs. Fake IDs are illegal and expensive, costing up to $300 just to alter the date someone was born. Paying that fee doesn’t even guarantee you even receive an ID. Most sites where you can “buy” an ID contain a ton of malware that can allow hackers to steal your information and sell it.
Even if a student can obtain a fake, if they are caught using it, the consequences could be dire.
Students can face a first-degree misdemeanor which carries with it possible jail time of up to six months and a possible fine of up to $1,000 in Ohio. This is a potentially life-altering charge over trying to enter a bar and being caught with a drink. Plus, being caught with a fake could lead to expulsion from school.
Do you know what would happen if you were caught drinking in 64% of the world, including the UK, Mexico and Australia? The answer is nothing, as it’s legal to drink once you turn 18 in those places. Even Canada’s drinking age is set at 19 and some provinces set it to 18. What makes Canada, or any other country with a younger drinking age, different from the U.S.?
The main reason underage people drink is because they’re not allowed to. Some people love breaking the rules and underage drinking might be the biggest rule of them all in the U.S. Lowering the drinking age may turn some people away who are purely drinking to break the rules set by the government.
Reiterating my point, I do not condone “binge drinking” or any other type of excessive drinking. Drinking alcohol can lead to permanent problems down the line. Plus, I do believe there should still be arrests made if someone causes a problem due to alcohol consumption. Yet, I find it ridiculous OU tries to crack down on underage drinking when there are more bars in the area than necessary for an adult living in Athens.
It’s also rather dumb that an 18-year-old can buy an AR-15 or get drafted to war but not be able to buy a beer, but I’ll leave my argument there.
Quinn Elfers is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to share your thoughts about the column? Let Quinn know by emailing him at me989022@ohio.edu.
