What do you think?

Could a younger drinking age curb binge drinking?
by Angie Felton Aug 19th 2008 5:00PM

In the United States, you're considered an adult and old enough to vote, make your own legal decision, and be drafted into military service at the age of 18. However, you're not old enough to have a beer for three more years.
The Amethyst Initiative is made up of chancellors and presidents of universities and colleges across the United States who think that rather than curbing drinking issues in young adults, the 21 drinking law actually promotes a culture of binge drinking on campus. So far over 100 university leaders have signed a petition asking lawmakers to lower the drinking age to 18 and the reasons why are very thought-provoking.
The current law has not prevented alcohol from being available, and drinking is widespread at all American colleges, and at younger ages as well. But at colleges and universities, the law does have other effects: it pushes drinking into hiding, heightening its risks, including risks from drunken driving; and it prevents us from addressing drinking with students as an issue of responsible choice. ~Richard H. Brodhead, Duke University
I signed because my 35 years in higher education and my 30+ years as a parent to three sons convinced me that the 21 year-old drinking age is hypocritical, ineffective, guilt-inducing and counterproductive. It is a form of mini-prohibition, and needs to be replaced with education and a focus on the value of moderation, not intolerance. ~Donald R. Eastman III, Eckerd College
But not everyone believes making forbidden fruit (juice) accessible at an earlier age is the solution. Mothers Against Drunk Driving estimates that 25,000 lives have been saved by the drinking age being 21 and is urging people to write their Governors and college presidents in order to maintain the 21 law and to avoid the universities affiliated with the Amethyst Initiative.
I've live in a college town for 20 years and can personally attest that all the 21 drinking law does little to prevent underage drinking. All it really seems to do here is make kids scatter when a police car goes by.
If the goal is truly to curb drinking and driving, the New York approach seems the way to go: you get caught drinking and driving, the car is no longer belongs to you (or whoever loaned it to you.) It would be interesting to see what effect a law like that would have on alcohol related accidents.