After the increasing number of youth driver fatalities on the road, one is left to wonder whether the Australian drinking age should be raised to 21.

Today when a teenager turns 18 years of age, they are considered an adult. Should the drinking age stay at 18, and 18 year olds assume adult privileges and penalties; or should the drinking age be raised to 21 years old, since people are more mature and therefore, can be safe and responsible with alcohol? The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) defines low risk drinking as four standard drinks per day for men and two for women, with at least two alcohol free days per week. Hazardous drinking is defined as six drinks a day for men and four for women. Anything above this level is considered harmful drinking (http://www.naturalhigh.org/pdf/alcohol.pdf). If the statistics shown above are for fully developed systems think what this means for people under the age of 21? Though 18, young bodies are still developing, and it is not until the age of 21, that young bodies have developed sufficiently to cope with alcoholic substances. People who drink with still developing systems can have any number of diseases later in life.

Drivers who have consumed alcohol are more likely to have accidents than those who have not. A study from (http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/drinkdriving/ -accidentstatistics.html) Has shown that with a level of .05 are 2 times more likely to have an accident, with a level of .08 are 7 times more likely to have an accident, and with a level of .15 are 25 times more likely to be involved in an accident. Half the accidents that occur on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are alcohol related. Young drivers are even more at risk if they drink and drive.

So far, States have initiated underage drinking programs to help combat this terrible debacle. Although more money needs to be put into these organizations for better results.



My Contentious Issue For English, Thought it was pretty good, comments, suggestions be apprciated

___________________

Last edited by L0newo1F on Aug-13-2003 at 11:06

Meh...average kid these days drinks every weekend out from the age of 15. Having the age be 21 would be fucken gay cos that's basically entry to clubs too. If you ask me, they should introduce rewards for dessies, to encourage more ppl to do it.

Lower the drinking age in my opinion that way kids get used to alcohol BEFORE their given a car!!!

___________________
Never hold your farts in!!!
They travel up your spine into your brain
and that where you get shit ideas from!!!

uh, does it really matter what the law states, a dickhead will be a dickhead regardless. no one stops being a dickhead when they turn 21.. fuck, my uncles are worse off when it comes to drink/driving than anyone, they drive way above the limit.. so what would that mean? raising the legal age to 45 ?

___________________
Recently released:
Aesthetic - Twilight Sky [Primal-Recordings]

http://www.wtfnews.org

quote:

Originally posted by lethal Lower the drinking age in my opinion that way kids get used to alcohol BEFORE their given a car!!!

word!!!

___________________


Email: [email protected]
Website: www.julianreynolds.com.au Officially launched!!!

quote:

Originally posted by DaveBegic uh, does it really matter what the law states, a dickhead will be a dickhead regardless. no one stops being a dickhead when they turn 21.. fuck, my uncles are worse off when it comes to drink/driving than anyone, they drive way above the limit.. so what would that mean? raising the legal age to 45 ?

Totally agree dave. Raising the legal age isnt going to solve anything.

legalise drugs that will solve a lot of the alcohol problems

quote:

Originally posted by Pointy Meh...average kid these days drinks every weekend out from the age of 15. Having the age be 21 would be fucken gay cos that's basically entry to clubs too. If you ask me, they should introduce rewards for dessies, to encourage more ppl to do it.

Like free soft drink, cigarettes, and SLuts?

___________________
Upfront Records

quote:

Originally posted by DaveBegic uh, does it really matter what the law states, a dickhead will be a dickhead regardless. no one stops being a dickhead when they turn 21..

TRUE DAT......

Kiddies nowadays are drinking well before there 18. so by the time there 21 they should have around 6 to 7 years experience on the piss. And if they can't handle there booze by then, they should be placed in the piss weak category and given a bit of this. If there dumb enough to drive after having a few to many they deserve what ever happens to them. As long as they don't hurt anyone else. But life's not perfect is it.

I wise man once said 'Legalise drugs'.

apparently they are bringing in a new law, if you get caught drink driving you still get the same penalties as before, but pretty soon you will also have to put a huge sticker on both sides of your car saying "drink driving, it's a crime"


i think it's a great idea!!!


i could imagine a fully sick bro going by in his souped up car advertising against drink driving

___________________

quote:

Originally posted by Romp legalise drugs that will solve a lot of the alcohol problems

get off the drugs?

___________________
www.myspace.com/djslade
www.sladedj.com

i don't see much problem with the limit as it is now, like dave said a dickhead will be a dickhead no matter what age. as long as there is good education for kids about the effects and stuff of drugs, and about peer pressure etc then it should be ok. if people choose to drink at 15 or 16 then they should know what could happen to them and the effects. if thats the choice they make then so be it. i chose not to drink when i was younger because i was afraid of losing control of myself and doing something i would regret. personally i think alcohol is too much in our culture and our surroundings and i would think that more people die from alcohol related incidents than heroin or marajuana.

___________________
new set online, Summer Journeys