<p>Alcohol abuse is one of my state’s worst problems, hopefully they will (finally) change the drinking culture I see far too often. Eons ago, circa the draft and the Vietnam War era the drinking age for beer in Wis was 18 and other alcohol was 21. College campus areas would have “beer bars”. Bordering states had all 21 so there would be border crossing- dangerous driving home after hitting the bars. A few months ago there was an ad campaign telling parents they could be criminally charged for allowing underage drinking in their home. BTW, this drinking culture is not practiced by all of us in this state, and historically other European immigrants also have the same beer culture as the Germans.</p>
<p>The argument about going off to war (drafted- not by choice as it is today) but not being allowed to drink or vote led to the changes in both to age 18. Later the age was raised to 21 for all forms of liquor when the Federal gov’t tied laws to highway funding. Many 18 year olds are still in HS- able to affect their younger friends. Sometimes the overall impact of laws needs to take precedence over the “fairness” to individuals. If ALL 18 year olds could be trusted to act in a mature, adult and legal fashion with regard to alcohol I would have no problem with lower drinking ages.</p>