Living in Minnesota may get pretty interesting in the near future.
Minnesota State Representative Phyllis Kahn is proposing lowering the legal drinking age to 18. According to WAOW, Khan believes allowing 18-year-olds to drink legally would allow them to drink more responsibly and also benefit public health and businesses.
Under the proposed policy, 18-year-olds would be allowed to drink in bars and restaurants although they would not be allowed to purchase alcohol from stores. Restaurant owners in the state seem to be in support of the idea while some law enforcement officials are worried that the change may not be realistic for high school and college students.
“How would this fit into athletic programs in the school district?” asked La Crescent Police Chief Douglas Stravenau. “I understand the perspective that if you attend a bar or grill, you want to consume a beer or glass of wine with your meal, but I’m not sure how that translates into campus life, that this is going to alleviate binge drinking on campus.”
Would raising the drinking age really be such a bad idea? After all, 18-year-olds are considered adults. They can legally drive, smoke, vote and join the military. Why not add drinking to that list?
The New York Times reports that lowering the drinking age could actually have some serious consequences. Alcohol consumption at a young age could ear to more traffic fatalities, more unplanned pregnancies and higher levels of binge drinking which could seriously damage a teen’s health.
What do you think? Should the legal drinking age be lowered? Take our poll and sound off in the comments below.
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