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LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Article Excerpt
Byline: The Register-Guard

Don't lower legal drinking age

As a 20-year old college student, I agree that something must be done about youth drinking habits. But lowering the drinking age is not the answer.

In the article "College officials want to lower age for legal drinking" (Register-Guard Aug. 19), a student is quoted as saying that there "isn't much difference in maturity between 21 and 18." In truth, there is an enormous difference between the two ages.

At 20, I know far more about life and self-discipline than I did at 18. I can't imagine what choices I might have made at 18 if I had been allowed access to alcohol.

Lowering the drinking age ultimately affects high school students the most. I realize how harsh the penalties are for those who buy cigarettes for minors, but you would never know it by how accessible tobacco products are in high school. At my high school, there were always kids smoking just off campus.

When I was 16, I didn't have any friends older than 21, and that severely limited my access to alcohol. If the age for purchasing alcohol were lowered to 18, kids as young as 14 would suddenly be in contact with older kids who could buy them alcohol. Easier alcohol access for high school students isn't in the best interest of college students anywhere.

Please do not support this change of law. College binge drinking is a serious issue, but this proposed solution would only complicate the equally important issues faced by today's teens.

Megan Crookes

Cottage Grove

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