2008 Woodie Awards
Alcohol, the forbidden juice
nternationals say 'underage drinking is no big deal'
Krissy Kenny
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: International News
American students have been making protests for years to lower the drinking age. With an age limit of 21, taboo underage drinking has become such a sport on American college campuses, to the amazement of some Winthrop international students.
"I think that in America there's a big contradiction. You can get a driver's license at the age of 16, you can vote and smoke at 18 but you're not allowed to drink until 21," said Matteo D'Angelo, freshman international business major from Italy. "If you can't control yourself at 18, the age at which you are considered an adult and can vote, why would you do so at 21?"
He also said that very few people respect the drinking age and since it is so high, taboo underage drinking becomes a fun rebellious event.
"Some kids think drinking is more fun since it's illegal, and this does not help anyone," D'Angelo said. "So probably it would make more sense to change the drinking age from 21 to 18."
Veronica Berrie, freshman physical education major, disagrees with D'Angelo.
"Although I think drinking underage is no big deal, I don't think the [drinking] age should change," she said
Berrie, who is from Canada, said underage drinking is not a problem to her. She is of age in her home country, where the legal drinking age is 18, and drinking isn't so taboo there.
She also said "law enforcers should be more lenient toward underage drinking."
"If things get out of control, then they [the police] should step in," Berrie said. "But a big deal should not be made unless you have no control over your body at all."
Tobias Handschin, senior biology major from Switzerland, said that if the drinking age in America were to change to 18, there would be no difference because kids would still act stupidly and make dumb decisions.
However, he said 18 would still be better than 21 because kids would learn from their mistakes sooner and become more responsible with alcohol consumption.
"I think that in America there's a big contradiction. You can get a driver's license at the age of 16, you can vote and smoke at 18 but you're not allowed to drink until 21," said Matteo D'Angelo, freshman international business major from Italy. "If you can't control yourself at 18, the age at which you are considered an adult and can vote, why would you do so at 21?"
He also said that very few people respect the drinking age and since it is so high, taboo underage drinking becomes a fun rebellious event.
"Some kids think drinking is more fun since it's illegal, and this does not help anyone," D'Angelo said. "So probably it would make more sense to change the drinking age from 21 to 18."
Veronica Berrie, freshman physical education major, disagrees with D'Angelo.
"Although I think drinking underage is no big deal, I don't think the [drinking] age should change," she said
Berrie, who is from Canada, said underage drinking is not a problem to her. She is of age in her home country, where the legal drinking age is 18, and drinking isn't so taboo there.
She also said "law enforcers should be more lenient toward underage drinking."
"If things get out of control, then they [the police] should step in," Berrie said. "But a big deal should not be made unless you have no control over your body at all."
Tobias Handschin, senior biology major from Switzerland, said that if the drinking age in America were to change to 18, there would be no difference because kids would still act stupidly and make dumb decisions.
However, he said 18 would still be better than 21 because kids would learn from their mistakes sooner and become more responsible with alcohol consumption.
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