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Feb 17, 2009 10:41 pm US/Central
Another Push To Lower Minnesota's Drinking Age
(WCCO)
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Rep. Tom Hackbarth believes that if a person can vote at 18 or go to war at 18, they should be able to legally drink too. (File)
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A new plan to lower Minnesota's drinking age has been introduced in the state house. At least four state lawmakers, led by Rep. Phyllis Kahn (D-Minneapolis), want to drop the age from 21 to 18 inside bars and restaurants. Sixteen and 17-year-olds would also be able to drink at bars and restaurants if their parents were around.
"I think that bars and restaurants are having a difficult time right now with the smoking ban that went into place. I think with economic times the way they are, I've never opposed the drinking age at 18," said Rep. Tom Hackbarth (R-Cedar).
Hackbarth believes that if a person can vote at 18 or go to war at 18, they should be able to legally drink too.
Minnesota's Chapter of Mothers Against Drink Driving disagrees.
MADD's Julie Zamora said studies show people's brains don't fully mature until their early 20s. She cites data from the National Institutes of Health that indicate people who abstain from drinking in their teen years are less likely to have problems with alcohol later in life.
Zamora points to higher drunken driving rates in the 1980s as reason to keep the drinking age at 21. In the late 1970s, 16 states lowered their drinking ages and drunken driving rates rose. By the 1980s, those states put the age back to 21 and drunken driving rates fell.
"We see that this is a trial and error that has been done before and it's not worth sacrificing more lives to try this again," Zamora said.
Students at the University of Minnesota have differing opinions on the issue.
"I think it would actually cause less problems because people wouldn't be like out running and sneaking under the table to drink," said Junior Jordan Van Gilder.
"I have an 18-year-old brother. He's crazy as is, but then to legalize drinking for him, there'd be no limitation," said Grad student Chelsy Jungbluth.
This is the second time Kahn has introduced the legislation. It didn't make it to a hearing last session.
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