Here is an idea that requires going backwards to improve things.

In the 1970’s and 80’s the drinking age was raised from 18 to 21.  The expressed purpose was to reduce the number of deaths and injuries from drunk driving.  It is a noble goal, which no one can reasonably oppose.  But it has put us as a society in the paradoxical situation of telling young people they are old enough to vote and to defend the country but not old enough to drink.

Do young people obey the law about not drinking?  Only in the margin but they do learn that there are some laws that are not reasonable.  Why not change the rule to an incentive based one that says “You may drink at 18 if you are a college student, have successfully taken a class, passed a drinking education test and have had no arrests.

Young people would have an huge incentive to stay in school and do well.  Additionally they would have an incentive not to speed, fight or be abusive.  They would have had instruction in safe drinking, designated drivers and the danger of mixing drinks with sexual situations.  A tamperproof ID card would alert bars to their situation.  Perhaps they could only buy beer and not hard liquor.

The blanket prohibition against drinking before age 21 doesn’t work.  It makes young people scofflaws and promotes binge drinking and other uncontrolled bad behaviors.  It is time to rethink the laws we try to enforce about drinking.  The new rules outlined above would align our laws with our reality and save lives.