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College Presidents Want Drinking Age Lowered

South Carolina DUI Lawyer

Fervor is growing on the ongoing underage drinking debate as college presidents from around the country are voicing their opinions.

The movement called the Amethyst Initiative recruited presidents from major universities like Duke, Darmouth and Ohio State. This movement does not come without opposition. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) feels university presidents are only using this as means for escape from current alcohol problems on campuses. University presidents and MADD agree that alcohol use and abuse is an ever growing problem on campuses around the US.

   In a column written in the New York Times, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of the South in Sewannee, Tenn, John M. McCardell Jr. stated his support for lowering the drinking age to 18.

In his column he stated, “Although our laws acknowledge that at age 18 young adults possess sufficient maturity and judgment to operate a motor vehicle, serve in the military, perform jury duty or sign a contract, those same laws deny 18-year-olds the right to purchase, possess or consume alcohol.”

McCardell proposes a solution of licensing young adults to drink. Young adults would be issued a permit allowing them to purchase, possess and consume alcohol as long as they have passed and alcohol education course and follow the laws regarding alcohol in the state in which the license was issued. McCardell does caution saying this is not a “one-size-fits-all federal mandate”. He says it should be treated as an experiment with each state using different formulas until the best one emerges. To do this though, the federal law reducing highway funding for states setting the drinking age to lower than 21, must be removed.

South Carolina DUI Lawyer

The South Carolina DUI lawyer at the Strom Law Firm, LLC represent clients in South Carolina who have been charged with underage drinking, as well as, DUI. We understand what is at stake when you or your loved one is charged with underage drinking. We will fight aggressively in and out of the court room on you or your loved one’s behalf. Call us today for a free consultation. 803.252.4800