14 years
I honestly hate the drinking age in the US. Doesn't make sense to me either. Seems it would be pretty hard to lower it now since we've had it for so long as 21. We have a better chance of legalizing weed then alcohol.
Hostels and the Drinking Age in the US
General Hostel Operations
One issue when opening hostels in the US is that the drinking age is 21 and that makes hostel bars difficult. It wasn't always 21 -- until 1984 many states had a drinking age is 18 or 19:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._history_of_alcohol_minimum_purchase_age_by_state
There is an interesting article here about 100 college presidents in the US who want to lower the drinking age to 18:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/19/60minutes/main4813571.shtml
Video:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4819332n&tag=related;photovideo
Last fall, a group of over 100 college presidents - including the heads of Dartmouth, Virginia Tech and Duke - signed a declaration stating that the 21-year-old drinking age is not working, and fireworks went off.
But the college presidents got what they wanted: a national debate about the drinking age.
When the age was raised to 21 in the mid-1980s, the goal was to reduce highway fatalities. But everyone knows that the 21 age limit hasn't stopped minors from drinking.
And now some experts believe it's actually contributing to an increase in extreme drinking.
The video is from February 2009. Does anyone knows of any more recent news about the movement to lower the drinking age in the US?
- Comments
14 years
The drinking age is a massive reason why I'm not currently in the US. I'm sure it can be worked around but it must be just such a pain in the ass for hostels with bars. If for those without, what about underage adults (theyre not kids) drinking on site?
If the US were to drop the drinking age down to a reasonable 18 or 19, I'd be over there in a flash.
14 years
At least Canada is civilized. Funny how our American travellers who are underage at home love our onsite pub.
14 years
We have a better chance of legalizing weed then alcohol.
It's already practically decriminalized in California. Taxation is probably influencing it because legalization would raise an extra $2 billion for the California economy. See also "Oaksterdam".
Use is also pretty much decriminalized in Massachusetts by popular vote in the 2008 election.
So a 20 year old gets the equivalent of a speeding ticket for weed, but possible jail time for drinking a beer...
If the US were to drop the drinking age down to a reasonable 18 or 19, I'd be over there in a flash.
One way around it is to open a hostel in San Diego. Underage guests can hop over to Tijuana and party all night and return early in the morning. :)
At least Canada is civilized. Funny how our American travellers who are underage at home love our onsite pub.
That must get crazy :)
14 years
The drinking age is a massive reason why I'm not currently in the US.
That's a shame. There's a lot more to the American culture then it's alcohol.
14 years
That's a shame. There's a lot more to the American culture then it's alcohol.
Oh I know, I love the states. but from the perspective of opening a hostel, the drinking age is a major hurdle in my books.
sorry, should've made that clearer.
14 years
I know that my following comment/question is going to offend many, but lets be honest:
How far has it come, that alcohol and the legal drinking age is a major issue of opening and running a hostel?
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