Thursday, April 27, 2006

Underage drinking

Tom at Fermentations has a smart post up today about the idiocy of liquor companies coming out for big penalties against parents who let their kids have a drink every once in a while. The liquior companies are, of course, just trying to cover their asses; but more fundamentally, they are responding to the basic irrationality of the way we deal with this issue. Tom says,

Is it OK to question the policy that drinking alcohol should be outlawed for anyone under 21 years of age?

Or if you do, are you promoting inappropriate behavior?

You don't hear many people advocating that the drinking age be lowered from 21. It's a no win argument that will lead to being painted as irresponsible and uncaring for the well being of America's youth. But the fact is, a drinking age of 21 is simply ludicrous.


Diageo, a big booze conglomerate, was patting itself on the back (in a press release for its zero-tolerance policies on underage drinking and parents who condone it ("it" being responsible drinking):

I'm not willing to question their commitment to these goals by suggesting that such a PR initiative is just cover for the fact that it's often their products that wind up in the hands of minors. But I am willing to question theirs and others nothing [sic; "notion"?] that a 19 year old person is incapable of drinking responsibly and ought to be prevented by law from doing so....

I'm just dying to know what Diageo thinks of my habit of putting a small taste of wine in front of my 12 year old Boy and letting him taste it as well as try it alongside whatever disaster I've cooked up for the family meal? Would they have "zero tolerance" for this attempt to educate my boy in the complimentary character of wine and food and the way by which one can evaluate a wine?...

It has become a cliche to point out that 18 year old's can die in the service of their country,that they can take on the responsibility of voting for elected officials and that they can stand trial as an adult. Yet somehow, they are deemed incapable of lifting a mug of lager or a glass of wine with responsibility. This cliche ought to be very convincing to anyone, or any large drinks company, that believes respect is something that 18 year old's deserve.

Those of us who keep alcohol in their lives and enjoy it, have a responsibility to introduce this category of drink to young people at an early age precisely because it's the responsible thing to do. Today we are printing "WET PAINT..DON'T TOUCH" on alcohol. And we all know what happens when a sign like that is held up in front of a younger person. Teach them that too much alcohol impairs them. Teach them that alcohol is for drinking, not chugging. Teach them the great traditions that surround the consumption of alcohol. Teach them.


Tom doesn't really focus on this aspect of it, but I've always thought that this irrational paranoia about exposing children to alcohol is one of the reasons that drinking is such a problem on many college campuses (and, I'm sure, in some high schools). This is perhaps one more area where the Europeans have a much more rational approach than we do.

Posted by jwb at 10:44 AM   

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