First Thoughts...

President L. Baird Tipson of Washington College writes about his favorable position on lowering the legal drinking age to 18. Mr. Tipson calls the current system of a legal age of 21 years old as being a "culture of clandestine drinking." Having alcohol be a forbidden item, students will drink excessively at the beginning of an evening, rather than responsibly drink throughout the evening. The current system does not foster responsible drinking habitats. Alcohol is a component in student and adult socializing. By putting a 21-year old drinking age, alcohol has a certain "seductive mystique," as Tipson puts it. This mystique would lack if responsible alcohol consumption was part of the norm.