Lowering Drinking Age Would Cause Disaster

How sad that a leader in the health field advocates such unhealthy policy
as legalizing teen-age boozing ("Girls just want to have fun," Op-Ed, June
21). On what planet was columnist Elizabeth Whelan, president of the
American Council on Science and Health, when teens were allowed to drink
during the 1970s?

When states lowered the drinking age to 18, teen alcohol-related traffic
fatalities skyrocketed. Child alcoholism soared as then-legal teen boozers
shared their alcohol with younger friends.

When the nation finally woke up to the tragedy wrought by that unfortunate
policy, states returned the drinking age to 21 in the early 1980s.
Subsequently, teen alcohol-related traffic fatalities dropped
precipitously. Many lives have been saved each year since the more rational
standard was restored.

Unfortunately, a residue of teen appetite for booze has remained, causing
great damage to the teen population and their families. Parents such as the
Bushes whose children get caught up in that dangerous teen-booze culture
experience much anguish.

Lower the drinking age to authorize teen drinking again? America has been
there and done that and it was an unmitigated health and safety disaster.
America learned its lesson the hard way, and it's not going to happen
again. Case closed.

Deforest Rathbone
Chairman, National Institute of Citizen Anti-drug Policy (NICAP)
Great Falls