A group of college administrators have pressed for lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18. Currently, states that permit young people to drink under the age of 21 are denied federal highway funds, so most states, including New York have increased the age across the country since the 1984 federal measure went into place. We think the position of these administrators is shortsighted and wrong.

The presidents of the various colleges who are calling for this change site studies that show, they said, that lowering the drinking age will lead to less binge drinking, make our roads safer and bring the United States in line with other countries throughout the world.

But these, like other studies, are subject to interpretation and counter results from other studies.

It just seems to us that despite all the arguments against maintaining the age at 21, common sense tells us that keeping it is the best way to send the message that alcohol is a drug and young people need to abstain first and then proceed with caution.

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