Forum Debating Society

Date: Thursday 8 October 2009

Lunchtime today, and the first debate of the year took place in the Exhibition Area as nine members of the Lower Sixth 'Critical Thinking' class made their debuts arguing the cases for and againmst the motion,'This House believes that the Legal Drinking Age should be raised to 21'.

Tim Edlin took the chair, and attempted to control the timing of the debate in which Freddy White, Oliver Lawrence, Jonathan Vickers, and Anna Douglas argued convincingly that the age limit for the consumption of alcoholic beverages should be raised to 21, emphasising the dangers of exposure to alcohol at an early age, and the suggestion that 18 year olds are not responsible enough to handle a dangerous substance with care and maturity.

The opposition - George Punton, Tom Vafidis, Des Tang, and Hannele Lewis-Anthony countered by stressing, in a time of recession, the value of the drinks industry - revenue and jobs!, and that if you are deemed old enough at 18 to fight for your country, you ought to be considered old enough to drink in moderation.

After questions from the floor, and brief summaries of the argument, the house divided and found against the motion. Regardless of the strength of the argument, not many teenagers will vote to delay their own opportunity for a legal drink!