221; (Dogan 1). Prohibition did not work in the 1850’s and prohibition for young people under the age of twenty-one is not working now. Based upon the fact that these current prohibition laws are not working, alternative approaches taken from the experience of cultures that do not have these problems need to be tried. For example, in the Mediterranean regions, wine consumption with meals by all members of the culture evolved, and so too did a norm of moderation. Groups such as Italians, Greeks, Chinese, and Jews, who have few drinking related problems, tend to share some common characteristics. Alcohol is neither seen as a poison nor a magic potent. There is little or no social pressure to drink, irresponsible behavior is never tolerated, young people learn at home from their parents and from other adults how to handle alcohol in a responsible manner, and there is a societal consensus on what constitutes responsible drinking. Therefore, given that the twenty-one year old drinking age law has proven ineffective, and is counterproductive, it behooves us as a nation to change our current prohibition law and to teach responsible drinking techniques for those who choose to consume alcoholic beverages. ...
