Drinking Age Rethink
In March, we pushed out an idea for liquor license buy-backs in Massachusetts. Last week we were really delighted to see Boston City Council take this up for discussion, and while there is a long way to go on this initiative, it demonstrates a few key things:
- Elected officials get that we need to be hyper creative to help restaurants right now;
- Elected officials in Boston get that the City’s liquor licensing system needs to be fixed; and
- In this unique and bizarre moment in time, ideas that previously may have been perceived as political impossibilities can gain traction quickly given a new found entrepreneurial spirit amongst many federal, state and local lawmakers.
So, with these realities in mind, how about this doozy: it’s time for Massachusetts – and the rest of the country – to change the drinking age to 18. There are many good reasons for this (and for sure some on the other side too), but top of mind right now is that this move would add legitimate revenue to bars and restaurants, especially in places like Greater Boston. Every little bit helps, right?
May 27, 2020 10:44 pm /
Some young car enthusiasts remain today, but American teens have as a whole moved on. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the percentage of American 16-year-olds with driver’s licenses was roughly 25 percent in 2014, a steep drop from about 46 percent in 1983. Older Americans who gather at old hot-rod and antique car shows lament how their offspring show no interest in their hobby, and car makers and dealers fret over how to sell to an increasingly elusive teen market. What’s changed? The answers are technological, legal, and cultural. (via: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/05/teen-car-culture/561290/)