Perhaps because I do not have children, I&#8217;ve never been one to believe that adults can protect young people from all harm.</p><p>Legislate. Ban. Restrict. Society uses a host of ways to handle the very real dangers of the world. Most are well intended and, thankfully, often effective.</p><p>But keeping the legal drinking age at 21 should be reconsidered, at the very least widely discussed. Consider it a back-to-school issue.</p><p>A national effort is under way hoping to begin that dialogue, an uphill battle because federal transportation funds are linked to keeping the age limit at 21. About 130 university presidents are interested.</p><p>The only local president involved is Avila University President Ron Slepitza. (Read his &#8220;As I See It&#8221; column on B8.) Applause for his common sense stand. Slepitza is undecided on whether the decision should be to keep the current 21 age limit, or lower it.</p><p>But he points out that incidents related to binge drinking are rising. He suspects the &#8220;forbidden fruit&#8221; aspect of liquor for young people is at play.</p><p>Since Slepitza&#8217;s position was publicized in <em>The Star</em>, parents have written him in thoughtful agreement. His inbox was also filled with a less-insightful chain letter campaign.</p><p>Not surprisingly, the group MADD &#8212; Mothers Against Drunk Driving &#8212; is adamantly opposed to lowering the drinking age. But MADD&#8217;s Missouri state executive director also graciously extended an invitation to college and university officials for a public dialogue &#8212; an opening it would be wise for some state entity to facilitate.</p><p>In the meantime, kitchen table conversations among families would help, too.</p><p>Without children but surrounded by them through volunteer work, I&#8217;m often in the position of eager listener. No parental responsibility, no emotional connection that can undercut honest communication between adults and their teenagers. Because I can&#8217;t ground them and am not inclined to yell, candid talk of drinking episodes are offered. A recent conversation is typical.</p><p>The drinking happened for my young acquaintance at her friend&#8217;s suburban house, sans parents. Vodka was the drink, an interesting choice because this 16-year-old had barely tasted liquor before that night. She got sick.</p><p>&#8220;Did you throw up?&#8221; I asked.</p><p>&#8220;Yes, a lot, it was horrible,&#8221; was her sheepish reply.</p><p>&#8220;Good, glad it hurt,&#8221; was my response.</p><p>I wasn&#8217;t trying to be coy or dismissive. But the drinking/puking had already occurred. It was apparent the teen had indeed learned a lesson about the potency of vodka. As the conversation continued, we talked about the life skill of choosing friends and situations, especially the dangers of ending up at a party as a drunken girl, with no coherent girlfriends to look out after you.</p><p>I asked who was with her, who drove, who and how they acquired the booze. Why the parents of the house weren&#8217;t home and had no idea they were hosts of the party.</p><p>The &#8220;don&#8217;t do it&#8221; refrain had not been helpful for her. Adults can scare and threaten kids away from situations that might harm them, but only for so long. This young woman, like many others I&#8217;ve been privileged to gain the confidence of, could be described as somewhat of a &#8220;goody two shoes.&#8221;</p><p>A definite &#8220;because I&#8217;m not supposed to be doing it&#8221; tenor is apparent nearly always when I speak with a high school or college student about times when they have drank too much.</p><p>So I wonder, if the law was lowered, making things less restrictive at an earlier age, would it help or hurt? Both sides of this debate can argue convincingly. The stands deserve a fair hearing.</p><p>Still, would binging be less likely to occur if the national tone were far less &#8220;because I know better what is good for you&#8221; and far more &#8220;because I believe you should be able to learn about alcohol, your own tolerance, before you face a fully stocked bar at 21?&#8221;</p><p>Might young people be more apt to crawl toward being responsible, dabbling with a beer or two at a younger age, rather than chugging the vodka at their first opportunity?