Originally, I felt helmets should be choice but now I feel it is good that it is mandatory (for kids under 18).
Around here I see many kids riding bikes and most of them have helmets and simply take it for granted that they should be wearing one. I also know that they see me or other older cyclists wearing helmets and it is just positive reinforcment.
Besides that, helmets actually work. Sometimes you just fall- could be a silly spill or massive pileup. A HELMET CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAUGHING ABOUT IT OR HAVING YOUR MOM CHANGE YOUR DIAPERS AND SPOON FEED YOU. Just that fact alone should make everyone want to wear a helmet. Even if it is a 1 in 10,000 chance that the helmet would save you-- why wouldn't you wear one? People have much worse odds winning the lottery yet they pay up for tickets every day.
As for the article:
It is really pathetic the lengths people will go to instead of simply saying, "I want freedom of choice to wear a helmet or not." I can at least respect honesty. The arguments as listed in that article border on ******** and I HATE crap shoveled and bow-tied in the guise of actual research.