Choosing to fight for your country, getting married are just some of the responsibilities we're given when we reach eighteen. With tasks like these handed down to us at eighteen, in some way government and society force us to make decisions with a certain amount of knowledge. If we've been shaped up to handle ourselves at this age, it's really not much of an issue to bring down the age of purchasing and drinking alcoholic beverages. It’s crazy when kids start underage drinking. The youngest that start drinking would be 8th graders, if not younger. John Hopkins at the Bloomberg School of Public Health says that 13% of 8th graders had started drinking alcohol at this age (www.bu.edu). Kids should not start drinking this young. It’s not healthy for a kid to start drinking this young by the time they get older they will have liver problems, and other sorts of health problems. The Department of Social and Health Services says that 23% of 10th graders start drinking at their age. This is normal for teenagers to start drinking at this age because it’s normally when kids start going to high school parties. Most every high school teenager that starts drinking in high school starts in the 10th grade, if not younger. Every year around this time, millions of kids graduate from high school, throw massive parties and get drunk. If the cops come this could cause them lots of legal trouble for months or even years. So, every year around this time, there's a new debate about whether we should lower or even abolish the legal drinking age (http://content.time.com). Center for Diseases Control and Preventions says that 70% of 12th graders have drunk alcohol. This is completely normal, because they are 18 and free from their parents, they don’t have... ... middle of paper ... ...heir parents and getting in wrecks. Works Cited Daniloff, Caleb. “Drinking: 18 vs. 21” BU Today. Boston University. February 18, 2014. http://www.bu.edu/today/2010/drinking-18-vs-21/. ProCon.org. "Drinking Age ProCon.org" ProCon.org. 5 Feb. 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. http://drinkingage.procon.org/. Yellin, Alex. “Lower the Minimum Legal Drinking Age to 18” 11/08/2013. February 18, 2014. http://forcechange.com/21101/lower-the-minimum-legal-drinking-age-to-18/. Cloud, John. “Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered?” Time US. Friday, June 06, 2008. CNN, Time. February 18, 2014. http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1812397,00.html. Hanson, David. Interview with Dr. Ruth Engs. Alcohol Problems and Solutions. 2013. Sociology Department State University of New York. February 19, 2014. http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol/YouthIssues/1053520190.html.
Nagin, Matt. "Top 3 Reasons Why the Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered to 18."
"Americans Still Oppose Lowering the Drinking Age." Gallup Poll Briefing. (24 July 2014). Web. 19 Feb. 2016. The article provides the views of those who wish to keep the legal drinking age at 21. It states that almost 75% of Americans are still against lowering the drinking age. They believe that the higher age has reduced drinking and driving accidents. Also stated is the belief that since it has been in act for thirty years it should be left the same. The articles also provides statistics based on the specific classes of Americans who are for or against the issue. The purpose of the article is to show readers the benefits of keeping the drinking age as is. It was published on a website that is used to report new and political issues, therefore, allowing it to draw the attention of many people. It is unique in the fact that it provides surveys and information about the specific kinds of people that were surveyed. This article helps me with my thesis because it provides me with the views of people who do not agree with it, therefore, allowing me to show both sides of the
Eastman III, Donald R. “Lowering the Drinking Age: Let’s Keep the Dialogue Open.” St. Petersburg Times. 25 Aug. 2008. Print.
Primarily, the drinking age should be lowered to teach responsibility and safety in young adults. The idea seems paradoxical; however, the high drinking age that is present in the U.S. today has only pushed underage drinking underground (Balko 458). In fact, America has the highest minimum drinking age in the world (Balko 459). Even though the American drinking age remains high, America still remains with an astonishingly large number of alcohol-related accidents and deaths. Is this statement a coincidence? Throughout the years alcohol has become more and more of an issue in young adults, but the correct actions are not taking place. If alcohol were to legally be put in the hands of Americans eighteen and above, these individuals would likely be forced to learn a sense of safety and responsibility. As stated by Caryn Sul...
Ogilvie, Jessica P. Is lowering the drinking age a good idea?.30 May 2011. www.latimes.com/2011/may/30/health/la-he-drinking-age-20110530. 14 Jan. 2014
There has been an ongoing controversy in the United States on whether the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen like most of the world or if it should stay at twenty-one. Underage drinking has been a major controversial issue for years, yet why is it not under control? Teenagers are continuing to buy alcohol with fake identification cards, drink, get into bars, and drink illegally. As a teen, I have proof that these things are going on not only in college but in high school as well. There are a lot of factors that come together to why the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen; the most obvious reason is that too many people are drinking before they are twenty-one.
On the other hand, adults aged 18 have their own rights to make a decision to whether consume alcohol or not. For example, once children turn 18 years old, they are mature enough to make their own decisions. Cloud states, “After all, in almost every other legal and cultural respect, you’re an adult at 18. You can vote, adopt children, sign up for Iraq or become a commercial pilot at 18. Treating alcohol differently helps turns it into a holy grail of adulthood.” (Cloud). Although, in the United States, 18 years o...
Also, 15.8% of underage males and 12.4% of underage females engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking has become a culture in the United States for people between the ages of 12-20 years old. This federal pressure has manipulated states into raising the drinking age so that they would not lose millions of dollars in highway funds. The reason that the drinking age was raised to 21 is because the government promised a 10 percent increase in highway funds to each state if they did so.
DeJong, William. “Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18? No.” American Teacher 93.3 (2008): 3. Wilson OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition. Web. 3 Mar. 2010.
There are an estimated 3.3 million teen-age alcoholics in the United States. Adolescents who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin drinking at age 21. Youth who drink alcohol are five times more likely to smoke cigarettes, four times more likely to smoke marijuana and three times more likely to use an illicit drug. Teens that use alcohol tend to become sexually active at earlier ages. Teens who use alcohol are more likely to be victims of violent crimes such as aggravated assault, robbery or rape.
The controversy on the proper drinking age is one that has been repeatedly discussed and researched over the years. Its common to hear the argument “If someone is old enough to take a bullet for their country, they should be allowed to drink alcohol.” But is that enough justification? Some would say no. “According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) it is estimated that in 2004 there were more than 1,700 student deaths, 599,000 injuries, and 696,000 assaults annually associated with excessive drinking” (Fennell 247). Given these numbers, would lowering the drinking age really be the best thing for America’s youth?
Time to Lower the Drinking Age? U.S. News -. U.S. News & World Report, L.D., 07 May, 2014. Web. The Web.
Do you enjoy being told what to do after you turn an 18 and you become an adult? I know I don’t. As you transition into that adult phase you get to enjoy adult activities such as voting and joining the military. As an adult there comes responsibility and at some points you have to make tough decisions. One of those decision include are you going to drink under age. What if I could tell you that the drinking age use to be 18 years old in 30 states. Should the drinking age go back to 18 years old? I am one who believes that as an adult you should have the ability to make those decisions. Lower the drinking age to 18, but we need to enforce the laws and educate our youth.
There has always been controversy as to whether the drinking age should be lower from 21 to a younger age, like 18. Though there are drawbacks to lowering the drinking age such as, one It may cost for use of illicit drugs. two Its easier to access other drugs, and alcohol. tree it may decrease unsafe drinking activity’s. The benefits would be that it would one get rid of feelings increasing , two people should have freedom of choice and tree, it is wrong to drink at such a young age.
Despite the problems that would arise, many people are beginning to feel that the drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. Studies have been made; however, no hard evidence suggesting lowering the minimum drinking age would help have surfaced. Although there are countless studies of how alcohol has many harmful effects on teenagers, there is a great deal of negative criticism about what if the drinking age is lowered. Some would say the morally right decision is to not allow teens the chance to hurt themselves. Everyone is entitled to having his or her own opinions and beliefs. However, the overall health of the youth of our country seems a little more important than some personal belief. The drinking age should not be lowered due to the fact drunk driving, juvenile delinquency, and alcohol-related medical issues related to teens will increase.