Drinking the Way to a New Age

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Recommended: Effects of lowering the drinking age to 18

Drinking alcohol allows many people to unwind after an extensive, stressful day at work, while others conduct it just for pleasure. Unfortunately, some of these people are young adults and according to the law it is unlawful for juveniles under 21 to obtain and drink alcohol. This matter has spawned numerous disputes on whether the consumption age should be lowered to 18. Many people deem that keeping the drinking age at 21 helps save countless lives, but others argue that changing the drinking age to 18 would depreciate underage drinking. In fact, the drinking age of 21 is a very restrictive law that does not effectively prevent underage drinking in the United States, but through education about moderation and instances of handling alcohol responsibly, the drinking age can be lowered to 18 without fear.
Ultimately, “from 1920–1933, alcohol was prohibited in the United States. Known as Prohibition, the manufacturing, sale, and transportation of alcohol during this period was illegal” (Minimum Drinking Age). Of course, a multitude people did not abide by the rules and established speakeasies, which were underground drinking saloons. Frequently, these saloons provided a sense of security for civilians who wanted to enjoy and consume alcoholic beverages without getting caught by the authorities. Unfortunately, many citizens were caught and a mass of speakeasies was closed down, yet others prevailed until the end of Prohibition. No doubt, this behavior seen over eighty years ago may be linked to the behavior seen now among teenagers and young adults.
After Prohibition was repealed, it was left up to the states to decide how to govern alcohol consumption. Most states made 21 the legal drinking age, although a handful required drinkers ...

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...eb. 2014. .
“Minimum Drinking Age.” Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Student Resources in Context. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. .
“Underage Drinking.” Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Student Resources in Context. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. .
Wheelan, Elizabeth M. “Perils of prohibition: why we should lower the drinking age to 18.(Column).” Newsweek. v125. n22 (May 29, 1995): p14(1). Student Resource Center - Junior. Gale. Taft Hs. 10 Feb. 2014.
"Why Do Adolescents Drink." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. National Institutes of Health, Jan. 2006. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. .
Ziskind, Jeremy. “Drinking Age.” ProCon.org. 2 Feb. 2014. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. .

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