Alcohol is the premier drug choice among many youths. A national survey found that slightly more than half of young adults in the United States between the ages of 12 and 20 have consumed alcohol at least once. A psychoactive drug that depresses the central nervous system, alcohol, like tobacco, affects both the mind and the body. It lowers the brain’s ability to control behavioral functions and impairs one’s ability to perform basic motor skills. In today’s society, it is not a surprise for young teens to consume alcohol before they have reached the legal drinking age of twenty-one. Due to this, it has become a leading health problem in the United States. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 4,358 people
According to Center for Disease Control and Protection, about 4,700 people under age twenty one die from injuries involving underage drinking every year. Illegal alcohol consumption has been a major problem with high school students around the nation. Lowering the drinking age from twenty one would result in major consequences for America’s adolescents. By lowering the drinking age, alcohol would be more accessible to those who choose to participate in underage drinking. The desire to drink for teens and young adults between the ages of fourteen and twenty can be caused by peer pressure or an act of rebellion. One beer might not seem like a big deal at the time, but it could lead to a life of addiction and alcoholism.
Alcohol is an illicit drug that is often used in society. People consume alcohol for many different reasons: celebration, depression, anxiety, boredom, and peer pressure. Alcohol targets different culture, gender and ages of people. In 2012, it has been reported that teenage students have consumed alcohol (more than just a few sips) by the end of high school, and more than 1/2 have done so by 8th grade. It is incredibly simple for a teenager to find a way to attain alcohol. Even though it is illegal, it is available for their disposal through liquor cabinets at home or even older friends who buy it for them. Since there are so many possible outcomes of using alcohol, should the minimum legal drinking age be lowered to the age of eighteen? This paper will cover the pros and cons of alcohol among teenagers and weather the drinking age should remain the age of Twenty-One and the history of how it was set at that age.
In the United States, more than 88,000 deaths are caused or related to the excessive use of alcohol. 4,300 of those reported 88,000 casualties are young people under the age of twenty-one. Alcohol is the third leading cause of death among Americans. In the United States alcohol is the most popular overused drug amongst adolescents. Problems that have been caused by excessive underage drinking include but are not limited to physical assault, health problems, sexual assault, social issues, violence, misconduct and lawlessness, other substance abuse, and overdose. The Uniform Drinking Act, also referred to as the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, was syndicated by Congress under the leadership of President Ronald Reagan to prohibit youth under twenty-one from possessing, purchasing, or consuming alcohol. This law came about because of the several alcohol related fatalities involving young people under twenty-one. In 2007, the United States Surgeon General syndicated a Call to America to minimize and take precautionary measures due to the effects of underage drinking. “In the decades since the United States implemented the 1984 Uniform Drinking Act, there has been a reduction in youth alcohol use and a dramatic decrease in underage alcohol related traffic injuries and fatalities in the United States,” states Drew Saylor (p.330). It is because of these pressing matters that persons under twenty-one do not need to be allowed to consume alcohol, neither does the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) need to be altered.
Growing popularity of alcohol is one of the many problems in the community, especially among those who are younger than twenty-one years old. Underage Drinking is a complex problem that has emerged to the society. Legislative laws limit the consumption of alcohol to youths under age of twenty-one. Though many teenagers start drinking during their high school years and continue throughout college. Also, the proportion of the underage drinkers in the United Sates is increasing at a huge rate. It may seem normal to many people. Yet, drinking at a younger age can cause a tremendous effect not only to the consumers, but also to the community. Thus, underage alcohol abuse should be reduced by more effective strategies in order to prevent the negative effects.
Bob Marley once said, “Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction.” This is the case when it comes to teens and alcohol. In America, the National Minimum Legal Drinking Age is a topic of great debate and controversy. Many people argue that the age restriction provides a safe environment for all citizens; whereas others disagree that the law creates an untrustworthy aura among teens. If the minimum legal drinking age were to be lowered, most people would be affected by it, whether it be by an increase in drunk-driving or a rise in crimes. Although teens are legally considered adults by the age of eighteen and the minimum legal drinking age prompts underage teens to exhibit risky behavior, the age restriction should not be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen because young teens would have easier access to alcohol, the minimum legal drinking age has decreased alcohol-related problems, and alcohol can cause damage to underage drinkers.
Many teenagers today are exposed to alcohol. The problem is that most minors are not guided to drink in small quantities; instead, they are tempted to consume overpowering volumes, losing their normal state of mind. It is without sensible adult advice that most teenagers get into trouble, whether it be with other drinkers in the streets or the police. Teenagers need help; they need to be shown how to be responsible. For this purpose, the most efficient method of introducing alcohol to young adolescents is by having an occasional drink with a meal at home, such as many continental families do. In addition, if the individual is 16 it is legal to have beer, wine or cider with a meal in restaurants, so being in an environment with responsible adults is a possible way to introduce alcohol to teenagers in a way that does not promote or condone drunkenness.
As many of us may know, alcohol is a very dangerous substance that is highly abused by many people. Many people, such as parents and other grown-ups, affiliate alcohol with young teenagers. The fact of the matter is that more than seventy percent of high school age students don't drink. It is only a rare percentage of students that do in fact drink, and those are the people who make a bad reputation for teenagers. It always seems that the ignorant and uniformed people who believe they know everything always speak the wrong news instead of finding the factual information. Now, after explaining the misperception of people's words and gossip, here are the facts about alcohol and its many serious side affects and also consequences.
Sally and John were just two normal juniors in high school looking for something fun to do one their first summer night going into their senior year. They wanted to celebrate making it to their senior year. Their idea of fun was drinking and partying. Thats exactly what they planned to do on the beautiful summer night. Little did they know the night would end up being a deadly one. Underaged drinking is a very big problem in the united states. By the age of 13 over 50% of teens had tried alcohol in their lifetime. It affects everyone from small town iowa people to big city las vegas people. underaged drinking is the number one drug problem in the united states. Each year aproximately 5000 teens die from underaged drinking. Statistics show that about three fourths of 12th graders have participated in binge drinking. Underage drinking is a problem that needs to be faced head on and be solved and prevented.
The legal drinking age in the United States is twenty-one, although it is well known that most people start drinking beforehand even though it is illegal. Alcohol is a substance that can be very dangerous and harmful if not educated about properly. There are many different effects that can lead to a broad range of consequences. Based off of reliable sources and extensive research, minors should not be allowed to consume alcoholic beverages in their homes even with their parents’ consent because it jeopardizes a safe, nurturing environment for a child to be raised in, menacing risks regarding the effects it has, and the biological aspects apropos to body and brain.