Situations like these are mostly due to minors being forced to drink in unsafe, secret places to avoid authoritative figures. This is seen the most in young college students. Many college university presidents claim that, “the more they crack down on campus drinking, the more they simply force that behavior into clandestine location, often off campus, beyond their sight and their authority” (McCardell, 2010). As Dr. Ruth Engs states, “those under the age of 21 are more likely to be heavy – sometimes called “binge” – drinkers (consuming over 5 drinks at least once a week)” (Engs, 2010). This is because people in this society have a way of wanting what they can have, and fighting to still obtain it; even if it’s illegal. High school and college
These facts clearly indicate that the current law is not even helping deter people under 21 from drinking, but instead are encouraging them to drink more.
Counters/Solutions
It seems logical that when turning eighteen, and gain the status of legal adult, people should have the choice of whether or not they want to drink. However, some believe that “enforcing the legal drinking age of 21 reduces traffic crashes, protects young people’s maturing brains, and keeps young people safe overall” (Why 21? 2011). “It saves lives by preventing alcohol-related traffic fatalities among 18-20-year-olds and the rest of the population” (Kindelberger, 2005). Although this may be partly true, it is obvious that this law does not keep many young people safe. It is almost impossible to stop minors from getting together at a house and drinking. If eighteen-year old’s were allowed to drink, they would not have to go to extreme measures and get involved in reckless behavior to achieve their alcohol desires. John McCardell (retired president of Middlebury College in VA) proposes a compromise to the drinking age. He compares it to teens taking drivers education. The government doesn’t just let
Turning 18 in the United States opens young Americans up to so many new responsibilities. Those turning 18 are seen as an adult by not only those around them but also in the eyes of the law. So how can the government trust people in 18-20-year-old age group to pay taxes, serve in the military, and vote for offices that affect the entire nation. Then not trust them to make smart decisions when it comes to alcohol. No one can argue with the fact that underage drinking is a huge problem in our society today. Nonetheless, there are ways to decrease these problems. The current drinking age, twenty-one, is not beneficial to our country anymore. Lowering the age to eighteen with a license will impact our country in a positive way, by decreasing the numbers of drunk driving incidents, and alcohol poisoning due to minors drinking in secret Those who oppose lowering the drinking age say that lowering it will cause less underage age drunk driving accidents. They also say that the 18-20-year-old brain is not developed enough to safely consume alcohol. When the truth is raising the drinking age to 21 just caused an increase in drunk driving fatalities in the 21-23-year-old age group so no matter what the age is the number of accidents is bound to go up. As far as the brain development argument goes neuro scientists have gone on record saying that the brain doesn’t
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.
Many adults these days could tell stories from college about all the frat parties they've been to, all their high school house party experiences, and how many times they've been absolutely ¨hammered¨. And during these uncontrolled occasions, there is no adult supervision whatsoever. Furthermore, it is nearly impossible for police authorities to be able to monitor and know what is going on in an individual’s house. Besides, enforcing the drinking age isn’t really a priority for the police anyway. Many of them know it will continue, plus, when they do manage to catch and arrest someone for illegal drinking, it takes a great amount of time and effort for paperwork and processing. (ProCon.org)* And also because most youths view the age limit as arbitrary, which causes them to have a certain disrespect for the law. (Chafetz)* One main reas...
Each year, about 5,000 teens are killed or injured in traffic crashes as a result of underage drinking and about 1,900 are due to car accidents. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation) In the newsletter, safety in numbers by National highway traffic administration and U.S department of transportation “Of all the people who died in motor vehicle crashes during 2012, 31 percent died in crashes involving a drunk driver, and this percentage remains unchanged for the past 10 years” (Vol 1, 2013). Crashes involving alcohol include fatal crashes in which a driver had a BAC of .01 g/ ld. or higher (Underage Drinking Statistics)). Deadly crashes involving alcohol are twice as common in teens compared to people 21 and older. This is because teens’ judgment skills are harmed more by alcohol. Teens who drink not only risk hurting themselves, they risk hurting their friends, family, and even strangers when driving intoxicated. Teens and parents both need a strong reminder that underage drinking is illegal and can have disastrous consequences. According to Health Day News, “one study found that in 2011, 36 percent of U.S. college students said they'd gone binge drinking (five or more drinks in one sitting) within the past two weeks, as compared to 43 percent of college students in 1988. Since 2006, the current law has reduced the rate of drunk driving crashes among young Americans” (Preidt, 2014 and DeJong, 2014). This proves that lives have been saved after the legal drinking age increased. According to an article in Time Magazine called “Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered?”, “lowering the drinking age to 18 would stop infantilizing college students, but it would probably kill mor...
In the late 1960’s to mid-70’s the legal drinking age was 18 because the voting age of 21 was lowered to 18. However, in 1984 a bill was passed that every state in the United States was to change the legal drinking age from 18 to 21. Although this is a highly controversial topic, many young adults believe lowering the drinking age back to 18 is best because if they vote at the age of 18 then, they should be allowed to purchase alcoholic beverages. In an article “Should the U.S. lower its drinking age?” written by Brandon Griggs, he introduces the pros and cons of lowering the drinking age. Griggs explains two generations ago, young adults didn’t have to worry much about getting caught drinking or buying their way out to purchase alcohol.
According to Andrew Herman, “Each year, 14,000 die from drinking too much. 600,000 are victims of alcohol related physical assault and 17,000 are a result of drunken driving deaths, many being innocent bystanders” (470). These massive numbers bring about an important realization: alcohol is a huge issue in America today. Although the problem is evident in Americans of all ages, the biggest issue is present in young adults and teens. In fact, teens begin to feel the effects of alcohol twice as fast as adults and are more likely to participate in “binge-drinking” (Sullivan 473). The problem is evident, but the solution may be simple. Although opponents argue lowering the drinking age could make alcohol available to some teens not mature enough to handle it, lowering the drinking age actually teaches responsibility and safety in young adults, maintains consistency in age laws, and diminishes temptation.
Almost everyone has an opinion on what the drinking age should be. Some people believe that it should stay at 21. However, others argue that it should be lowered for the sake of teen safety. The opposition to lowering the drinking age backs their argument with science. Advocates of keeping the drinking age above twenty one believe that alcohol causes permanent damage to the still-developing brains of teenagers. This group of people includes scientists such as Susanne Hiller-Sturmhöfel, and H. Scott Swartzwelder, who have conducted scientific trials studying the effects alcohol has on the human brain. On the other hand, proponents of lowering the drinking age believe that the pros outweigh the cons of their story. To this group of people, including Ruth C. Engs, lowering the drinking age will come with restrictions still, although most of the restrictions will help educate young people about alcohol in the hopes of preventing alcohol related deaths.
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.
As teenagers reach maturity and start developing their social activities to the point where weekend-and often weeknight-parties becomes the regular occurrence, they are often looking for a means to escape soberness. They would to love put their hair down and drink alcohol as they socialize and or dance with their friends, a leisure that they have seen older siblings, parents, friends, television and ultimately society do over and over again. As they graduate from high school and move on with their lives-whether that be to college, a job or travelling-they will be exposed more and more to alcohol and inebriation. Yet if they were to take part in this recreation, they would in fact be committing a crime punishable by a court case and further action. Yet this legal aspect has very little practical effect, because the large majority of the 18 and over age group still drinks. In fact, a recent survey conducted stated that almost half (48%) of all college drinking has been attributed to those who are underage. Furthermore, underage drinking accounts for between 11-20% of all alcohol con...
...e minimum legal drinking age in the United States should remain at twenty-one years old. Since the National Legal Drinking Age Act was ratified, the consumption of liquor among minors has abated significantly. With the restriction in affect, the United States is definitely a safer place when it comes to alcohol use. Even though, the reduction of the drinking age would get rid of the taboo that surrounds alcohol which would result in fewer teens drinking just to be accepted by their peers, young adolescents now have a harder time getting access to alcohol due to the minimum legal drinking age resulting in less alcohol-affiliated problems and a decrease in damage to their bodies. Teens and alcohol are not a good mix so citizens of the United States should keep them separated as best as they can. By having a minimum age limit of twenty-one, that is a great way to do it.
One of the most concerning cons is that alcohol consumption interferes with the development of the brains frontal lobes which controls emotional regulation, planning, and organization. Some potential risk factors are addiction, reduced decision-making ability, memory loss, depression, violence, and suicide (Minimal Legal Drinking Age,1). Lowering the MLDA allows public establishments to continue to sell alcohol to people, even if they are obviously intoxicated. “About half of drivers arrested for driving while intoxicated or killed as alcohol-involved drivers in traffic crashes did their drinking at license establishments.” (Minimal Legal Drinking Age, 1) which gives an increase chance of more crashes in heavily populated areas with bars, nightclubs, and other alcohol-selling locations. Studies have found that keeping the MLDA at 21 reduces traffic accidents and fatalities by 13%. (Minimal Legal Drinking Age, 1) Lowering the MLDA to 18 would increase the rate of binge drinking under the age of 18, if MLDA was lowered. (Minimal Legal Drinking Age, 2) Lowering the MLDA to 18 would also give middle schoolers and high schoolers easier access to alcohol. Many believe that 18 year olds are not responsible enough to handle alcohol consumption and is more susceptible to the influence of alcohol. (Pros and Cons of Lowering the Drinking Age,
There are numerous problems involving alcohol in the world today, including alcoholism, drunk driving, and alcohol poisoning leading to death. Many of these problems involve minors and are linked to drinking underage. The legal drinking age in many states is twenty-one years old. The purpose of this law is to keep minors out of danger: away from drunk driving, alcohol poisoning, and injuring the brain before it is fully developed. The government supports the belief that people are not ready or responsible enough for alcohol until this age. However, various professors and researchers are discovering ways to disprove this belief. These people think that reducing the drinking age to eighteen would influence our country in a positive way. Not only do minors support this idea, but there are numerous people and organizations that support the idea of lowering the drinking age as well. The current drinking law is counterproductive in our society because it’s not effective in eliminating underage drinking, and leads to unsafe situations such as drunk driving and alcohol poison instigated deaths. This problem could be solved by lowering the minimum drinking age to eighteen, with a drinking license.
In 1984 the national government raised the drinking age from eighteen to twenty-one with the intention of lowering the number of deaths that resulted from drunk driving. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act enforced this change by informing states that if they did not comply they would face a reduction in highway funds under the Federal Aid Act. Upon the ratification of the law the number of traffic fatalities among 18 to 20 year olds dropped thirteen percent. If the minimum legal drinking age were to be changed for eighteen year olds the United States could see a significant n...
Without a doubt, the United States has been facing serious national problems with underage drinking. Depending on personal ideologies, some people might not agree that the current minimum drinking age of twenty-one is based on scientific facts rather then ideology of prohibitionism. For example, since 1975 over seventeen thousand lives have been saved since the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) was changed to age twenty-one (Balkin 167). This shows that even over a short amount of time, a higher MLDA helps decrease the risk of teen suicides, accidents and overdose deaths. However, this widely debated topic has inevitably brought attention to the plethora of supporting and opposing viewpoints. The minimum legal drinking age of twenty-one has shown significant results in the prevention of accidents and death studies across the board. Accordingly, the MLDA should remain at the current age of twenty-one.
It really is no secret that if the minimum legal drinking age were lowered, a large number of teens would then drink for perhaps the first time. “The age group with the most drivers involved in fatal crashes with Blood Alcohol Content levels of .08 or higher during 2011 was the twenty-one to twenty-four-year-olds” (“National Highway Traffic Facts”). Young adults are just as irresponsible at eighteen as they are at twenty-one, maybe even more irresponsible. The teenagers will indulge themselves on what they feel is a luxury the first chance they get. The young adults abuse the alcohol, and then go driving because even at twenty-one through twenty-four they are still not as responsible. If the age is lowered to eighteen, many eighteen-year-olds will go out and drink alcohol for the first time. The age group may rise to number one in fatal crashes. The National Highway Traff...
As a result of underage drinking, 5,000 adolescents under the age of 21 die annually due to intoxication (taking motor vehicle crashes, homicides, suicides, and other injuries while intoxicated into consideration) (paragraph 2). Later in life, underage drinkers are more likely to develop alcoholism, poor performance in school, and risky sexual behavior (paragraph 43). Although this research is not opposed to my argument, there is an importance to acknowledging it as proof of dangerous, underage drinking occurring significantly regardless of whether it is illegal. More importantly, this research stems from adolescents drinking without the supervision of adults and in uncontrolled quantities. Since adolescents must wait a long period of time to drink legally, I believe they fear they must take advantage of drinking opportunities by excess drinking and risk of safety due to their restriction to alcohol. Based on this mindset, I believe exposure to alcohol at a younger age in controlled environments would not only decrease underage drinking in large quantities, but injury and death related to intoxication, as