18 And Alcohol
Across the world, there are several different ages that allow you privileges that are labeled as taboo in others; to drive, smoke, and drink of all others. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is a highly controversial topic, which isn’t allowed until the peak age of 21 in the United States-why though? It should not be so restricting as to make you wait until that age 21; instead it should be lowered BACK to 18. In making the legal drinking age 21, it brings up more dangerous situations for those underage since it is illegal; even though 18 is the legal age of an adult.
In 1984, The Minimum Legal Drinking Age Act was established; changing the way alcohol is held today for those younger than the age 21. The whole purpose of the act was to reduce the number of fatalities by those under the age of 21. While it is indeed setting a restriction and trying to prevent this, it became a double-edged sword. As told by Henry Wechsler and Toben Nelson, they state that since drinking isn’t allowed till
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Should We Raise The Age of Legal Drinking? by Jasper Gerud stated that, “By raising the age threshold it is at least possible that those in their early and mid teens will not see drink as something they will soon be allowed to do so therefore they might as well start doing it surreptitiously now. Instead they might come to see it as it should be: forbidden. Anyone who has come up against teenage psychology must admit that banning things can make them more attractive. No measure will stamp out youthful drinking” (35). It is true that the age limit does lower the crime rates, drinking accidents, and deaths, but the fact of it all is that it still happens. Instead of keeping the age limit to 21, awareness should be implemented; to guide the youth and give them the ways to drink responsibly. Making younger people wait till 21 is not doing anything but prolonging the inevitable