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Essay On Minimum Drinking Age

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Minimum Drinking Age A historical examination of the minimum legal drinking ages laws can be traced back to the 1920's during the time of Prohibition. Then by 1933, during the repeal of the Prohibition the states began to adopt the age of 21 years old as a starting point of being able to purchase alcohol. In 1975, the States pushed the drinking age back to 18 years old due to the voting age being pushed back. After having the drinking age lowered there was a significant increase of motor vehicle crashes among 18-20 year old drivers that were legal to drink. After the increase, the drinking age was brought back up to 21 years of age, making the Act of 1984 being passed to reduce the traffic related fatalities. Some states varied in …show more content…

Despite the heavy debates about what the minimum drinking age should be, it continues today to be the lead in the most decreasing alcohol consumption and reduced alcohol-related morbidity and mortality (Saylor, 2011). Today, a 21st birthday has became a right of passage. Making a direct link to between the minimum drinking age and binge drinking. “The recent Amethyst Initiative argues that a minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) of 21 has created a culture of heavy alcohol use on campuses by making drinking clandestine and extreme” (Saylor, 2011, pg 330). Making the younger generations tempted to get this rite of passage before the legal age. The younger generation is a major part of the argument is based on. The brain is still under developed by the age of 21, making it a priority health-risk that can contribute to morbidity and morality among the youth. The part of the brain that is effected by alcohol is the frontal lobes. The frontal lobes is the part of the brain that helps us make our decisions. If damaged by alcohol-related actions it can lead to greater impairments in learning, and creating long-term effects on the brain

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The mind is as yet shaping as of now, so in this manner when the cerebrum is presented to the chemicals that liquor contains it is liable to undesirable and perpetual harm. When liquor is put into one's framework it is pushed all through the body and cause numerous medical issues that may bring about lasting harm to the organ. Alcohol is a perilous substance. Individuals younger than 21 don't have the obligation or the privilege to contain this

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According to Jen Christensen from CNN (2014), scientists say teenage years are the most important in brain development besides infancy. These scientists have found that neurons are growing, connections are developing and the process of eliminating unimportant synapses occurs during this time of teenage brain growth. If teens are drinking while these important developments are occurring, it can damage or stunt the brain’s growth, which could lead to health issues as well. The prefrontal cortex of the brain doesn’t finish developing until a human’s late 20s, the part of the brain that controls impulse and judgment. Alcohol has the obvious ability to interfere with decision-making; therefore, knowing that the brain doesn’t fully develop this imperative part of the brain until a person’s late 20s makes the argument for this side valid that the drinking age should remain 21, rather than 18 or

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To conclude, alcohol usage before the age of 21 has a variety of negative effects on adolescents, since their body handles it differently leading to a destructive behavior and a higher risk of accidents with fatalities. It is simply irresponsible. Furthermore it lowers one’s academic performance which is of utmost importance for an adolescent. Taking everything from above into account the United States of America should not lower the current Minimum Legal Drinking Age to

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According to Laura Dean-Mooney, “A person's brain does not stop developing until their early to mid-20s. During this period, alcohol negatively affects all parts of the brain, includcognitive and decision-making abilities as well as coordination and memory.” Although young adults are the legal age of drinking, alcohol will affect their lives later on and will harm them deeply. All in all, alcohol is harmful when anyone drinks it because it will affect them in and

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It was introduced in 1984 as the minimum drinking age act. By 1989 all 50 states had changed the minimum drinking age to 21. Although the current legal age helps prevent alcohol related deaths the legal U.S. drinking age should be lowered to 18. First of all the current drinking

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Honestly there are numerous ways the government changed the legal age of drinking from 18-21. Changing the drinking age has it really slowed down the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol related crimes and traffic accidents have gone down in recent years, but that has nothing to do with raising the legal drinking school. Studies show that although drivers under the age of 21 drink more they also drive less; an average teen will not receive a standardized license until their early

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In 1984, The National Minimum Drinking Age Act was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. The act requires all states to increase the minimum age a person can purchase or possess alcohol to 21. Even though the drinking Age Act was signed, most adults admit to having their first drink between the age of 15 to 16. The 6 year separation between the age an average person has their first drink, and the age which it is legal to drink shows how unrealistic the act is. The legal drinking age should be lowered to 18 because it is an age where a person becomes a legal adult and responsible for their own actions.

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Even though some people may argue that 18 is an appropriate age to start driving, most people are not prepared at this age. Another law that should be added is raising the age for purchasing alcohol. Currently, the age at which a person can purchase alcohol is 21. Personally, I think the age limit should be raised to 25. Most people who purchase alcohol at the age of 21, are immature and irresponsible.

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The drinking age today in the US is 21. It was raised in 1984 to reduce drunk driving accidents, memory loss, organ malfunction failure, violent behavior, and alcohol poisoning. It’s known as the National Minimum Drinking Age Act (NMDA), passed by Republican President Ronald Reagan on July 17, 1984. But there are other countries with a low drinking age, the US alone is the only country with a high drinking age, Other countries like Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Australia and the United Kingdom have a low drinking age. The UK, Europe, Australia, have a drinking age of 18.

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For example, evidence indicates that people under the age of 21 are responsible enough to drink alcohol. In contrast, opposing evidence suggests that those under the age of 21 are not responsible enough handle the dangers of alcohol. While both sides of the issue have valid points, the claim that the legal drinking age should not be lowered is the stronger position, the position supported by the preponderance of the evidence cited in the passages. The most convincing and forceful reasons in support of the position that the legal drinking age should not be lowered are that keeping the drinking age at 21 will save lives, alcohol medically interferes with those under the age of 21, and that lowering the legal drinking age will not teach young people to drink responsibly. Accordingly, these reasons and opposing viewpoints are discussed next.

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Laws permitting eighteen year olds to drink have always been a controversial topic within our government for quite some time now. Laws officially stated that you must be twenty one years old in order to drink, but in the early 1970’s that changed. Congress then made the laws state that you only need to be eighteen years old in order to drink/purchase alcohol. Then once again in 1984, congress changed the law back to twenty one years old.

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Being in my thirties and growing up in New York State, I have always known the legal drinking age to be 21 years old. Alcohol has long been a staple in society, with attempts to eliminate this drug futile and unsuccessful. The ratification of the 18th Amendment in the 1920’s emerged from the temperance movement to re-moralize and create a “better” society (History.com, 2015). At the time, many held the belief that alcohol was responsible for the degradation of society, causing the temporary prohibition of alcohol in the United States. Nevertheless, prohibition did little to quell America’s lust for alcohol, led to an increase in criminal activity, and contributed to large loss in economic revenue for the government (History.com, 2015).

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Responsibility is one of the keywords to remember when consuming alcohol. Anything could happen when you 're under the influence, death, rape, and many more life-altering occurrences. One huge potential life-altering thing that could happen to you is brain damage. Drinking at a younger age increases the risk of brain damage. This is the only potentially bad risk that comes with drinking, but if consumed responsibly it will be okay

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Society places laws to protect individuals. The rise of alcohol abuse raises the question if the minimum legal drinking age of 21 secures protection of the people. With proper enforcement of drinking laws in addition to education about alcohol, the minimum legal drinking age of 18 provides a safer drinking culture. President Ronald Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984. All states in the time

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