On July 17,1984 the United States national drinking age was raised from 18 to 21 after MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) began to build awareness and gain support. MADD was founded after a 46 year-old drunk driver killed a thirteen year-old girl in a traffic accident (Streeter). The movement originated with efforts to decrease drunk drinking and to keep alcohol from the hands of young adults; and it would soon gain enough support that it reached Congress who would pass the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. The act declared that all states must raise their minimum drinking age to 21 or face a 10% penalty to their federal highway dollars (Streeter). Despite the efforts put forth to increase safety and limit drunk driving, the 21 year old drinking age has been disastrous for young adults by creating dangerous situations, developing preventable traffic incidents, and allowing people to believe it is acceptable to bypass the law; therefore the drinking age should be lowered to 18 and be enforced effectively. …show more content…
Binge drinking is the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time. It is also one of the most dangerous phenomenons occurring among many young adults in today's society. A strong emphasis has been placed on teenagers being prohibited to drink which has led to unsafe drinking conditions for many. Drinkers ages 18-20 break the law by consuming alcohol, which leads the majority of them to drink in unsupervised places. Fraternity parties and high school house parties are most prominently known for excessive drinking which is often more consequential than one may