The legal drinking age in the United States is currently 21, which dissatisfies many teens throughout the nation. Previously, our country held a policy that was less strict, allowing citizens of the age of 18 the right to drink. This was true until the Reagan Administration passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, altering the legal age to one that is already given the right to vote and fight for our country. This begs the question, should the legal drinking age in the United States be lowered? By mirroring the drinking age of other countries around the world, we have the possibility of being able to teach young Americans to act more maturely and grow up responsibly. In addition, our economy could boost as we would be increasing the amount …show more content…
Alcohol has played an important role in American life since the beginning of our country. On December 5th, 1920, all drinks were made illegal to distribute and produce. This law brought anger into many Americans, which resulted in this legislation eventually being repealed exactly three years later. Relating this to an event in recent history, President Reagan approved laws that would raise the drinking age to 21. This stripped the right to drink from the people who had already been given the right to smoke, vote, and join the military at the age of 18. How is it that young adults are trusted with carrying a firearm and lighting a cigarette, but are not not being able to have a drink? Republican lawmaker Adam Jarchow believes that the drinking age should ¨resemble¨ the legal ¨age of adulthood¨ in addition to the legal age of ¨military participation¨. It is important to focus on the responsibility aspect of being able to have greater freedom at a young age. Most teenagers will have matured by the age of 18 because they had previously been learning to drive since they were 16, and from transitioning out of high school. Also, like Jarchow claimed, the ¨age of adulthood¨ needs to