Pros And Cons Of Lowering The Drinking Age

Coming to an agreement on lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 would be a turning point for America. Changing the drinking age would not only increase the number of citizens that may drink legally, but could also increase the amount of potential accidents that may occur. There are obvious reasons why the government and the people’s views on this topic differ. There may also be an increase in illegal activities, behaviors that endanger society, and cause issues that are expensive to fix, which is another deterrent the government wants to avoid. As in any debate, there are two sides to this choice. Proposing a policy to lower the drinking age would open up many opportunities to spark important decision making skills for a younger audience.

Everyone has different opinions and outlooks on drinking. Drinking can be done at dinner, in moderation, binged, or even used as a tool to study on some campuses (Cohan). Students entering college are around the age of eighteen. According to Aaron White a professor at Duke University, nearly half of college freshman have admitted that they do or used to binge drink (Cohan). One-fifth of these freshman have admitted to having ten to fifteen drinks in a single session (Cohan). At Duke University in 1999 74% of drinking violations were made by the freshmen. The drinking age at this time was twenty-one (Cohan). Alcohol affects an adolescents brain in many different ways (Too). Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and can be a stimulant and stop normal brain functions from functioning in the correct manor (Too). Drinking at a younger age can cause progressive aging to the brain at a more rapid pace and could result in damaging the frontal lobes permanently (Too). The hippocampus is a part of the brain that allows memories to be made. If alcohol is consumed in large amounts more frequently it could hamper one’s way to learn and retain information (Too). The hypothalamus is a piece of the brain that does most of the brains work, however if it is damaged from drinking, problems with blood pressure, hunger, and urination can rise (Too). This could result in more public embarrassment and political issues. My stance on the mental

In 2007 a poll found that 77% of Americans chose keeping the drinking age at twenty-one versus changing it to eighteen (Should). Keeping the alcohol age of consumption would lower the level of alcohol consumed. In 2002 a study found that 87% of higher drinking ages consumed less alcohol, most nearly meaning that the older you were the wiser you were about the way you consumed alcohol and how much of the alcohol you consumed (Should). An article in TIME Magazine stated the obvious question many parents and concerned adults have proposed: Who will supervise them and offer them guidance when they make the decision to drink? They will be surrounded by other consumers who have ingested alcohol, bar owners whose goal is to sell them as much alcohol as they can, or children of their own age who share in the lack of knowledge about alcohol (Cloud). This poses a big threat to the ongoing debate of lowering the drinking age, because parents are rightfully concerned in who will watch out for their child. Lowering the drinking age could also propose more of a threat to usage of illicit drugs. This could propose a threat because there is always that pressure for adolescents to break the law (Should). Lowering the legal drinking age to high school students also threatens middle schoolers because of the slight age difference. This would make alcohol an easier access for even