Pros And Cons Of Lowering The Drinking Age

One of the most controversial topics in America to date is whether the drinking age of 21 years old should be lowered or not. Since the law was changed from 18 to 21 during the summer of 1984, this topic is one that has been constantly debated. There are many arguments for both positions. The main argument that is served from the side that is against lowering the drinking age is that there have been less traffic accident deaths since the minimum age was raised. Since 2002, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that the minimum drinking age being raised has saved over 21,000 lives over the 50 states (“Debating the Issues”, n.d.). According to the CDC (2014), there has been a 16% decrease in car accidents since states

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

One of these reasons is that teens are more apt to drink because it’s illegal. The more you tell someone they can’t do something, the more likely they are inclined to do it. Associate Professor of Psychology at Vassar College, Abigail A. Baird, believes teens should start drinking at a younger age because they will learn responsibility over time, rather than being tempted to binge drink because they know it’s illegal.

John McCardell is a former college president who created Choose Responsibility, a non-profit organization that supports lowering the legal drinking age. McCardell started the organization on the belief that the current drinking age makes teens feel like they’re being treated like children and has made them want to drink, rather than deterring them from doing so (Hoover,