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The Importance Of Lowering The Drinking Age

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The drinking age in America is currently set to the age of twenty-one, but should it really be? Day-after-day people abuse this law and partake in underage drinking; however, these people who abuse the law are considered adults. Eighteen, nineteen, and twenty-year-old citizens are given the responsibilities of being an adult, should they not also be given the rewards of being an adult? That is why the drinking ages should be lowered from the age of twenty-one to the age of eighteen.
In 1984 U.S. congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act (Wechsler and Nelson 986). This act made states either, regard the rule of a MLDA (minimum legal drinking age) of twenty-one or, forfeit ten percent for their federal funding for highways. Today, …show more content…

The current legal drinking age has reduced the number of fatalities (Jones, Pieper, and Robertson 112). Although this is true, alcohol isn’t the only factor that should be considered. The enforcement of seat belt use is also a major point in the study that often isn’t referred to. Tests have show that the number of automobile-accident deaths have decreased since the mid-1900s; consequently, the MLDA was put into force around the same time. Many argue that the increased drinking age is why these accidents have decreased; however, around the same time the usage of safety belts in cars was emphasized more during this time. That also contributed to the decrease in fatalities, not just a higher …show more content…

If we lowered the legal drinking age, then alcohol consumed by citizen eighteen years and older would increase. Thus, the alcohol purchased would increase as well, creating a larger profit for businesses all across the country. There are other benefits of having alcohol being sold to young adults. When buying alcohol, the transaction will require the payment of tax. This tax will go to the government for their choice of funding any way they want. If the alcohol tax were to increase, then these you adults would be less prone to over buying and eventually becoming intoxicated. Virginia Berridge says in his article, that the price to buy alcohol should reflect the full costs of consumption, whether that be mentally of physically (1356). This method of increasing taxation on alcohol would promote a sense of health while also highly benefiting the

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According to Cdc.gov “excessive drinking contributes to more than 4,300 deaths among people below 21 in the US each year”. Lowering the LACA (Legal Alcohol Consumption Age) would just increase that

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However, “90% of drunk driving deaths in the United States were found in the over 21 age group” (Gruenewald). For this reason, drunk driving is not directly correlated with the drinking age. In addition, the percent of drunk driving deaths in the United States has reduced at a slower rate than European countries where they have their legal drinking age at eighteen. This suggest that if lowering the drinking age was a success in Europe, it may also be effective here in the United States to diminish the amount of drunk driving deaths. This is because people that become injured due to alcohol or alcohol poisoning are afraid to report their injuries to the hospital or authorities out of fear of illegal consequences for underage drinking.

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Lowering the drinking age could also cause problems like violent behavior, and intoxication. Also drinking could cause more problems in schools and workplaces. The drinking age should not be lowered from 21, it would not solve the problems and with anything it would make it worse. A lower drinking age would increase deaths from drinking.

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The drinking age should be lowered to 18 because that is when one is considered an adult, implying the intake of alcohol between 21 year olds and 18 year olds does not differentiate. Raising the drinking age to 21 has done nothing but make young adults want to drink more alcohol. Teaching people to drink responsibly before turning 21 would greatly enhance public health. “Now, high school and college students view dangerous binge drinking as a rite of passage” (The New York Times). This is because they acknowledge that it is illegal, and feel the need to abuse that by breaking the law and drinking even more.

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It has instead pushed underage binge drinking into private and less controlled environments, leading to more health and life-endangering behaviors by teens. If the legal drinking age was lowered, those teens would be able to drink in a more controlled and much more safe environment where they can be monitored and supervised. Then they will be less likely to harm themselves or others. The second argument that is used is that there are fewer drunk driving accidents in countries with lower drinking ages. In quite a few countries around the world, the legal drinking age is already 18.

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“If the legal age were lowered in the US it would have to come with much more education in this area, not just the shock-value of Every 15 Minutes” said Ulrike Skillman, math teacher at Saugus. Skillman suggests the lowering of the drinking age will have to come with more alcohol education and that is the exact purpose of a “drinking license.” Which would allow 18 year olds to consume alcohol, with strict regulations, then take classes to officially receive a “drinking license” at 21 years old. The license would replicate a driver’s license, but be geared toward consuming alcohol.

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18 And Alcohol Across the world, there are several different ages that allow you privileges that are labeled as taboo in others; to drive, smoke, and drink of all others. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is a highly controversial topic, which isn’t allowed until the peak age of 21 in the United States-why though? It should not be so restricting as to make you wait until that age 21; instead it should be lowered BACK to 18. In making the legal drinking age 21, it brings up more dangerous situations for those underage since it is illegal; even though 18 is the legal age of an adult.

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Prohibition didn’t work, and it doesn’t look like this idea of the U.S. government enforcing this act on its younger citizens is going to work either. Since at the age of 18 you are considered adults because you can vote, join the military, get married, attend jury duty, by tobacco products, and legally get a tattoo without parental consent they should be allowed to consume alcohol in a safe, regulated environment which would help mature them and keep them from binge drinking and making irresponsible decisions. Since other countries have proven that a lower drinking age is successful, safer, and results in less fatal accidents, the U.S. should consider lowering their legal drinking age. Although some people may take advantage of the lowered legal age it will still reduce the injuries and fatalities surrounding underage drinkers. By lowering the drinking age to 18 deaths of college students would go down, unsafe drinking would activities would decrease, and there would be fewer drunk driving accidents involving

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Over the years, there have been debates about lowering the drinking age in the United States to eighteen. People argue that if a person can fight in the military or vote in elections, then he or she should be allowed the right to drink alcohol. Others feel that it is not wise to lower the legal drinking age because the results would be dangerous. Although there are arguments for lowering the drinking age, there is also an abundance of research that proves lowering the drinking age would be destructive. The legal drinking age should not be lowered to eighteen because it will give high school and even middle school students greater access to alcohol, interfere with brain development, adult rights begin at twenty-one, and increase traffic accidents among the youth.

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The age of 18 sides with many other age limit laws for different activities. A lower drinking age may solve many problems within colleges in America. This is a global issue as every country has to weigh up the pros and cons of having a certain age limit to drink. As of the age of 18, you are legally classed as an adult which makes you legally responsible for your actions and choices you make meaning all consequences are placed on you. Therefore, the drinking age should be lowered because college students are at high risk of binge drinking, as well as alcohol is still very easy to buy and be consumed by many people under the age of 18.

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This would also impair their organization and planning capabilities and may even lead to depression and suicide. The MLDA should not be lowered due to the responsibility required to an individual and others. Lowering the MLDA would lead to more use of illicit drugs among the persons between 18 and 21 years old. It follows that the younger a person starts to engage in alcohol, the higher the chances of using other illicit drugs. Moreover, when the drinking age was 18 years, the cases of fatal crashes caused by underage drunk drivers were twice as many as

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Should the Drinking Age be Lowered? The national drinking age should not be lowered. The reason the drinking age should not be lowered is because of college students. Accidents and other risks such as mental problems occur.

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Why drinking age should be lowered? If one is considered an adult at age eighteen in most of the country, are they not allowed to purchase and legally consume alcohol? The minimum legal drinking age needs to be lowered, and not just for that reason. The amount of teenagers with drinking problems and alcoholism is far greater than in Europe, where drinking ages are far lower. Also, studies show that the current minimum age drinking laws have been ineffective to a high degree.

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Raising it would also barely reduce traffic accidents and fatalities. Kids are gonna drive with alcohol because they won’t be thinking straight. Bars and nightclubs would not really be filled up more than some already are. Kids rather drink at the beach, home, or house parties, not surrounded by random adult strangers.

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“ [The drinking age] is unfavorable because it forces youth to consume alcohol in unsupervised places that are risky and consumption may be abused.” The idea is, if the drinking age is lowered, youth will be able to drink in open, public places that can be supervised by others. By being public, it would decrease the risky behavior seen with alcohol in private, unsupervised settings. Pomata also asserts, “The age restriction inspires undesirable activities just as the National Prohibition Act did.” Some undesirable activities that are associated with underage drinking include the making and distributing of fake ID’s.

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