This is a proven fact. According to LiveScience.com, “"The brain of an 18-year-old college freshman is still far from resembling the brain of someone in their mid-twenties," said Craig Bennett” (Than). Eighteen year olds do not know how to control themselves when it comes to alcohol. They drink very irresponsibly, never knowing when to stop. At twenty-one most people have gone through it enough, that they know their limits and when to stop. Teenagers are not mature enough to make good decisions about alcohol. When one is at the age of eighteen, the brain is still developing and growing. When at the age of twenty-one the brain is pretty much done developing. Most eighteen year olds are either in high school about to graduate or already out. The majority of eighteen year olds go to college and since it is their first year, they usually go to a lot of parties and try to enjoy themselves. At twenty-one, the majority of people are in college and trying to get an education to make a career out of it. They usually have already done the whole party scene and are settling down and getting serious. Some eighteen year olds are still in high school, this would make it easier for younger high school kids to access alcohol. This would be dangerous not only for the kids but the eighteen year olds as well. This could get them in a lot of trouble with the law. This proves that twenty-one year olds are more mature than eighteen year
Society proposes at the age of eighteen an individual is mature and responsible to make decisions without the consent of a parent or guardian. In the United States an eighteen-year-old is considered a legal adult. By law you are able to fight for your country, vote, and buy cigarettes. Some impose, giving a newly young adult the privilege to consume alcohol would enhance their responsibility as an adult. Mary Cary from
Eighteen year olds are old enough to make the decision to drink or not. According to underage drinking statistics (UDS) “Many young people use alcohol more than tobacco or illegal drugs” By choosing to not use drugs or other illegal substances they are making
In the U.S., teens can do a lot once they turn 18. Citizens at the legal age can choose the potential leader of our country, serve our nation, live in their own place, and start killing themselves with cigarettes. Lowering the law for alcohol consumption will help more minors at the legal age and college campuses stay out of trouble. Half of the students drinking and providing alcohol at school are under 21. Changing the law to 18+ will also help alcohol related deaths by teaching teens to drink responsibly. Exceptions are only just making the law for drinking more complicated and causing more alcohol related deaths. Not everyone knows about these drinking laws either because people travel from state to state. Not knowing all the deviations to the law is putting more lives in danger than it is
Why can’t eighteen year olds drink an alcohol beverage? Ever wonder if they can even handle drinking alcohol these days? Lowering the drinking age can cause a lot of problems to eighteen year olds who are excited for their first beer or whatever they are getting their hands on. The biggest question that should be asked is why should it be lowered? If they are trusted drinking alcohol at the age of 18 what can happen when they are extremely intoxicated at the young age of eighteen. Most high school seniors who are eighteen will be drinking and may go to their classes intoxicated and will or can cause a disturbance towards other students and may get arrested. People may think that eighteen year olds should be able to drinking because that’s the
There is no taboo subject in America quote like underage drinking. The principal problem is not the age of drinking, but the hidden binge side of it. When it comes to the law, there is always an opinion. A reform should be made about the age of drinking for numerous reasons in my personal viewpoint. In the U.S, at the age of eighteen, one can legally vote, buy cigarettes, and join the army, to cite a few things. Going against the law, critics recommend allowing eighteen-year-olds to drink, and consider their age to have the rights and the same power as twenty one-year-olds. If an eighteen years old is allowed to sign a lease, join the military, vote, and buy cigarettes. At the same agreement an eighteen year- olds should be allowed to purchase and drink alcohol. The actual drinking age is twenty one -years-olds, but the underage drinking percentage would drop if the age is lowered. The way to deal with underage consumption is to allow those who are eighteen to buy and consume alcohol legally.
In the United States you are legally an adult at age 18. That entails being able to vote for our president, get married, and even join the military and go to war, but with all these things you still can’t drink legally. The present law says that an 18 year old can go to war where they may lose their life for their country, but you still have to be 21 to drink alcohol. If we allow people to be an legal adult at 18 we should allow them to make that decision to drink.
In the United States, when a man or women turn eighteen they are considered an adult. Being eighteen, they are not acknowledged as teenagers anymore. They have more freedom and more opportunities to become independent. Some of the opportunities an eighteen years old are given are the right to vote, open bank accounts, lease their own apartment or join the military. They have equal opportunities like adults over the age of twenty-one. However, anyone between the age of eighteen through twenty are not allowed to purchase alcoholic beverages or attend bars because they are considered underage. Anyone between the age of eighteen and twenty should not be denied the right purchase alcoholic beverage. They are mature and well aware of the consequences alcohol leads to. Allowing the legal drinking age to lower to eighteen, it will decrease unsafe drinking activities, decrease misdemeanors, and also decrease the percentage of drunk driving accidents. People are considered adults by the time they are eighteen they should have the equal right as any other adults, despite of their age.
By the age of twenty-one, most people have at some point consumed an alcoholic beverage. For others, turning twenty-one might mean a whole new world of freedom. Young teens and adults drink for many reasons. Teens may drink because of peer pressure, others because of pure enjoyment, and many for of the thrill of breaking the law. Before the 1980’s, the legal drinking age was eighteen. This would only make sense because at this age a person is declared an adult. Many are in favor of keeping the drinking age at twenty-one for reasons such as vehicle accidents, while others disagree for good reasons. The drinking age in the U.S. is unjust: at the age of eighteen a person can serve in the military, vote, and take legal action, but cannot consume alcohol.
The question is: Should eighteen be the new drinking age? There are so many aspects to that one question. Are they mature enough, are their brains fully developed, and what about accessibility? Those are just a few thoughts on this hot topic. In 1984 President Reagan signed a bill that changed all states’ drinking age to twenty one. He found that in many states that had previously switched from a lower age to the twenty one age acquired lower rates of deaths caused from driving (Rowley 1). Just a few years difference in the age, but there was a dramatic amount of lives being saved. Teens have an immunity to alcohol, even if they have never had a drink. Being more immune results in more drinking, and leads to making not-so-smart decisions. Despite being a legal adult at the age of eighteen by law, individuals at this age still lack the overall maturity to be knowledgeable about the consequences of their reckless actions when drinking alcohol.
Why can’t eighteen year olds drink an alcohol beverage? Ever wonder if they can even handle drinking alcohol these days? What if the eighteen year olds are sent with the parents or someone who is twenty-one or above that age? If they are accompanied by an adult they can handle them and stop them from drinking before they make wrong choices. Once at the age of eighteen they have to sign up for draft or just sign up to immediately join the army or any kind of military position. If they are old enough to fight for the country why not let them have a drink of alcohol. When someone is accompanied by someone who is more mature and responsible usually follows in their footsteps. When at the age of eighteen you can fight choose to go into war for
Of course, one of those arguments is that eighteen year olds are not mature enough to handle alcohol. That is a very valid opinion; one can argue that as well. An eighteen year old is not mature enough to handle alcohol. The average eighteen year old is more than likely to be in college, or is working a job they had after high school. Saying that an eighteen year old is not mature enough to drink alcohol is like saying adults can’t drink a juice pouch because they aren't young enough. At the age of eighteen, there are a lot of mature decisions one has to make; one of the big ones is college. Many kids make education a path for their life. After spending twelve years of their life studying they tend to continue studying, whether it be a University or community college. However, when that decision is made, it comes with a price. Most college students starting at the age of eighteen until the age twenty-two has to financially come up with a way to pay for college; one of those ways that many students use is a loan. Any eighteen year old student is more than capable to get a loan out in their name. Anyone who has taken a loan out can say that is one major step in their life. The responsibilities that come with a loan are major, but if at eighteen you are mature
Is it right to grant eighteen-year-olds all of these privileges and responsibilities, and to restrict them from drinking alcohol? If eighteen-year-olds don't have the discretion to drink responsibly, then how could they possibly handle the responsibilities and privileges that adults have? I believe that eighteen-year-olds do have the ability to handle the freedoms and responsibilities of being an adult, which should include the privilege to drink alcohol.
It is often said (and true) that once you turn eighteen by law you are an adult, and to me part of being an adult is making your own decisions. Once you turn eighteen you get to do things like joining the military, getting married, serving on juries, smoking cigarettes, and much more. The reason that alcohol consumption isn’t amongst this list is because when alcohol related tragedies
By definition of an adult, 18-year-olds should be able to make their own decisions, including drinking alcoholic beverages. Looking at the dictionary definition of the word adult; an adult is “a person who has attained the age of maturity as specified by law” (“Adult”). Paglia states in her article, “It’s Time to Let Teenagers Drink Again,” “it is absurd and unjust that young Americans can vote, marry, enter contracts and serve in the military at 18 but cannot buy an alcoholic drink in a bar or restaurant.” There are exceptions like “possession and/or consumption when a parent/guardian or spouse consents and/or is present;” yet, if the definition of an adult does not need adult supervision because they are legally mature by law then why do they need a parent/guardian present (Toomey et al. 1958). They do not need a parent/guardian to be there if they sign up for the military, sign a contract, get a loan, or even marry. Second, a person at age 18 is legally labeled as an adult by the courts; the definition is “the age of majority is the legally defined age at which a person is considered an adult, with all the attendant rights and responsibilities of adulthood. The age of majority is defined by state laws, which vary by state, but is 18 in most states” (Legal). This allows an 18-year-old to be tried as an adult in court. Also, this allows them to be classified as an adult