Dangers Of Lowering The Drinking Age

In conclusion I think the drinking age should be raised to 25 because the brain isnt fully matured or developed until that age (25) , it would reduce teen alcohol problems, and would also reduce teen accidents and

The legal drinking age in the United States is 21, while in other countries the legal age ranges from 16-18. The argument in the United States is “Should the United States lower its drinking age?” There are many sides to this argument but research has given many good points to back up both sides of the question. First thing is the difference between a teen’s brain with alcohol and an adult’s brain with alcohol. Another thing is drinking at a younger age can help teach culture. Lastly the more alcohol exposed the increase in death rate. I believe that it is a good idea to keep the legal drinking age at age 21 because in our past we have had many problems with death increases due to the drinking age being at different ages and the research used uses pathos, logos, ethos and Kairos to help persuade the reader support that 21 should stay the legal drinking age.

Throughout history drinking and the drinking age has been a controversial topic. There have been many criticisms regarding the drinking age, many of which have some valid points. Some of which believe there should be no drinking age others believe drinking should be banned. The United States government passed a law in 1984 restricting persons under the age of 21 from purchasing alcohol. Brain growth, body growth, and maturity are all factors when looking at why the drinking age is 21. We should also consider the upside of no legal drinking age less abuse, more tax revenue, tradition.

Lowering the drinking age will result in life and death consequences. By keeping the drinking age at 21, the rate of fatalities for drinking and driving decrease drastically. During the short period during the late 1980’s when the drinking age was lowered to 18, the number of fatal car crashes involving young adults who were under the influence dropped from 61% to 31% (Wil Fulton). By bringing the age down to 18-years-old, alcohol would be more accessible to the lower age group. For example, an 18 year old, who is still in high school, is more likely to sell alcohol to a 16 year old than a 21 year old, who is away at college. In recent studies, researchers found that 77% of the population are opposed to lowering the drinking age to 18 (Brandon Griggs). MADD is supported by influential government companies such as the American Medical Association, National Transportation Safety Board, National Safety Council, International Association Chiefs of Police, Governor's Highway Safety Association, Surgeon General of the United States, and U.S. Transportation Secretary to name a few (John H. Barnhill, PHD). Overall, young teenagers lack the proper wisdom collected to make right judgments about alcohol. The 3 years between the age 18 and 21 are filled with change and responsibilities, making one more suitable to make appropriate

According to Drew K. Saylor, he writes that studies from a meta-analytic review showed that "Raising the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is associated with a 16% median decrease in alcohol-related crash outcomes while lowering the MLDA result in a 10% median increase in such crash outcomes" (332). The essence of this argument is that having the law of the drinking age to be 21 has a positive effect in the country because there is a decrease in car crashes. This is why the author Drew K. Saylor also agrees when he writes "A solution to this problem is not a simple as lowering the drinking age and asking young people to choose responsibility" (332). Saylor's point is to make the people understand that lowering the drinking age won't fix much because accidents will still happen, but with more frequency. Since in the past, the argument was deciding whether to raise or no to raise the drinking age to be 21 because of the danger youths had to live through if something happened to them. Drew K. Saylor argues that the drinking age has led to create a change in the people who are 18-20 years old because college students now a days tend to consume more alcohol than any others. When this happens among college students, it’s called binge drinking. According to Drew K. Saylor, a professor from the University of Virginia with a BA degree, he states that “Binge drinking is the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time”

Car crashes, sexual assaults, domestic abuse, and alcohol poisoning are just a few of the reasons why people under the age of 21 are devastated by the illegal use of alcohol. Alcohol is the first drug choice by the nation’s youth; which could often lead to consequences. The legal drinking age should stay at twenty-one because it betters brain development and lessens violent assaults.

In the article Why the Drinking Age should be Lowered, Ruth Engs believes that the drinking age should be lowered to about 18 or 19. Engs is a Professor at Indiana University in the Health and Sciences department. In this article Engs makes a valid point in that “responsible drinking could be taught through role modeling and educational programs.” Engs also states facts about the different drinking ages in other countries, and that the United States has the highest legal purchasing age for alcoholic beverages in the world.

Lowering the drinking age to eighteen will encourage drinking in safer environments with supervision rather than secretly behind closed doors. Colleges will be a safer environment if the government would allow eighteen year olds to consume alcoholic beverages and less incidents of hidden intoxication will occur.

Dr. Henry Wechsler, a researcher at Harvard School of Public Health, and a leading expert on college binge drinking states, “President Ronald Reagan made the legal drinking age 21, it was the right decision. The Legal drinking age should remain at 21 for the entire nation” (Giamo 1). Although the legal age to purchase alcohol is twenty-one, a majority of students in

With the drinking age lowered to 18 years old, those at 15-17 (or even younger) may have friends who can purchase alcohol for them. That can create an even younger generation of drinkers who are most definitely not classified as old enough to consume alcohol by any means or by anybody. That will affect brain development, binge drinking, and create more DUI’s at an even higher level. Now instead of illegal alcohol activity being among the college setting, it is now heavier into the high school setting as well. When the legal drinking age is set at a certain age, people under that age of legality tend to drink less regardless. Since alcohol has been widely proven to not be entirely healthy for consumption and bad for brain development, it is best that the drinking age stays at 21 to reduce the amount of consumption in teens.

Some say that the brain doesn’t fully develop until at least age 21. According to research released concerning the stages of brain development, “ the brain does not finish developing until a person is in their early twenties.” This means that young adults, around 21 years-old and older, are expected to have more knowledge and should be able to consider all facts and/or consequences before consuming different amounts of alcohol. It is also said to be that drinking at age 21 saves lives. “Scientific evidence shows that raising the minimum drinking age in 1984 directly resulted in reduced alcohol-related crashes and fatalities among people.” This statistic is a major factor in determining what the legal drinking age should be since there is proof that lives are being saved. Regardless of the amount of lives being saved, “To save a life. You saved

Many negative effects come with drinking alcohol. Since teenagers’ brains are not fully developed until they are in their mid 20’s, it is especially dangerous to them. The legal alcohol age should not be eighteen because it harms the teenage brain and body, it has negative (and potentially fatal) effects on school, and it has negative effects on driving.

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.

Many states already allow some alcohol Consumption under age. Even though the legal drinking age is 21. Eighteen is the legal age of adulthood and adults should make their own decisions about alcohol consumption, if they can make other grown up decisions. Most people think that lowering the drinking age will cause more car accidents. In reality a lower minimum legal drinking age does not Protect America from traffic accidents. Alcohol consumption can be a good or bad thing when it comes to lowering it . Should the drinking age in America at least be lowered to 18.

Research indicates that the brain continues to develop until age 21, and developing brains can be irreversibly damaged by alcohol. The restricted age limit put on alcohol is actually a very important number. 21 is the age that your brain is thought to be fully developed. The rule wasn’t just a pointless number; it was set for a reason and in order to keep people safe it should be followed.