preview

Debate on the Legal Drinking Age

Decent Essays
The drinking age has been twenty-one for the past thirty years, but for the past few years, there have been debates on changing the drinking age back to eighteen. Most individuals under twenty-one have consumed an alcoholic beverage; many have done so because he or she thinks it is cool and/or his or her friends want him or her to. Regardless of why individuals drink before the legal drinking age, if those individuals are caught by authorities, the individual(s) will have to face the consequences. Considering everything that an individual becomes responsible for at the age of eighteen in the United States of America, including: joining the military, living on one’s own, getting married, owning a vehicle, working a full time job, raising a family, and many more, but at eighteen many still believe those individuals are too young to handle alcohol. Many people have argued that if an individual is old enough to join the military and risk his or her life, he or she should be able to consume alcohol. Opinions run high over this debate, but there are many studies being conducted as well. A study states, from the New York Times, that different environments cause different actions from underage drinkers. The New York Times stated that when underage drinkers get together for parties, the individuals tend to become more reckless because the individuals are in a large group rather than alone or with a close friend. Reckless behavior in large groups occurs because there is an excessive
Get Access