The topic of drinking alcohol around young people has been taboo among parents, usually because of aversion to their children consuming alcohol altogether. Though arguments against lowering the minimum drinking age are valid, I’d like to present reasons as to why a lower drinking age would be beneficial overall. I am currently enrolled in college to major in computer science. I graduated high school with honors, and I have never drank alcohol. I take this to be because of the person I am. My parents want me to be safe at all times. My parents and I would have conversations not about why they shouldn’t do something, but consequences to given actions. This way I didn’t feel nagged, or feel like I should rebel to prove myself to others.
Drinks
I realize that lowering the drinking age could be very dangerous and could potentially lead to children drinking at an even earlier age than now, but it will eventually become safer for everyone. Jeffrey Tucker states, “It would put an end to the perverse culture of secretiveness and abuse that has grown up around underage drinking. It would allow bars and restaurants to become ‘safe spaces’ for college-age students to drink and Uber home if they need to” (Minimum Legal Drinking Age). Tucker is completely true when he says this because children would no longer have to be secretive and put themselves at risk by drinking. If you had a child, would you want him sneaking
In conclusion by lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 years of age, more positive outcomes exist than negative ones. A lower drinking age will allow for those of age to have a chance to learn a better sense of responsibility, decrease alcohol related incidents and provide several health benefits. As a legal adult those between the ages of 18 and 21 deserve the right to make the decision of whether they would like to participate in the consumption of alcohol or
Some argument for lowering the drinking age claim that alcohol is more enticing to youths when they can’t have it, and if the legal age was lowered there would be less underage drinking problems. Studies and history have proven this wrong (Fell, James: Debating Reform). Before the drinking age was raised in the U.S. there was a larger underage drinking problem, and over twice as many fatal alcohol related accidents as today.
Every year, thousands of minors die from the use of alcohol. Many young adults abuse the drinking age policy. It is put in effect for substantial reasons, which contribute in making the safest environment for all. Drinking underage is not only illegal, but also damages one’s health tremendously. Furthermore, drinking in large amounts is extremely dangerous and can cause detrimental things to occur. There have been numerous attempts to create a law to lower the drinking age, but none have gone through. In contrast to what some people may say, the drinking age should not be lowered because it would decrease maturity, promote poor behavior, and damage reputations.
In recent discussions of the drinking age limit, people have always said that the drinking age limit should be lowered. Some may argue that alcohol is not bad and that it can actually be beneficially. Many people would want the drinking age limit to be lowered so that it is legal for young adults to drink. If the drinking age limit were to be lowered there would be a drastic difference in society. In my perspective I will argue that the drinking age limit should not be lowered.
Most people would concur that alcohol should not be given to teenagers. Despite the fact that we concede to this essential truth, underage drinking is still a noteworthy issue in our nation. Since adolescents need development and information with regards to liquor, they put themselves, as well as others in incredible danger when they decide to consume. Regardless of the risk, there are individuals out there who believe that the drinking age should be lowered.
I believe that the drinking age should be lowered to the age of 18. I took this stance in my health class debate last year and it was a success. There are many reasons why the drinking age should be lowered that I will discuss in this paper. These reasons are very convincing and should be considered by the government. I will also look into what action is being taken on decreasing the yearly amount of DUI’s.
Alcohol is usually sought after within the adolescent community and has been an issue among young people. On July 17th 1984, congress passed The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 which enforces the legal drinking age and purchasing of alcohol in the United States to be twenty-one. Since then, the debated idea of whether or not the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen has been an ongoing topic for decades. Alcoholism affects many people in the United States but promoting it at such young age would not be such a great idea for the youths in today’s society.The drinking age should not be lowered due to the fact that it poses many dangers in the lives of teenaegers especially brain damages, underage drinking has declined since 1984, enforcing alcohol among teenagers may cause an increase in drunk driving and deaths and most importantly, teenagers who start drinking at an early age are more than three times more likely to develop alcohol dependency later on in life than those who started at the legal age of 21 or later.
On the flip side, if the age restriction were lower, young adults will not view alcohol as a forbidden fruit, so they will feel less encouraged to drink for the sake of rebelling or exploring. In addition, they will have the comfort of knowing they can drink again in the near future, so they will be less likely to drink large quantities at once. Not only will the intent of drinking change, but also it would be more acceptable for educational programs to teach high school upperclassmen a thorough understanding of what it means and how to drink responsibly. Proponents for the current age minimum counter this by saying that the lower age minimum would increase drinking among young adults and result in more drinking-related violence and accidents; they do not believe lowering the age restriction will help increase responsible drinking. In response, when looking at similar countries such as Europe which have lower drinking age minimums, there are fewer issues with alcohol-related traffic accidents and violence, showing that a less strict
According to Andrew Herman, “Each year, 14,000 die from drinking too much. 600,000 are victims of alcohol related physical assault and 17,000 are a result of drunken driving deaths, many being innocent bystanders” (470). These massive numbers bring about an important realization: alcohol is a huge issue in America today. Although the problem is evident in Americans of all ages, the biggest issue is present in young adults and teens. In fact, teens begin to feel the effects of alcohol twice as fast as adults and are more likely to participate in “binge-drinking” (Sullivan 473). The problem is evident, but the solution may be simple. Although opponents argue lowering the drinking age could make alcohol available to some teens not
In the U.S. News opinion piece, A Lower Age Would Be Unsafe, Laura Dean-Mooney states, “Lowering the drinking age would have dangerous long-term consequences: early teen drinkers are not only more susceptible to alcoholism but to developing the disease earlier and more quickly than others” (Dean-Mooney n.pag.). Despite this, getting rid of, or at least decreasing the lure of the forbiddenness of alcohol and bringing the consumption
Lowering the drinking age will allow for parental guidance for the young people starting drinking alcohol. If younger people were allowed to drink with their parents they would not engage in risky behaviors such as asking strangers for alcohol. The drinking age in three western European countries is lower than 21 and in those countries the young people learn to control themselves(Wechsier ).The Amethyst Initiative,
In 1984, the United States’ federal government passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. Under this act, the federal government gives highway funds to States that forbid people under the age of twenty-one years old from “purchasing or publicly possessing alcoholic beverages”(23 U.S.C. § 158). The incentive created a sense of a standardized minimum drinking age when legally there cannot be a federal minimum drinking age. Even though this Act has been in effect for decades, there are many debates on whether or not the age should be changed. The minimum legal drinking age should stay the same because it prevents a large number of drinking and driving accidents; it reduces overall alcohol consumption; and it has very horrible health effects on youth.
This paper explores the debate over whether the drinking age should be lowered or raised in the United States. Multiple different sources are provided, each offering a different opinion. The article discusses the ethical, pathological, and emotional effects if the drinking age were to be lowered or raised. If the drinking age were to change, how would society react to this change and what would be the long term effects. Drinking has always caused negative effects, yet how would changing the age effect personal struggles. The sources describe different perspectives to each side, most wanting the age to lower, yet another source contradicts the debate on to lowering the age, and describes how the age works. The articles from Tracy (2008), Cloud (2014), and Engs (1998) all support the idea of lowering the age, yet Nagin (2012) opposes the idea of the lowering the age. All four sources and studies are essential to have a complete understanding of the topic.
Lowering the legal drinking age would eliminate the “forbidden fruit” theory, in which teenagers are more compelled to engage in underage drinking because of the thrill that arises when breaking the law (Lowering the Legal Drinking Age: An Analysis of the Pros and Cons). Accompanying this thrill is also the fear of getting caught underage drinking. This fear is a reason for teens to hide that they have been drinking, pressuring them to drive home under the influence, and makes them fearful to seek medical attention when alcohol related injuries