Exemplification Essay: Keeping The Drinking Age

Every year, thousands of deaths occur as a result of drunk driving, and every day people are facing the consequences of irresponsible drinking. Because of the issues caused by irresponsible drinking, the US government passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984 which raised the minimum drinking age to twenty-one to prevent drinking-related accidents and violence. Despite the intent of its passing, it was a counterproductive decision. Because of the higher age restriction, high school upperclassmen and college underclassmen see drinking as an exciting, rebellious act. Consequentially, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act resulted in an increase in dangerous and irresponsible drinking which continues to this day. Not only does the

The legal drinking age should be lowered to 18 in the United States and allowing these young adults to drink in controlled environments such as restaurants, taverns, pubs and official school and university functions (Engs). There are several ways responsible drinking can be shown and taught. One way is by older adults being good role models of this as well as educational programs that focus on responsible drinking and why it is important. Right now in most states in the U.S., the legal drinking age is currently twenty-one, although the majority of students in college are consuming alcohol and not always in a responsible manner (Engs). When these students are drinking under the age they see it as rebelling against authority and realize its risky behavior and still choose to partake in it making their actions irresponsible. “Prohibition, which banned most alcohol in the United States from 1920 to 1933, normalized the frenzied sort of drinking that occurs today at college parties” (Glaser). My final point

The controversy on the proper drinking age is one that has been repeatedly discussed and researched over the years. Its common to hear the argument “If someone is old enough to take a bullet for their country, they should be allowed to drink alcohol.” But is that enough justification? Some would say no. “According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) it is estimated that in 2004 there were more than 1,700 student deaths, 599,000 injuries, and 696,000 assaults annually associated with excessive drinking” (Fennell 247). Given these numbers, would lowering the drinking age really be the best thing for America’s youth?

One last reason why the legal drinking age should begin at the age of 25 years old because it also leads up to underage drinking, in which they think it’s something cool to do. But nobody considers the danger that comes along with irresponsible drinking. Most people do not educate their selves when it comes to drinking and driving, drinking and mixing medications is dangerous as well. Drinking is a risk factor, no matter if it’s among yourself or out in the public of others. It’s understandable that everybody feel that once they become an adult or even the legal drinking age that they can do whatever they want. Drinking is a volunteer choice preference people make regardless the consequences that can result from bad judgment once under the influence from drinking. Drinking can affect your vision, your speech to speak clearly, and your actions to things that could have been avoided.

The Legal Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered There are copious amounts of people who believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen. Others think the drinking age needs to remain the same. A few of those also

It has been a rising issue within the past century to have the drinking age set at 21, but many people are more in favor of having the age set at 18. For instance, “’Raising the drinking age to 21 was passed with the very best of intentions, but it’s had the very worst of outcomes,’ stated by David J. Hanson, an alcohol policy expert” (Johnson). Many people believe that having the drinking age set at 21 was a smart idea, but it has caused many more deaths and injuries over the years. Most of these fatalities are cause from people who are underage and choose to consume alcohol. Again, “Libertarian groups and some conservative economic foundations, seeing the age limits as having been extorted by Washington, have long championed lowering the drinking age” (Johnson). These groups see that keeping the drinking age set at 21 is dangerous as it causes more problems to the Untied States. If the drinking age was lowered, or set at 18, there would not be such unforgiving outcomes, like deaths and lifelong injuries, which are usually caused from people who are under the age of 21 drinking alcohol. Although there are numerous groups that are fighting to keep the age

Lowering the Drinking Age In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Purchase Age Act, to encourage each state to enact a minimum legal purchase age of 21 by 1986 for the purchasing of alcohol. As a result, an estimated 1,071 lives were saved in the year 1987 alone. (Hall) Ever

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

On July 1, 1971 the 26th amendment was passed which lowered the minimum age to vote from twenty one to eighteen years old. Shortly after the amendment was passed twenty nine states across America started lowering the drinking age from 21 to either 18,19, or 20 years old. This new freedom for young adults only lasted for a brief time by 1984 the Uniform Drinking Age Act was passed. The Uniform Drinking Age Act forced states to change the drinking age back to twenty one years old; by reducing the federal transportation funding, for each state that did not have a minimum drinking age of21. This act has caused controversy for years, there even is group of 136 college presidents called Amethyst Initiative that support a lower minimum legal

Consuming alcohol has been done for many years. Unlike a typical beverage that hydrates the body alcohol is consumed for its positive side effects, but the negative effects are forgotten. Often these so called positive side

Should the Drinking Age be Lowered from Twenty-One to a Younger Age When people think of drinking, they think of fun games and parties. However, this depiction is wrong. When individuals under twenty-one drink, consequences emerge. In the United States, the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is twenty-one. According to the

The Case of the Drinking Age Do you think young ones should drink alcohol? Mostly the percentage the people drinking in America. Can we stop young people from drinking? Yes, because it’s illegal for young age to drink. This topic isn’t everyone agreed of. The enactment of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 prompted states to raise their legal age. Purchase or public possession of alcohol to 21 or risk losing millions in federal highway funds (GPO Access). We should stay the high age to drink because it lower MLDA 21 not responsible on medical, reduce the number of underage, and lower the program age of 21 to 18 cause irresponsibility to let in great more crimes.

some people are not responsible enough or mature enough to handle drinking alcohol. They could go to jail, have health problems, or end up in the hospital if they do not drink responsibly.

Once a person turns eighteen, he or she receives many rights and privileges. One major right that all of these teenagers are missing is the right to buy and consume alcohol. The question is posed is whether lowering the minimum drinking age to eighteen would be a better or worse idea. Jeffery A. Miron, a senior lecturer at Harvard University’s economics department, and Elina Tetelbaum, a law student from Yale University, write in their argumentative article in Forbes Magazine, “The Dangers of the Drinking Age”, in which they believe that the minimum drinking age of twenty-one is not working. After conducting studies, they found that the minimum legal drinking age of twenty-one has little or no effect on traffic fatalities. Lowering the minimum drinking age to eighteen would likely have the same effects as the minimum age of twenty-one; it is reasonable to assume that underage teenagers may feel less rebellious knowing that they can legally buy and consume alcohol at the age of eighteen.

The relationship between alcoholic beverages and religion goes back thousands of years. The use of wine is at the heart of many Christian Religions and important Jewish ceremonies are marked by drinking a prescribe number of glasses. The Ancient Egyptians believe the much worship god Osiris. The ancient Egyptians made at least 17 types of beer and even more varieties of wine used for pleasure, nutrition, medicine, ritual and funerary purposes. In Babylon, the people worships wine deities,