Keeping The Minimum Drinking Age

In 1984 Ronald Reagan proposed a new law that declared that the legal drinking age must raised up to 21 instead of the age of 18. The law was forced upon the states by threatening them by stating that the government will reduce their highway funding until the states passed the law. Of course all the states eventually change their legal drinking age to 21. Some critics believe that this law’s results have been very successful, however the law possesses many insecurities, but certain programs can be arranged to help educate teenagers on alcohol.

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

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.

The government is conducting an idea to whether lower the minimum legal drinking age in the United States or not. Many Americans forbid the idea of legalizing the drinking age so that it would be profitable to the businesses. Likewise, there have been many advantages and disadvantages of why should the government allow young adults drink under the age of 21. To prevent this issue, many Americans have provided reasoning that will support the idea of keeping the minimum legal drinking age where it is now. The government should maintain the minimum legal drinking age in the United States at the age of 21.

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 minimum drinking age has been debated ever since the early 1970’s when there was no national drinking age. Depending on the state, the minimum drinking age was between the range of 18 to 21-year-olds. However, Exhibit B illustrates how the debate was quieted in 1984 during the Regan Presidency with the passing of a law that required states to prohibit people under the age of 21 to consume alcohol as a condition of receiving a portion of federal state highway funding.

I. Introduction: Starting in 1970 21 states reduced the minimum drinking age to 18. Another 8 reduced it to 19 or 20. However, these states noticed increases in alcohol-related fatalities among teenagers and young adults. As a result, of the 29 states that had lowered their drinking age, 24 raised the age again between 1976 and 1984. By 1984, only three states allowed 18-year-olds to drink all types of alcoholic liquor. The enactment of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 prompted states to raise their legal age for purchase or public possession of alcohol to 21 or risk losing millions in federal highway funds. The states who raised it were given highway funding by the

In over 100 countries across the world, the act of legally possessing and consuming alcohol is permissible below the age of 21, most often within the age range of 18-20. Nevertheless, there are many additional countries such as Spain and Haiti, which enforce a minimum age of 16 years among citizens. With the ratification of the controversial 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act, the United States federal government now requires each state to conform to the drinking age restriction of 21, or otherwise endure a penalty, encompassing a 10% reduction of federal highway transportation funds, attributed to the state in violation. Unfortunately, despite the conviction that a higher minimum drinking age prevents destructive, irrational actions conducted as a product of holding an underdeveloped brain, this federal ruling not only increases the seductive temptation of underage drinking, but additionally and equally promotes organized crime within the United States-a toxic societal conflict which would effectively be negated by a reduction of the minimum federal drinking age.

Reducing drinking and driving was a goal of having a minimum drinking age of twenty-one. Before 1984, all states had their own minimum drinking age. These ages ranged from eighteen to twenty-one years old. A majority of states selected their minimum age as eighteen years old. If one were not able to legally purchase alcohol in his or her state, the person would drive to another state to drink legally. Many people would get into fatal accidents on their way home because they would driving while intoxicated. This caught a great deal of attention by the public. The nickname blood-borders were given to the borders between states with two different minimum drinking ages since many

Without a doubt, the United States has been facing serious national problems with underage drinking. Depending on personal ideologies, some people might not agree that the current minimum drinking age of twenty-one is based on scientific facts rather then ideology of prohibitionism. For example, since 1975 over seventeen thousand lives have been saved since the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) was changed to age twenty-one (Balkin 167). This shows that even over a short amount of time, a higher MLDA helps decrease the risk of teen suicides, accidents and overdose deaths. However, this widely debated topic has inevitably brought attention to the plethora of supporting and opposing viewpoints. The minimum legal drinking age of twenty-one

The United States’ minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) of twenty one is almost a perfect example of a policy with unrealistic expectations and serious unintended consequences. The current policy that the United States has in effect criminalizes youth who consume alcohol at less than twenty one years of age. Young adults are going to drink under twenty one, so why shouldn’t the United States lower the MLDA to eighteen? Following Prohibition in 1933, many states made their MLDA twenty one. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, many states lowered it to eighteen to match the drafting age (Alcohol Policy MD). President Reagan passed The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 which required all states to raise their minimum purchase and public

Almost everyone can agree that alcohol should not be given or allowed to children or young adults under a certain age. Alcohol is a substance that is very dangerous and if you used incorrectly or immaturely the consequences can be great danger to the users or the ones around them. The topic of lowering the drinking age has been in discussion for many decades. “Between 1970 and 1976, 29 states lowered their age for drinking alcohol. The results were catastrophic. Highway deaths among teenagers and young adults skyrocketed. Almost immediately, states began raising the minimum drinking age again.” “In 1984, Congress passed the Uniform Drinking Age Act, which required states to have a minimum drinking age of 21 for all types of alcohol

In spite of the fact that in order to drink an alcoholic beverage, legally, one must be above the age of twenty-one, those under age still consume just as frequently as those above the age. Even those younger than eighteen manage to get their hands on alcohol. There should be a strengthened system for those selling and providing alcohol to anyone making the purchase. Along with that those who are no longer considered a minor in the United States Government’s eyes should have the right to obtain, purchase, and enjoy an alcoholic beverage. In all reality, until thirty-two years ago, those above eighteen could consume just as freely as desired. This was changed when the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 was passed changing the legal age from eighteen to twenty-one.

As of right now within the United States of America, the minimum legal drinking age is set at twenty-one. Some feel that twenty-one is an appropriate age to start engaging in the consumption of alcohol because an individual should be more responsible at the age of twenty-one rather than at the age of eighteen. Some of the main concerns within the country when considering lowering the legal drinking age includes vehicular accidents involving inexperienced drivers who are under the influence and critical health factors such as alcohol poisoning, or even death, due to lack of knowledge about appropriate alcohol consumption. On the other hand, some feel that since becoming eighteen not only makes an individual a legal adult, but also provides the right to vote, purchase tobacco products, and enlist in the military, then alcohol consumption should be legal as well. Although alcohol is now an extremely common substance throughout every inch of the country, this has not always been the case considering it was legally prohibited from the United States at one point. Throughout the continuance of time alcohol has been introduced legally, and ever since then there has not only been a national debate concerning the legal drinking age, but also fluctuation of the minimum legal drinking age ranging as low as eighteen and as high as twenty-one.

Fun Fact!: You only have to be 18 to die for your country in the military, but you can’t buy a beer. In the United States, the legal drinking age, as many of you know, is 21 years old. Now it wasn’t always like this as the original drinking age was 18. However, it was moved up to 21 when an organization known as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) became well-known amongst societies in the USA. This organization was created after a 13 year old girl died due to a 46 year old drunk driver. With help from the US Congress, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act passed, and it stated that you had to be at least 21 in order to legally drink and purchase alcohol. The goal of this was to lower the rates of DUI’s by allowing more “mature” individuals to be able to handle alcohol. What’s ironic is that MADD used underage drinking and driving to justify passing that law, when the original drunk driver was 46 years old; someone clearly not “underage” (Doman). There are many reasons as to why the drinking age should be lowered to 18, including teaching responsible drinking and lowering the frenzy around alcohol, and the level of significance of other rights granted at eighteen compared to the drinking law. By lowering the drinking age to 18, it allows for parents to oversee and teach their child about how to drink responsibly before going away to college. Under their watchful eye, they can make sure that their kid is fully educated on the do’s and don’ts of alcohol consumption. In