Pros And Cons Of Raising The Legal Drinking Age

The law that raised the drinking age happens to be very unstable. To begin with “a portion of the American public today is arguing that if a member of the U.S. military is old enough to die fighting for his or her country, then they ought to be mature enough to enjoy a beer” (“License”). An eighteen year old can die for their country, vote for politicians, and decide what they are doing with their future, but are not allowed to drink alcohol. It stands out that eighteen year olds can also obtain cigarettes that can lead to various types of cancer but cannot enjoy an alcoholic beverage. Continuing on, another reason that raising the drinking age is unjust is that binge drinking continues to occur, which is when one consumes 4 or 5 drinks in a row: “binge drinking is unchanged from its levels of 1979; that among non college women it has increased by 20 percent; and that among college women it has increased by 40 percent” (McCardell). If

There are several controversies in the world today, but one that really catches my attention is on the topic of whether or not the drinking age in the United States should be lowered from 21 to 18. Many people have debated about this topic for several years, and there are several different opinions on this topic. Some people think it is dangerous to lower the drinking age; some people support it. Some children think it is stupid to lower the drinking age; some children support it. However, I strongly believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18 for several reasons, such as 18 year olds are allowed to do several other adult activities, other countries have the legal age at 21, and people who are under the age of 18 are still going to drink alcohol whether it is illegal or not.

Everyone in today’s society knows that the minimum legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21. But nobody really knows why. In the year 1984, President Reagan informed the states that if they didn’t change their drinking age to 21, they would lose 10% of their federal funding for their highways(Why is the Drinking Age 21?). In fear of losing their funding, all the states changed their MLDA (minimum legal drinking age) to 21, instead of 18. Some people were outraged that the age had been raised, and believed that if they were 18+ whenever the law was changed, they should still be able to purchase alcohol. However, the states disagreed. There are many different opinions on the MLDA. Many people believe that it should be lowered back down to 18, while some people believe even 21 is almost too young. But what are these people’s arguments?

This is a proven fact. According to LiveScience.com, “"The brain of an 18-year-old college freshman is still far from resembling the brain of someone in their mid-twenties," said Craig Bennett” (Than). Eighteen year olds do not know how to control themselves when it comes to alcohol. They drink very irresponsibly, never knowing when to stop. At twenty-one most people have gone through it enough, that they know their limits and when to stop. Teenagers are not mature enough to make good decisions about alcohol. When one is at the age of eighteen, the brain is still developing and growing. When at the age of twenty-one the brain is pretty much done developing. Most eighteen year olds are either in high school about to graduate or already out. The majority of eighteen year olds go to college and since it is their first year, they usually go to a lot of parties and try to enjoy themselves. At twenty-one, the majority of people are in college and trying to get an education to make a career out of it. They usually have already done the whole party scene and are settling down and getting serious. Some eighteen year olds are still in high school, this would make it easier for younger high school kids to access alcohol. This would be dangerous not only for the kids but the eighteen year olds as well. This could get them in a lot of trouble with the law. This proves that twenty-one year olds are more mature than eighteen year

There have been arguments, more so now than before, about lowering the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 years of age. Realistically, to do so would be unideal. From 1609 when the first colonist arrived in Jamestown in 1919, in the United States of America there were no age restrictions on alcohol consumption or purchase. Prior to Prohibition drinking laws varied by state, and there was no national law in concerns to a drinking age. Most states had no laws establishing a legal drinking age. In 1920, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, making the sale and consumption of alcohol in the United States illegal. When Prohibition ended in 1930 the legal drinking age was 18 until 1984, when Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, it forced states to alter their age requirements to legally buy and possess alcohol. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act raised the age limit from 18 to 21 by October of 1986. If states failed to do so, they would lose 10% of their federal highway funding. The goal of the act was achieved by October 1986, which still stand until today. Yet, there are arguments over lowering the drinking age back to 18. To lower the drinking age to 18 would be a defective idea for numerous reasons. The age limit should remain at 21 because all things that can kill you must have restrictions, 18, 19, and 20 year old’s brains are not fully developed, and because it would be in the best for the public interest.

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.

In the United States, the legal age of drinking is 21. Drinking is huge everywhere you go, some people do it for fun and celebration and some other people do it because they are stressed and need to release stress. Most people in the United States like young people binge drink when I mean “young” I mean like 18 years old young. At the age 18 many people are heading to college or just graduating high school and younger adults look forward on that beer being handed to them. When the young adults are out of high school they want to celebrate freely and just have fun and drink a beer, but guess what they can’t because they are considered underage, and they can’t buy their own beer. And banning the sale of alcohol to people under 21 is certain to encourage binge drinking. So should the legal drinking age be lowered? It can have many pros and cons on this situation. The legal drinking age should be lowered. We should lower the drinking age because it would decrease binge drinking, 18 is the legal age of adulthood, and lastly it is an enjoyable activity and is a freedom everyone should have.

A widely debated topic that has gone on for many years is whether the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen years old, as opposed to where it is now, at twenty one. Some argue that at age eighteen, a person is legally an adult and able to go to war, vote, and partake in other adult activities. If they are an adult at this age, why are they unable to legally drink alcohol? There are numerous reasons why drinking is unsafe for those under twenty one. The drinking age is set at age twenty one for a reason, and should stay that way. Some states have experimented with the drinking age in the past, but unsuccessfully. Between the years of 1970 and 1976, some states lowered the drinking age and the results were disastrous and promptly rose back to the age of twenty one (Main). Most eighteen year olds simply are not responsible nor mature enough at this age to handle alcohol safely. Drinking at a younger age has a potential to cause health problems, issues with younger teens, in addition to complications with college drinking and in worse case scenarios can end in death.

The drinking age has been a controversial topic in the United States for years; should the drinking age be lowered to 18 similar to many other countries around the world? Or should the drinking age remain at 21, which has been the MLDA (minimum legal drinking age) since 1986. There for a couple of strong points for both sides on this debate. One of the strongest points for lowering the drinking age is that at 18, you’re considered a legal adult in the United States. Since the United States trusts teenagers with the ability to join the military, sign contracts, go to jail, and many other things but the United States does not allow drinking at the same age. If we also compare the drinking age with other countries around the world, one will see that the United States has a the highest drinking age in the world, and that other countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, Italy, India, France, etcetera. Some say that the minimum legal drinking age of 21 shouldn’t be changed. People who oppose lowering the drinking age say that allowing 18 year olds to drink can mess up their development and brain growth. Also, many state that the minimum legal drinking age reduces traffic accidents and fatalities. There are great points for both sides in this debate of changing the minimum legal drinking age.

All over the world many individuals consume alcohol, but the issue has been that teens have been intaking alcohol under the legal age. The legal age of twenty-one was placed up to prevent irresponsible, undeveloped adolescents from drinking and creating complicated problems(Brief History of the Drinking Age). Although there is a legal age those under the age of twenty-one still continue to drink anyways. Alcohol impairs the human body and can cause those who consumed it to do things they wouldn't do sober. The drinking age should remain at twenty-one in order to curb underage binge drinking, to prevent accidents involving drunk drivers under the age of twenty-one, and to encourage young adults to make intelligent decisions.

In the United States alcohol is commonly used among the youths in the U.S. It is more used than tobacco and other illicit drugs. It also has a death rate of 4,300 deaths annual with underage youth. There are 29 states in the U.S. that allow drinking underage on a private premises only with the parents consent. The reason why the United States set the age of 21 for drinking age is teenager are not responsible and not trusted for alcohol beverages. Alcohol can effect and even weaken the brain. The use of alcohol will have and effect on the functioning of the brain during the teenage years. In my opinion the higher the age of drinking will save lives here in the U.S. and it reduces underage drinking and that's why it shouldn't be lowered. There

There are many sides to one argument just like in whether the drinking age should be lowered. Many people think that it should be lowered, so young adults don’t drink in unsafe or unsupervised environments. Although, many people think that it shouldn’t be lowered because brains aren’t done developing until 22 and drinking can lead to health problems later in life. There are many positives and negatives to lowering the drinking age, but there are also some advantages such as diminishing binge drinking in young adults.

More than half of American youth of age twelve to twenty have tried alcohol. In the United States, the legal drinking age is twenty-one. Austria legal drinking age for beer and wine is sixteen years old. In Saudi Arabia drinking or possessing alcohol is illegal, and people who drink or possess alcohol are subject to arrest and trial. The problematic argument is whether to lower the legal age of drinking alcohol. And some question this motive because underage and binge drinking have multiple risk factors- that can lead to car accidents, violent behavior, alcohol poisoning, and other health problems. The legal age of drinking has justified because of factors affecting the risk of developing a drinking problem at a young age. Potential targets

The article from Jay Evensen oppose the idea of lowering the age-limit for drinking to 18. He oppose the idea because he believe that by lowering the drinking age, there will be an increase in mortality for the youth (which in this case below 21). He believes that it is true that the 21-years-old drinking age creates lots of binge drinking activities, but it is not the solution to lower the drinking age because the cost that might happened will be even worse. He stated that “there really is no logical connection between being old enough to qualify as a fit and effective soldier and making mature drinking decisions. Rental car companies understand this, which is why they generally don’t trust their cars to anyone under 25”.

The legal age of adulthood in the United States is eighteen. Turning eighteen brings the rights and responsibilities of adulthood to vote, serve on juries, get married, sign contracts, even be prosecuted as adults (Chiappetta). As an adult he or she should have the right to make their own decisions about alcohol consumption. Once someone turns eighteen he/she is indirectly encouraged to join the united states military which includes risking one's life, fighting a war overseas, so the people who choose to do that should be able to come home and enjoy a beer in the comforts of their home. Proponents of lowering the minimum legal drinking age from