Should Drinking Age Be Lowered?

In our world today, fifty percent of Americans believe it is appropriate for those under twenty-one to drink alcohol and want the legal drinking age to be lowered to eighteen. In the United States when an individual reaches eighteen, he or she are believed to be an adult. Becoming an adult as the law states that means mature enough to vote, purchase cigarettes, and even sign up for the military. When considering changing the drinking age to eighteen for many reasons to think through when it comes to health complications regards to well-being of others and maybe taken under circumstances where it may be excessively over used.

Over the years the drinking age or the drinking laws have been questioned and changed many times. For a few years now more recently question being, should the drinking age be lowered to eighteen? Or why shouldn’t it? In the United States, binge drinking has been a big problem. Its one of the top causes for traffic tragedies as well as other health issues that come along with it, especially among college students. However since the drinking age has changed from being 18 to 21 there has not been a change and or a decrease in deaths due to drunk driving accidents, suicide, homicide or delinquency. The drinking age should be lowered to eighteen because in the United States, eighteen is the age of adulthood and your mature enough to make these kinds of decisions.

“We can’t stop kids from drinking, so why don’t we just lower the drinking age back down to 18? They are adults for all other purposes. Eighteen year-olds can vote, smoke, marry, pay taxes, take out loans, hold public office, serve on a jury and fight for their country, so what’s the big deal? Let’s stop spending all this tax money and law enforcement officer time fighting a losing battle!”(https://4prevention.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/the-top-five-reasons-we-should-keep-the-drinking-age-at-21/ ) I’m sure you may have heard comments such as these quite often. This question has become very important over a period of years and was first asked when the legal drinking age became 21. Should the legal drinking age be lowered (18) or remain at age 21?

In today’s society it is legal for an 18 year old to vote, be enlisted in the military, serve jury duty, buy tobacco products, live on their own and support themselves. Yet after all of that responsibility, these young adults are still not given the privilege to enjoy a few beers here and there. The current drinking age in the United States is 21 years of age, a controversial issue for many. The issue is exceptionally debatable and many people believe the drinking age should be lowered to the age of 18. Many college and university presidents disagree with the current legal drinking age and have come to the conclusion that outlawing alcohol to students under 21 makes the drinking problem worse! The national drinking age should be lowered

It is no secret that underage drinking is rampant in the United States. Though it’s illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to buy or possess alcohol, people under the age of 21 accounts for 17.5% of consumer spending for alcohol nationwide and 90% of that is consumed through binge drinking (Tracy). According to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 9.3 million Americans between ages 12-20 report current alcohol consumption (Distillers Fighting). With alcohol being one the most commonly abused drugs and soon to pass tobacco on the cause of death list, the pose the questions that if lowering the drinking age could actually increase responsible alcohol intake.

Teenagers often feel as if they have to do illegal activities around their friends to feel like they are a part of the team. Many people often wonder if the court of law stepped in and changed the age of drinking would this help the case of underage drinking. This proposed law would lower the drinking age to make the teenagers less rebellious and allow them to feel more like adults. If the drinking age were to be lowered then teenagers would feel as if they didn’t have to drink every day because they wouldn’t have to wonder when this opportunity will happen again. Studies have shown that:

Should the legal drinking age remain at age 21? For almost 40 years most states

The final reason the legal drinking age should not be lowered is because of alcohol related motor accidents. Drunk driving is an enormous public safety issue and is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S alone. Attorney Rich Stim says, “Although drivers under the age of 21 represent 10 percent of licensed drivers they are responsible for 17 percent of fatal alcohol-related crashes. Approximately 2,000 underage drinkers die each year behind the wheel and alcohol is a factor in a third of all teenage auto fatalities”. (Stim) Lowering the drinking age would make alcohol related fatalities rise immensely. When young people drink and get into a car, they tend to make irresponsible decisions that may put them in danger. For example, young

Should they lower the age of drinking to 18? They should not change the age of drinking. I think at 18 you're barely an adult. At 18 the person is just not mature enough to go out and drink. Why do they drink? People drink because of peer pressure, celebrations, anxiety, and sadness. Teens fall under the category of people, adults. They think if my parents drink that means I can drink. Teens have not yet reached an age where they can't handle alcohol responsibly, so they are more likely to harm themselves. Or they could make stupid decisions. Some colleges are banning drinking, because they are not responsible yet. Between 1970 and 1976, 30 states lowered their minimum legal drinking age to 21 from 18. All 50 states have set their minimum

The minimum drinking age in the United States has been and is today a subject of great problem. On the one hand, there are people who think that at the age of 18 and is considered an adult and can make decisions in your life, so should have the right to legally drink. On the other hand, there are people who think that at the age of 18 a young person is not totally mature and responsible enough to drink to mind, because it is irresponsible and increases the number of tragedies and other problems caused by the excessive use of alcohol . In this regard, what is the appropriate age to drink alcohol? The answer is easy, in this case the best decision would be to keep the minimum age to

We do not hand teenagers car keys without teaching them how to drive first, so why do we expect 21-year-olds to know how to drink responsibly for the first time. Law passed by congress in 1984 leaves America to being one of four countries left in the world with its drinking age at 21, while the rest of the country 's drinking ages are 16 or 17 or has no age limit at all. As a part of turning 18 you are now considered a legal adult and are allowed to make the decision to vote, marry, buy tobacco products, buy guns and join the military. With all the freedom you gain all at 18 year olds, you are cut short of being able to make the decision to drink an alcoholic beverage. So are you really a legal adult? With many American citizens’ starting to change their views on the drinking age there has become more positive views than negative. With these opportunities given to us it is believed that the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18.

Many American students have their first taste of alcohol when they get to college. These individuals are experiencing this for the first time at what is most likely an unsupervised event at a fraternity house or somewhere else away from parents and authority. The excitement of having an alcoholic drink for the first time often leads to these young adults to drinking more than they can handle. Because these kids have no sense of safety regarding drinking, a dangerous situation may quickly arise. If the drinking age is lowered to 18, then these individuals

The parents and teachers should be an excellent role model to your kids or students. The second biggest risk issue for underage drinking, case history of dysfunctional drinking, talking regarding alcoholism here, though which will run in families. Also talking regarding the message you send once alcohol may be a massive a part of your social life, particularly if your social life involves getting drunk. Youngsters continually pay a lot of attention to what we tend to do than to what we are saying. If you wish your kid to possess wisdom regarding alcohol, show it yourself.

To fight for our country at the age of 18 and seeing things that only you could imagine in the battlefield. Coming home from deployment and just wanting a simple beer for your hard work but not being able to buy any because you are not 21 years of age. How is that fair to the men in the military forces? Fighting for our country’s freedom but not being able to have a few beers with your closest friends and family members. The topic of the legal alcohol age being changed has been a great topic for anyone to discuss. It ties in with the military, it can be connected to criminal justice, and it can be related to alcohol safety at college.

At the age of 18, you’re considered an adult. From your 18th birthday to old age, you’re able to vote, join the military, sign contracts, and several other things that adults can do. It’s able to see how minors, especially from ages 18-20, view this as ‘unfair’. So why, when you are able to do everything else at 18, can’t you drink? Studies have proved that drinking under the age of 21 affects your bodily growth. Brain development continues up into your early 20s, and the use of alcohol can harm the brain and the process of development. Activities such as voting and signing contracts aren’t neurologically or physically damaging as they are not consumed like alcohol is. It is definitely important for your brain to fully develop and such a high legal drinking age helps enforce and protect the development process.It’s confusing how the drinking age is not the same as the age of initiation for several other things, including officially becoming an ‘adult’, but the reason behind it is actually helping several underaged