The Pros And Cons Of Lowering The 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.

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.

Prohibition was a time in American history where any type of alcohol consumption, production, and distribution was banned. The thirteen-year, dry period finally came to an end because of the temptation and social urges alcohol presents. Throughout these thirteen years, people corruptly consumed, produced, and distributed alcohol as if the regulations instituted by the government were suggestions. Speakeasies would be held underground where drinkers would distribute gin they produced in their own bathtubs and have parties without law enforcement knowing (“Prohibition”). After the Prohibition laws were lifted in 1933 to create more revenue to aid the failing economy during the Great Depression, the drinking age was set at 21 but was later lowered

In the United States a large topic of discussion is the drinking age, should it stay at 21 or should the age be dropped. Somewhat recently the age has been changed from 18 to 21 and a lot of people want to be changed back. By 1988, all 50 U.S. states and the federal government had set the drinking age at 21 years of age, but is it time to lower the MLDA (minimum legal drinking age) to 18 years of age? Those who argue against lowering the MLDA claim that teens have yet to reach an age of maturity in which they can responsibly drink alcohol, and thus are more likely to develop binge drinking habits and endangerment of themselves and others by drinking prior to the age of 21. Those in favor of lowering the MLDA argue that the current MLDA doesn’t stop underage drinking and promotes binge drinking into private less controlled environments. Not only this, but lowering the MLDA strengthens the economy and can gradually expose people to drinking without overdoing it.

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.

Lowering the drinking age from 21 would be irresponsible. People argue that lowering the drinking age is not smart because most youths still have not yet reached a mature age to handle alcohol. Teens that include themselves in an unsafe environment are likely to endure in self-harm and encounter in binge drinking. The Alcohol Policy Information System says, “Annually, about 5,000 youth under the age of 21 die in incidents due to underage drinking” (“Drinking”). I believe the drinking age should not be lowered because of the major hazards that could occur, an increase in traffic accidents, and the age maturity to handle alcohol responsibly.

Many negative effects come with drinking alcohol. Since teenagers’ brains are not fully developed until they are in their mid 20’s, it is especially dangerous to them. The legal alcohol age should not be eighteen because it harms the teenage brain and body, it has negative (and potentially fatal) effects on school, and it has negative effects on driving.

Also, the drinking age shouldn’t be lowered because it can affect people’s memory, decision making, coordination, and judgement. Which means, some of these effects can be permanent. Adolescent brains are still developing so who knows what the side effect can be in the future?

I don't believe that youngsters have the obligation or capacity to handle drinking while attempting to grow up and adapting new things all in the meantime. Would you have the capacity to handle everything? I feel that bringing down the base drinking age will impact more strategic alcoholism and more youngsters to misuse liquor. Bringing down the drinking age might likewise prompt more motor vehicle accidents among teenagers. If the drinking age is left where its at, then there may be less deadly mishaps than if United States brought down the Minimum Legal Drinking Age to 18. The writer of the essay, " Redefining the Problem Won't Make it Go Away", Linda Chavez, believes that, the drinking age should be left as it is, because he thinks that lowering drinking age is not a solution. Chavez say's, " Lowering the drinking age to eighteen won't solve these problems and would likely make them worse."(334). Moreover, the fact suggest that, in the 1970's 30 states brought down the drinking age, on the other hand it didn't keep going long. On the

Teenage drinking has became a mass problem in today’s society. More than half your average high school drinks on a regular basis, which is super crazy. Although the legal drinking age is 21 many teens abuse the use of alcohol, some even think the legal drinking age should be 18. Just think about one of your loved ones getting into a motor vehicle accident due to drunk. Why would you want to lower the age of drinking if dangerous things could and will happen. Drinking Alcohol can and will ruin the lives of many young adults. Underage drinking is a huge problem most teens face.

It is unsafe for them and potentially can ruin their lives forever. Teenagers are the future and if the drinking age is lowered it creates our young people today to be at a higher risk for abusing alcohol in the future. Disobedience has become major here in the United States when it comes to underage drinking. The drinking age should not be lowered because it would be medically irresponsible, unhelpful in preventing alcohol related incidents, and it would bring more use of illicit drugs.

There has been controversy in the United States on underage drinking, and if the age should be lowered. According to the book “Underage Drinking”, “It should be noted that more than tobacco and illegal drugs, alcohol is easily the most commonly used and abused substance among the youth in the U.S” (Dr. Bush). Underage drinking has had major controversy for years and the government has yet to get it under control. The law states that anyone under the age of twenty-one should not be in possession of an alcohol beverage. Yet many people under the age of twenty-one have possession of it and consumes it. One writer states, “Young people are adults at 18 and if they're allowed to vote and go to war, they should be allowed to drink ..- And I don't think raising the age limit will make any real difference to our binge-drinking problem” (Gross 3-5). When it comes to lowering the drinking age, there are a lot of factors that we have to think about. I feel as though the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen. I say this because in the United States when you turn eighteen you are able to buy tobacco products, vote, get married, can be charged as an adult for a crime, and even join the military. According to ProCon, “18 is the age of adulthood in the United States, and adults should have the right to make their own decisions about alcohol consumption” (Drinking Age). I agree with that statement because most teens are already drinking before the age of twenty-one anyways. There could be great benefits if the drinking age is lowered to eighteen. Most teens drink because it’s against the law and if the drinking age was lowered, the amount of binge drinking would decrease. According to the SSDP website, “A legal drinking age of 21 significantly impacts undergraduate students, a majority of whom fall in the age range of 18-20 years old and still use alcohol” (Lowering the drinking age). Most people are eighteen when they go off to college and with that being said, I’m not saying they’re going to consume alcohol, but some may choose to do so and I don’t feel as though they should be punished for doing it because technically they are considered as an adult so why can’t they live their life like one?

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”.

Would raising the legal drinking age to twenty-five years benefit our country from hurting the youth? If a twenty-one-year-old can join the military and can help defend the country, then why not keep the legal drinking age there? The drinking age should not be raised to age twenty-five. There are many important reasons that should be considered first. There are some reasons why; you are a legal adult at twenty-one, most people at the age are already out from under their parents, and maybe even in their third year of college living on their own.