Underage Drinking Research Paper

Teens sometimes have too much time on their hands, and boredom can be dangerous for a young adult that is seeking an easy way to have fun. The words “alcohol” and “fun” go hand in hand. In fact, a study showed that about 34 percent of males and 40 percent of females drank to have a good time, which was the highest (“Why Do High School Seniors Drink? Implications for a Targeted Approach to Intervention”). When adults look back on their lives, they remember when they were young and dumb, and those always make for the best stories. Teens these days want that same outcome. Ian Newman, director of the Nebraska Prevention Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse, observes that the “youngest generation most commonly said they drank to get drunk” (Nelson). Being buzzed makes for a great night and that is all that teenagers are seeking. They believe the only way to have fun is to be wasted and wake up in the morning in a daze, remembering small details in a blur. Parents should explain to teens that drinking is not the only way to have a good time. Persuade them to go to a bowling alley instead of just spending time at each other’s houses. That way they will have fun without being intoxicated, and trust me, it is

The MLDA also comes into play with why the drinking age should be lowered. Enforcing an MLDA of 21 is expensive and inefficient. Setting the MLDA at 21 is unconstitutional because it is discrimination against the particular age group of 18- 20 year olds. IT would be more effective to spend money on educating youth about alcohol than to spend it on enforcement of drinking laws for 18- 20 year olds. The pie chart below shows the proportion of 83 countries MLDAs from ages 14 to 21.

“Lowering Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) twentyone would be good for the economy. More people would legally be able to drink in bars, restaurants, and other licensed establishments. Revenue would increase for private business owners, and greater amounts of tax revenue would be collected by the government.” (Procon). The opportunity to serve more people alcohol within the drinking establishments would allow for more revenue in bars and also increase the tax revenue for the United States Government. Therefore then the government could lower taxes in other areas and still keep the revenue the same. In twentynine States, Minnesota being one of them, consumption is permitted only in the household of the defendant's parent or guardian with the consent of the parent or guardian. This permission is to grant parents the responsibility to teach their children what it means to drink cautiously and responsibly. “Lowering MLDA twentyone would reduce the number of underage people who are hurt from alcohol-related injuries or accidents due to fear of legal consequences if they sought medical attention.” (Procon). Without the fear of getting in legal trouble, many young people would learn how to become active, responsible and tax paying citizens. They would learn that their choices of drinking too much could result in a visit to a detox center which would continue to have consequences related to that or they would learn that drinking responsibly has a greater impact on themselves and also their community as a whole. In conclusion, lowering the drinking age to Eighteen would increase the sales at local establishments and directly benefit the

Did you know that underage drinking is allowed in twenty nine states if it is done on private grounds with parental approval, twenty five states for religious purposes,and eleven for educational purposes.Many people feel that the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen. However, many people are opposed by the idea and would rather the MLDA be kept at twenty one. The MLDA should be lowered to eighteen because However, a twenty one year old's brain is more mature than a eighteen year old's brain and can withstand the effect alcohol has on the brain. (boston.com) The brain goes through some really important changes involving the prefrontal cortex of the brain where decision making and judgement are involved (boston.com). Therefor, when any

Together with reducing the frequency of underage drinking in America, the MLDA being set at 21 also has reduced the frequency of alcohol consumption in the nation as a whole. In a 2002 study, 87% of analyses found that higher MDLAs were associated with lower alcohol consumption as a whole (Toomey, Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws: Review and Analysis of the Literature from 1960 to 2000). This study is further supported by the NHTSA finding that since 1986, just two years after the 21 year old legal drinking age was enacted, the percentage of weekend

Their perception of risk will decrease and with this, prevalence rates will almost certainly increase (ProCon.org). These young adults do not perceive alcohol to be as dangerous as it really is. Alcohol is sunlight. This is what adults should be teaching these young people. Small amounts will most likely not hurt you, but when a lot is taken in, it can be harmful. If perception of risk is increased, there may be a decrease in how much and how often young adults drink (ProCon.org). Parents play a big role in influencing their children, so parents need to teach their kids to be responsible with alcohol and explain the numerous risks. A lower perception of risk will also cause higher levels of binge drinking (Watson). This increase of binge drinking at a young age will impact ones’ future and increase their consumption of alcohol. Perception of risk will almost certainly decrease if the MLDA is lowered.

The Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) has been challenged since the passing of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 that raised the drinking age to twenty-one in all fifty states (Ogilvie). Advocates for lowering the MLDA to eighteen years of age argue that this change will eliminate the thrill of breaking the law for young adults entering college and boost the national economy. Supporters continue to ask legislature what the true meaning of “adulthood” is if an eighteen year old can serve in the armed forces and vote, but cannot drink alcohol (Lowering the Legal Drinking Age: An Analysis of the Pros and Cons). Those against the alteration, a majority of Americans, argue that twenty-one year olds are medically mature and more responsible, therefore reducing the amount of fatal traffic accidents (Minimum Legal Drinking Age).

In today’s society alcohol has been a very big topic to discuss. From the news channels talking about the possibility that alcohol may have been a factor in the accident, peer pressure, and television commercials. There are many pros and cons to changing the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) from 21 to 18.

In 1984 a bill known as the “National Minimum Drinking Age Act” commonly referred to as the MLDA21 Act was passed by congress. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act made the minimum legal age you could buy, possess, or drink alcohol for non-religious practices 21 years of age. According to a Harvard document the minimum drinking age and its effects, all 50 states of the USA reported “substantial heterogeneity in MLDA21’s effect”. Some states reported positive improvements in alcohol related crime rates, while other states reported little to no change. From table 5 of the Harvard study I have concluded that the MLDA21 had a level of effect that does not justify the implementation of the MLDA21 Act. Of the states that

In America, teenagers abuse alcohol more than any other substance. Studies have shown by age 15, about 33 percent of teens have had at least 1 drink. Underage drinking is a problem that needs to be addressed because drinking can lead to dangerous situations since you are impaired and can be life threatening. The consumption of alcohol in kids under the age of 21 is responsible for 1,580 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,269 from homicides, 245 from alcohol poisoning, falls, burns, and drowning, and 492 from suicides each year. Other than these life threatening consequences, there are also significant repercussions that can change the rest of teenagers’ lives. Many kids think it will not affect their future or that none of the bad things will happen to them, but this is not always the case. The only safe way to make sure you’re not the one in the hospital or suffering is the consequences is to not do it at all. Underage drinking is a growing problem that involves many consequences such as immediate health risks, violence, and problems later in life.

Drinking alcohol is like taking a drug. It is a worldwide problem. One of the larger groups effected by alcohol is teenagers and young adults. According to the book Alcohol “Drinking to get drunk has become more common. Teenagers and young adults say they drink for the buzz.” As time progresses underage drinking becomes more relevant. Teens and young adults drink for various reasons but don’t think of the consequences or effects. Although alcohol abuse causes long term and short term effects, young people still abuse it.

Adolescence is the period when children socially grow and develop into adults. It is also during this time, that many children start to experiment with drugs and alcohol. According to Dictionary.com, substance abuse is “long-term, pathological use of alcohol or drugs, characterized by daily intoxication, inability to reduce consumption, and impairment in social or occupational functioning; broadly, alcohol or drug addiction.” While many adolescents may just experiment, addiction and abuse of substances is a very real possibility. Sharma found that most drug and alcohol users began using between the ages of fifteen and eighteen. The most common reasons given to them for initiation were peer influence, curiosity, and sense of growth (2015).

The minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is a controversial issue over whether or not it should be lowered to the age of eighteen. It is shown that keeping the MLDA of twenty-one would benefit society in multiple ways. A MLDA of twenty-one was historically shown to be better than an age of eighteen, by showing it saved lives. A drinking age of twenty-one also proves to be more beneficial for the adolescent brain, would change college drinking, and would reduce the number of drunk driving accidents. While many students think lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) to eighteen would be a good idea, it would actually destroy lives, brain

Before thoroughly researching the topic my opinion, like most college students, was that it should absolutely be lowered to eighteen. It is important to note, that my father owns a beer distributor and lowering the MLDA to eighteen would give him and other distributors across America access to millions of more customers, which gives me an extra reason to believe that it should be lowered. Despite that, after investigating the issue further, I firmly believe that the MDLA should not be lowered to eighteen because because there is a high correlation between alcohol consumption and personal health, a higher drinking age is better for public safety, and underage drinking has negative effects on the economy.

The age-old question that is debated by most teens and adults in the United States, is whether or not the legal age for drinking should be raised or decreased. From a teen’s point of view, they typically think the legal age should be reduced from 21 to 18, while on the other hand, most adults think it should stay the same or even be raised higher. The age has fluctuated over the years, even before 1984 each state got to choose their own drinking age, but with that if the state didn’t comply with the legal age of 21 they had their government funding cut by approximately 10%. While the Minimum Legal Drinking Age(MLDA) being moved to 21 has decreased the amount of reported underage drinking by 59% in 1985 to 40% in 1991 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), it still doesn’t take into account of the number of teens that drink illegally. We are going to look at the positives and negatives of changing or keeping the legal drinking age.