Lowering The Drinking Age Essay

Over the past few years, there has been this big debate about whether the drinking age should be lowered to 18 or if it should stay at 21. Those in favor of lowering the drinking age to 18 argue that someone who is old enough to serve their country should be allowed to have a drink. Those who are in favor of keeping the minimum legal drinking age at 21 because of consequences regarding psychological development and health problems later in life. However, there is a bigger problem concerning alcohol. The problem is the excessive amount of drinking or commonly known as binge drinking, done by primarily college students and by raising taxes on any and all alcoholic beverages can lead to significant reduction of dangerous binge drinking and simultaneously reducing the dangerous effects of binge drinking.

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 Centers for Disease Control reported that young people between 12 to 20 drink 11% of all the alcohol consumed in the U.S. and more than 90% of it is consumed during the binge drinking. In an article that states lowering the U.S drinking age, “When you’re that impaired, you do things you wouldn’t normally do.” (Cary), reveals the college-aged students’ mind on binge drinking. Research showed that alcohol is responsible for more than 4,300 deaths annually among underage youth. When the younger people are prohibited to obtain the abilities to have exhilarating fun, such as no drinking even after turning to be an adult, they tend to bring to college fake ID and against the prohibition.

There has been an ongoing controversy in the United States on whether the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen like most of the world or if it should stay at twenty-one. Underage drinking has been a major controversial issue for years, yet why is it not under control? Teenagers are continuing to buy alcohol with fake identification cards, drink, get into bars, and drink illegally. As a teen I have proof that these things are going on not only in college but in high school as well. There are a lot of factors that come together to why the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen; the most obvious reason is too many people are drinking before they are twenty-one. Liquor stores, bars, and clubs all want to make money and if they can get away with selling to underage teens then they will. A study done by the Academic Search Premier agrees that, ?By now it is obvious that the law has not succeeded in preventing the under-21 group from drinking? (Michael Smith 1).

Is it worth it to let teens to ruin their whole future by allowing them to start drinking at a younger age? Annually about 5,000 youth under age 21 die from motor vehicle, other unintentional injuries, and homicides and suicides that involve underage drinking.(“Underage Drinking”) It is a current debate on whether or not the minimum drinking age should be lowered to the age of 18 from 21. Though, the reasons why the drinking age should be 21, clearly triumph the reasons for the opposing side of minimum legal drinking age 18. When a young boy named Brian started drinking as a teenager, it resulted into increasing issues into adulthood. According to Brian, he started to drink with friends in middle school. As his drinking led on, his grades became progressively worse and he became less involved with school activities. When his drinking continued into adulthood, Brian notes that he became depressed and wanted to die. ("I Started Drinking as a Teenager"). Underage drinking is a widespread offense that results in serious or fatal physical, neurological, and legal consequences, the minimum drinking age of 21 years old is an effective way to keep these consequences from occurring and lets young adults have a safe and successful future.

Studies suggest that if the legal drinking age was lowered, then young adults would go about drinking safer due to it taking away the thrill of breaking the law. Binge drinking is often done at parties, but with the drinking age being lowered, parties would not be stopped. However, they would be more controlled. Lowering the drinking age would lead to young adults drinking in moderation (“Post Letter” 1). Main stated that before the drinking age was raised the drinking and driving rate among young adults skyrocketed (Main). Now with the increased awareness about drinking and driving that young adults are shown, studies have proven that the amount of people drinking and driving has decreased (“Why Colleges”

For countless young adults after high school the next stepping stone is college, however, students are not only learning from the classes they attend, but also from the parties. Consequently, they are being introduced to alcohol and plenty of it; learning how to shotgun a beer or attempt a keg stand is all the rage. Suddenly, people are viewing college binge drinking as a right of passage for even their youngest students. Thus, demands the questioning of lowering the drinking age to counteract college binge drinking. “The reality is that at age 18 in this country, one is a legal adult. Young people view 21 as utterly arbitrary—which it is. And because the explanation given them is so condescending—that they lack maturity and judgment,

The debate of lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) has been going on for decades in the United States. Those opposed, argue that the current MLDA is not efficient and counterproductive (Engs 1). One study indicated that thousands of lives under the age of twenty-one are lost each year to alcohol (McCardell 1). Underage drinking is an issue that persists, despite evidence suggesting that the minimum legal drinking age of twenty-one has lowered alcohol usage among individual who are underage (Toomey 1961-1962). Teens tend to over drink, which can lead to severe consequences. They do not know better because they are inexperienced and not aware of the effects. Better drinking habits could be enforced by lowering the minimum legal drinking age. This could give eighteen year olds, when first considered as adults by most states, the right to decide about their alcohol usage ("Should" 1), and the ability to make safer choices which keep themselves and others safe.

Among drivers under 21, drunk driving-related deaths have decreased by 80 percent” (Trex, Why is the Drinking Age 21?). Despite this decrease, many still believe that America should lower the minimum drinking age to mirror that of other nations. “Lowering the drinking age will help slow the need for pre-gaming and bring the college fake ID business to a dead stop. It can't help but reduce the binge drinking, drug overdoses and sexual assaults” (Cary, “Time to Lower the Drinking Age”). While arguments can be made in favor of a lower minimum drinking age in the United States, these arguments are often focused on the drinking habits of college students and ignore other factors.

     Thirdly, since the law was passed in 1987, which raised the legal age from 18 to 21, there has been a decrease in car crashes but at the same time there has been an increase in other problems related to heavy, irresponsible drinking. This movement, the law that was passed, that swept all 50 states, may actually have made the bingeing worse. When teens drink, they know it will probably be a while before they?ll have liquor again, so they make up for it by drinking in larger quantities. According the College Health Survey 96, cutting class after drinking jumped from 9% in 1982 to almost 12% in 1996. Also, missing class because of a hangover rose from 26% to 28% and getting a lower grade went from 5% to 7%. It is this consumption of large amounts that is causing so many problems among the youth of America. ?By setting a high drinking age, what we have inadvertently done is say that drinking is an adult activity, and that makes it especially appealing to younger people,? says David Hanson. It makes it a thrill for the younger drinkers.

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

For two generations, Americans have needed to be 21 – or own an ID that states as such – to legally purchase and consume alcohol (Griggs, 1). According to The World Health Organization “the U.S. [is] one of only a handful of developed countries –Iceland, Japan, South Korea and Thailand are others – with a minimum drinking age over 18” (Griggs, 1). When Ronald Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984, its goal was to reduce less-mature adults from consuming alcohol and performing reckless acts (Cary, 1). However, despite the current drinking age, 17.5 percent of consumer spending for alcohol in 2013 was under the age of 21. It is estimated that “90 percent of underage drinking is consumed via binge drinking…with alcohol abuse becoming more prevalent among the country’s youth” (Aguirre, 1).

Underage drinking has been occurring since laws were set in place for age qualifications, but it is better serving American society by continuing it because we can’t accept lowering the national age? Ruth C. Engs, a professor for Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University, finds that the mandated drinking age should be lowered to 18 or 19. If young adults were legally allowed to drink in controlled environments, then responsible drinking methods could be taught, resulting in mature behavior when consuming alcohol (Engs, 1). By keeping the drinking age so high, students or young adults are forced to hide drinking and more often than not, turn to binge drinking, an unhealthy, addictive, and extremely dangerous form of drinking that often results in blackouts and alcohol poisoning. Engs states, “For example, 22% of all students under 21 compared to 18% over 21 years of age are heavy drinkers.” This is not the only issue that arises from underage drinking. Newsweek writer, Jeffrey A. Tucker, sees that this law is only causing “over-indulgence, anti-social behavior, disrespect for the law, secrecy and sneaking and a massive diversion of human energy.” To diminish these issues, people are turning towards the examples of other nations that have managed to maintain low drinking age laws, with low risk results. In other countries, alcohol is seen as a cultural norm and are taught at young age how to responsibly consume. However, it is treated the opposite in America, instead, it is seen as how Wil Fulton from the Huffington Post sees it, “forbidden fruit”. Fulton states through a claim made by the World Health Organization, that while Europeans tend to consume more alcohol, Americans still die from more alcohol-related causes. In efforts to change this law and hopefully encourage safe and responsible drinking, many are turning towards the Amethyst Initiative, a movement created by John

“We don't hand teenagers car keys without first educating them about how to drive. Why expect 21-year-olds to learn how to drink responsibly without learning from moderate models, at home and in alcohol education programs?” As asserted by Gabrielle Glaser, in an article posted on New York Times, lowering the drinking age is a hot issue with many approaches and reasonings. Countless people, aging from twelve to twenty-one, are calling for a change regarding the legal drinking age. This issue is not only a testament to the health of Americans, but also to their rights and responsibilities. Furthermore, many newly-turned adults are bamboozled that being eighteen has seemingly left one thing out; the ability to buy and drink alcohol. Teenagers see being eighteen being an age of complete independence, so why limit this new found freedom? If they are old enough to participate in elections, take up arms and fight for their country, and decide if they want to be a lifetime smoker, why is alcohol the last ‘privilege’ they receive? Whereas many researchers, professors, bloggers, and health care professionals believe the drinking age at its twenty-one standing is working, I firmly believe it should be lowered for a multitude of reasons including DUI laws, increase in tax money, leisure activity, and more.

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