In 2005 a tragedy struck my hometown of Cameron Wisconsin. Following the annual homecoming parade, the high schoolers were driving back to the school to cheer on the football team for the game that night. Sitting on the toolboxes in one of the trucks was Bailey Zimmerman and her good friend Jasmyn Becker. As their driver, Matthew Stoyke, was making the turn into the parking lot, he saw a bunch of his friends already waiting for him. Without thinking, Matthew slammed his foot onto the accelerator to show off for his buddies. Bailey and Jasmyn were thrown from the bed of the truck and hurled onto the asphalt below, killing Bailey instantly. Matthew, not realizing the severity of what he did, fled from the parking lot in fear of the consequences. After the investigation, it was found that all three of the high schoolers had been drinking underage. How many more stories like this would there be if high schoolers could be allowed to drink?
This essay represents an effective piece of argumentation. The author states her purpose by saying teens are not mature enough to handle a lower age to legally drink alcohol. Tag? Joyce Alcantara tries to convince the readers that the age to legally drink should not be altered and assumes that the audience agrees that “Our youths today are the leaders of tomorrow” (468). With that, we must protect our years ahead. Alcantara addresses her audience as if they seem uninformed, she addresses various points on why teens younger than twenty-one should not consume alcohol. Tag? The opposing audience of this argument often say if eighteen-year-olds can serve in the Army, vote, drive, and marry, why can they not legally consume
At the age of eighteen, teens are allowed to enlist in the military, virtually putting their life on the line to defend our country. With this great responsibility, another questions continues to rise; if eighteen year olds are mature enough to sacrifice their lives for the country, shouldn’t they also be mature enough to drink at the age of 18? Michael Gonchar, an author of Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered? from the New York Times, wrote an objective article looking at both pros and cons of lowering the legal drinking age. On the other hand, John McCardell wrote an article in support of lowering the legal drinking age to eighteen. To persuade the audience, both authors use numerous rhetorical techniques. Despite contrasting views, Gonchar and McCardell build logical reasoning and persuasion by appealing to pathos, using statistics, and strong organization to give credibility to their piece.
When a child turns 18, they open to many more responsibilities than any other teenage birthday. When a child is 18, they are not considered a kid anymore, they are adults. One of the many perks of being 18 is kids can vote and they can enlist in the army. In 1984, President Reagan had signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, and this required all states to set the drinking age to 21. If an 18 year old can enlist in the army, and put their life at risk they should be able to drink alcohol at 18. The drinking age should be lowered, because brains are not fully developed yet, colleges should be able to regulate drinking, and this can solve problems with kids underage drinking. Despite the controversy, the drinking age should decrease for many logical reasons.
When teenagers turn 18, they are told that they are adults and are sent into the world. They go to college, get a job, marry or join the military. They do grown-up things like vote, pay taxes and become parents, but they can 't go to the bar for a beer. When it comes to alcohol they are still just kids. Where’s the fairness in the age being 21 and not 18? Why is 21 the "magical" age that makes one intelligent and mature enough to consume alcohol? Surely, some adults abuse alcohol and some teenagers would be perfectly able to drink responsibly. Accidents will happen no matter what age you start drinking it. That 's why the drinking age should be lowered to 18 instead of remaining at 21.
To further explain, 18 is the age of majority therefore young adults are mature enough to make their own decisions. As defined by law, age of majority is when minors are no longer considered children and assume legal control over their actions and decisions. When a teenager reaches the age of majority (typically 18), “they can serve on juries, get married, sign binding contracts, vote, and join the military” (Congressional Digest). These
In recent years, it has become more and more apparent that the adolescents of today are unfit for the responsibilities currently available to them. Equipping someone who is unable to fathom the risks of the decisions they make with the power to put themselves and others in danger is far too precarious. For this reason, the age at which adolescents become adults currently established is dangerously low. The age of legal adulthood should be 25, because at this age young adults are truly capable of comprehending the consequences of their actions and are able to handle the responsibilities of adulthood.
Over the years, the legal drinking age in the United States has been heavily debated. Some argue that the legal age to drink should be 18 or 19 because people at that age are recognized as adults; others argue that the drinking age should be 21 because people who are able to drink should be more mature and have their lives better planned out. Although people are legally adults at 18, they are not yet mature adults; in fact, according to NRP, “emerging science about brain development suggests that most people don’t reach full maturity until the age 25” (“Brain”). Before earning the right to legally drink, people should allow their bodies to fully develop and gain a better knowledge of how to organize their lives. The drinking age should remain
The drinking age is at 21 but, some are voting to bring down to 18. The drinking age starts at 21 for a reason and needs to stay where it is. Alcohol is poisonous at any age but, it can be more harmful to a developing brain and a teenager finding a new life. It’s extremely easy to numb the annoyance of life with alcohol and many people have become addicted to the escape. In this country our children are not ready to drink at 18, we have a different system and different children.
There are many children in the world who are being put behind bars and detained for alleged wrongdoing without protections they are entitled to. Throughout the world, children are charged and sentenced for actions that should not be considered as adult crimes. Here in the United States, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is age 12. Law enforcement officials and those in the juvenile justice system nationwide tend to mistreat underage individuals by trying cases while working through the lens of an adult. Unfair punishments are still handed down domestically, which is in violation of Supreme Court law. The following articles specifically address the idea that juvenile justice is unethical. In the article, “Juvenile Justice & Adolescent
Across the country, college students participate in an illegal activity known as underage drinking. The drinking age in America is an ongoing debate of whether it should be kept at 21, or reduced to 18. While some believe lowering the drinking age would make drinking for young kids safer, others presume the opposite.
Why drinking age should be lowered? If one is considered an adult at age eighteen in most of the country, are they not allowed to purchase and legally consume alcohol? The minimum legal drinking age needs to be lowered, and not just for that reason. The amount of teenagers with drinking problems and alcoholism is far greater than in Europe, where drinking ages are far lower. Also, studies show that the current minimum age drinking laws have been ineffective to a high degree. By the time they are high school seniors, seventy-two percent teenagers say they have already consumed alcohol. Proper education at younger ages is needed for our country’s youth to learn the proper use of alcohol through experimentation with their own limits in safe environments.
SUMMARY: In the article, “ The Minimum Legal Drinking Age” written by Traci L Toomey, Carolyn Rosenfeld, and Alexander C. Wagenaar in Alcohol Health & Research World, the reasoning behind the why the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is 21 is addressed. Till this day similar claims that were used to lower the MLDA many years ago are being applied. Regardless of the continuing debate about the MLDA studies show the effectiveness of a higher MLDA in averting alcohol related deaths and injuries within the youth.The lowering of the MLDA resulted in rates of injuries and deaths increasing. Once the MLDA was increased the rates of injuries and deaths decreased drastically. The advantage of using environmental approaches, being the MLDA, is that it
Should you be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages at 18 years old? After all 18 is when most adult privileges are received anyway. The drinking age should be lowered to 18 in the United States.
If the legal drinking age should be lowered or stay the same is an issue that is constantly talked about. One side thinks that the law is counterproductive and can cause underage teens to binge drink. While the other side believe that the law saves lives and it would be dangerous to lower the drinking age. Both sides have research and statistics to back up their position. Many who disagree with the drinking age believe that when someone can pay taxes or enlist in the military they should be able to make their own decisions about drinking. On the contrary the opposing side believes that the legal drinking age of 21 causes less alcohol related deaths.