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Drinking Age At 21 Research Paper

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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? Since 1984 there has been a federal act that strongly advises states not to allow citizens under the age of 21 from drinking alcoholic beverages. To this day there are still people arguing about this law, both for and against it. Having a minimum drinking age set at 21 is a popular ongoing debate that has many supporters and disputers. To begin, alcohol was a key topic in debates …show more content…

Both supporters and opponents of the MLDA of 21 have many arguments supporting their own sides and arguments to counter their opposition’s. Does a minimum drinking age take away people’s freedom? Or does it insure that they will have a chance to live out their lives? Both sides will always find arguments to counter their opposition so this may continue to go around in circles forever. But with 77% of people supporting a MLDA of 21, there isn’t much hope for opposers. Unless there is some hard evidence found that can 100% without a doubt prove the opposer’s arguments to be true, the MLDA of 21 law will stay in place to protect the youth in

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In the article “College Presidents Seek Debate on Drinking Age” the issue of lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 is strongly discussed by college presidents and various organizations and Universities. Even though both parties agree that alcohol abuse in colleges is an extensive problem in schools around the country, college organizations are debating with lawmakers to lower the drinking age. With the intention to reduce driving accidents and deaths due to alcohol abuse, the drinking age was elevated to 21, creating the rejection of many college students and administrators in the country. Lowering the drinking age to 18 would not have much impact in the attitude of young people since there is no much difference in maturity in 3 years. This statement is supported by a Duke University sophomore from Singapore, where the drinking age is lower.

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The reasoning behind the National Minimum Drinking Age Act is flawed, and the passing of this unnecessary law was aided by incorrect facts about teenage drinking and driving used by Senator Lautenberg and his co-sponsors to garner support for their bill. One of the lawmakers’ main arguments included statistics which said that almost 60 percent

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The drinking age in Ontario should clearly be changed and increased to the age of 21 instead of 19. It should change because drunk driving is a major issue, many health organizations have requested upon a change, and finally students react differently when alcohol is consumed. Therefore, the drinking age should clearly be raised, so all of this could happen less frequently. Health organizations are suggesting it to be changed“ The last time Ontario considered a change was in 2008, when a board of health officially requested the province to increase the drinking age to 21” (2013, Pg: ½).

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According to Main in ¨Underage Drinking and the Drinking Age” from the Policy Review, lowering the drinking age to eighteen from twenty-one would increase the harsh effects that are currently impacting our society and our military. Main insists that the United States should not get rid of the laws that set 21 as the mandatory minimum age for drinking, known as the ¨21 laws.¨ Although there are laws and severe consequences for those who drink under the age of 21, underage drinking is a huge concern, especially at college. When the undergraduates binge drink, drinking five or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion, they not only have the potential to hurt themselves, but also their peers. For example, over 474,000 students have unprotected sex,

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18 year olds are allowed to vote, this is something that directly impacts the future of the United States and everyone in it, but they are not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages. An 18 year old can enlist in the military, but he/she is not allowed to drink alcohol? This is a country you can die for before you are allowed to drink alcohol in it. In conclusion, if the legal age of adulthood is 18, then the legal drinking age should be 18, period. In conclusion, lowering the MLDA will promote and teach more responsible drinking, the three year learning period will cut down on underage drinking, and it makes the most sense because the legal age of adulthood is 18.

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For example, setting the MLDA age of 18 would allow people of that age to irresponsibly drink at bars and clubs. Paradoxically, 18 year olds, if allowed to drink, “will not drink responsibly and will most likely harm themselves or another person” according to ProCon.org (http://drinkingage.procon.org).

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A lot people question whether the legal drinking age should be lowered, or remain at 21. Some may think it isn’t such a good idea, because of the lack of maturity, and others may think it a good idea, because some people are going to do it anyway. However there are many pros and cons of lowering the legal drinking age. One pro is that the actual age where a person is considered to be an adult is 18.

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“If the legal age were lowered in the US it would have to come with much more education in this area, not just the shock-value of Every 15 Minutes” said Ulrike Skillman, math teacher at Saugus. Skillman suggests the lowering of the drinking age will have to come with more alcohol education and that is the exact purpose of a “drinking license.” Which would allow 18 year olds to consume alcohol, with strict regulations, then take classes to officially receive a “drinking license” at 21 years old. The license would replicate a driver’s license, but be geared toward consuming alcohol.

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Over the years, there have been debates about lowering the drinking age in the United States to eighteen. People argue that if a person can fight in the military or vote in elections, then he or she should be allowed the right to drink alcohol. Others feel that it is not wise to lower the legal drinking age because the results would be dangerous. Although there are arguments for lowering the drinking age, there is also an abundance of research that proves lowering the drinking age would be destructive. The legal drinking age should not be lowered to eighteen because it will give high school and even middle school students greater access to alcohol, interfere with brain development, adult rights begin at twenty-one, and increase traffic accidents among the youth.

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Lowering the drinking age: risky or safe? 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.

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People will oppose to this law, but at the age of 18 an adolescent's brain is not fully developed yet. Underage drinking is a common action in today’s society. What kids do not know is the effect that underage drinking has on their brain. Since the brain is not fully developed at the age of 18, drinking

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Society places laws to protect individuals. The rise of alcohol abuse raises the question if the minimum legal drinking age of 21 secures protection of the people. With proper enforcement of drinking laws in addition to education about alcohol, the minimum legal drinking age of 18 provides a safer drinking culture. President Ronald Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984. All states in the time

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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

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The minimum drinking age needs to be lowered in order to create experienced and responsible drinkers for the future. The excuse that the government gives to young people, that they lack maturity and judgement, is condescending and ultimately creates a country where the youth does indeed lack maturity and judgement in regards to alcohol. If the Malaysia does not lower the minimum drinking age, then the problems that this country has with alcohol will increase. Lowering the drinking age to eighteen will not fix all of the drinking problems, but it will allow for an earlier introduction of teenagers to alcohol where they are more responsible and experienced for the

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“ [The drinking age] is unfavorable because it forces youth to consume alcohol in unsupervised places that are risky and consumption may be abused.” The idea is, if the drinking age is lowered, youth will be able to drink in open, public places that can be supervised by others. By being public, it would decrease the risky behavior seen with alcohol in private, unsupervised settings. Pomata also asserts, “The age restriction inspires undesirable activities just as the National Prohibition Act did.” Some undesirable activities that are associated with underage drinking include the making and distributing of fake ID’s.

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