The United States should lower the drinking age since it being 21 doesn't stop anyone. In the 70s the drinking age was 18 and it didn't make anyone a criminal. It would also generate a lot of money and since they made the age 21 a lot of teens have been binge drinking. The fact that colleges support lowering the drinking age tells you that it isn't a bad idea. A few of the colleges that support it are some of the best colleges in the U.S. like Duke, Dartmouth, and many more. The only reason the drinking age was raised in the first place was because the Mothers Against Drinking.“I'm going to lower the drinking age to eighteen. If you're old enough to die in Iraq, you're old enough to drink.”
Alcohol seems to be an important part of daily life for many people. It's a substance associated with having fun amongst friends and family. Fortunately, certain laws help to protect us against the dangers that alcohol potentially brings upon our society. Although a section of the population argues for lowering the drinking age to 18, there have been many benefits with keeping it at 21. The main purpose of setting the Minimum Legal Drinking Age at 21 is to provide safety for the public, which should be the primary responsibility of the government. Despite popular belief, the drinking age was not only set to prevent teens from drinking and making bad decisions. It was set at 21 years because teenagers can develop serious health issues from consuming
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.
Robert Voas states teen pregnancy, sexual assaults, and crime rates have increased due to underage drinking. Alcohol consumption at a college age leads to 600,000 physical assaults and 70,000 sexual assaults yearly according to a study (464). Joyce Alcantara claims if the age were lowered back to eighteen then it would put younger teens at risk (468). People tend to have friends around their same age. So, if eighteen year olds were allowed to drink then their friends which are roughly around the age of sixteen or seventeen would likely have an alcoholic drink in their hand as well. “There’s No Benefit to Lowering the Drinking Age” explains, on average about eleven teens die daily as a result of drunk driving (Voas 464). When teens throw a party, alcohol is usually involved. Then once the party is over the kids have to get home somehow and they often drive themselves. When an alcoholic drink is placed in an eighteen-year-old hand decisions are made that harm them and others
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.
In the United States of America, eighteen years of age is when teenagers are finally considered adults by others around them. As an adult they now have the same rights as everyone around them. With the exception of one law that keeps them in a lower class. This restriction keeping them from being like everyone else is that they are still not able to consume alcohol legally. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act raising the drinking age in all fifty states as well as the District of Columbia to twenty-one years of age (“In the early 1980’s...”). Once the Mothers Against Drunk Driving presented a very strong argument for why the drinking age should be raised, the law went into effect immediately. President
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.
Should the United States lower the legal drinking age, which is now twenty-one, to a more reasonable age, such as eighteen. The legal drinking age is unjust and unfair. Therefore, it should be lowered to eighteen to make all adults equal. Individuals often compare drinking with unsuccessfulness and/or recklessness, and that is not the case at all. Overtime there have been millions of successful and intelligent people that commonly consumed alcohol. Some of these individuals include; Mark Twain, Stephen King, and our founding father Benjamin Franklin.
Should the legal age for alcohol consumption be lowered? In the United States, The legal drinking age is 21, but in my research, I have found that it is actually allowed, under certain circumstances and situations, to people of even lower age. Though all 50 US states have set their minimum drinking age to 21, exceptions do exist on a state-by-state basis for consumption at home, under adult supervision, for medical necessity, and other reasons. In fact, all but 5 states, Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, New Hampshire, and West Virginia, under age drinking is permitted. Parents are allowed to furnish alcohol to minors if they are under proper supervision. Also bartenders are allowed to drink at 20 years old, which is the lowest legal bartending age.
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
Drinking has gone on for thousands of years, dating back to biblical and Roman times. It was seen as a tradition, and even now in other cultures around the world it is too, but in the United States it is not as prevalent. Most Americans do not view drinking as a religious act and abuse alcohol. Even for those who are considered social drinkers do not overindulge and excessively drink. They know what their limit is and tend to stop. Some religions encourage alcohol consumption, while others despise it. Not all drinking in religion is seen as very ceremonial or a tradition. “Buddhism… generally states that nothing should be taken that will alter the natural state of the body. Islam, on the other hand, teaches that the consumption of alcohol is
In the United States, turning 18 is a huge step for people as it marks individuals entering the adult world. At that age they are considered an adult in society. Open to more liberties, these young adults can drive, vote, join the military, and die for their country; however, they cannot possess or purchase alcohol. The current minimum legal drinking age, also known as MLDA, in America is 21. Numerous debates still occur today about the minimum drinking age. A poll taken on July 2014 asked the public opinion of US adults for lowering the US legal drinking age from 21 to 18. Approximately 74% of the people opposed the idea, whereas roughly 25% of the people supported the idea ("Public Opinion" 1). The statistics indicate satisfaction among the majority of the people; however, with the current laws many issues arise that must be addressed concerning alcohol use. For starters, studies show an increase of dangerous drinking habits among young adults (Hall 2). In addition, the enforcement of the drinking laws and education on alcohol is insubstantial (Moyse, Fonder 3). 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.
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.
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.
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.