Should the Minimum Legal Drinking Age be lowered from 21? There are many arguments about the Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 (MLDA21) in the United States. One says that we should maintain MLDA21 because alcohol is bad for young people. Young people does not have prudent mind, so they tend to fall into a drunk driving. On the other hand, the age of 18 is enough to drink alcohol because people who are 18 years old are regarded as legal adults and therefore they are able to get married, smoke cigarette or drink alcohol by their own decision. In this essay, I read and evaluate two essays that are written about different positions for MLDA21 and figure out which essay is more convincing, clear, strong logical and so on by the skills that I have …show more content…
Morris E. Chafetz. As we can know from the title, he is proponent for lowering MLDA 21. He regrets voting reluctantly yes for raising MLDA from 18 to 21, but he thinks that MLDA21 has not worked because “drunk driving fatalities are lower now than what they were in 1982.” The main claim is that MLDA should be 18 because “at age 18, one is a legal adult.” and the author believes “there is no evidence of brain impairment, alcohol dependency, or underage alcohol abuse” Another important claim is that “the problem is not drink – it is the drinker.” The author says that we should not emphasis on alcohol itself but emphasis on the person and its surroundings. In conclusion, the author believes that we should be allowed to think freely about MLDA21 and more responsible alcohol consumption is likely to …show more content…
The essay implies no matter how old drinking people are older MLDA will lead to less drinking, fewer injuries and fewer deaths. In other words, if MDLA is lowered to 18 or lower, then young people tend to fall in drunk driving and they will be injured or die. As a statistical example, this essay uses the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s estimation which has saved more than 25,000 lives since 1975 after setting the MDLA 21. This research strengthens this essay’s claim that higher MDLA proves the higher life-saving. On the other hand, the proponent essay says that “drunk driving fatalities are lower now than they were in 1982”, but the author does not uses any statistical research which proves that they are lower
According to M.A.D.D.(Mothers Against Drunk Driving), in 2010 the highest drunk driving rates were found amongst those ages 21 to 25 , and 18 to 20. After age 25, the drunk driving rates decrease. Some people think that part of the problem with alcohol abuse by young people say, is that the legal drinking age in the United States is too high. "When we raise the drinking age to 21, which incidentally is the highest in the world, it makes drinking more attractive to young people," says David J. Hanson, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology at the State University of New York at Potsdam. Critics of the drinking age limit also point to the fact that at 18, U.S. citizens can vote, marry and own a gun, but cannot legally gulp a beer.
Although it is a law commonly evaded; it prevents young people from car accidents and alcohol abuse or dependence. In the article is acknowledged that “more than 40 percent of college students reported at least one symptom of alcohol abuse or dependence”; a rate that would be highly increased if the drinking age is reduced. On top of that, it is worth considering the magnitude in which car accidents have dropped since the drinking age was lowered. The organization Mother Against Drunk Driving (MADD) CEO Chuck Hurley said “Nearly all peer- reviewed studies looking at the change showed raising the driving age reduced drunk-driving deaths.” It is undeniable that lowering the drinking age would generate an already managed issue in regards alcohol and its relation to car
“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.
Today in the United States about 4,358 people under the age of 21 years old die each year from alcohol-related car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning, and other injuries such as falls, burns, and even drowning. More than 190,000 people under the age of 21 visited an emergency room for alcohol related reasons in 2008 alone. Alcohol related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and non-fatally injure someone every two minutes. That’s a lot of people gone because they wanted to go out and party and not think about the consequences ahead. In this essay I’m gonna give you information to why Underage Drinking is very very bad for you.
Shots Fired The ratification of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in which the sale, manufacture and transportation of intoxicating liquids was made illegal was a period in American history known as Prohibition. Prohibition was not the first and certainly isn’t going to be the last time alcohol consumption and the government collides. Today, many Americans are posing the question- should the minimum legal drinking age be lowered to eighteen or should it stay at the age of twenty-one? In 1984, the national minimum drinking age in the United States became twenty-one years old.
In 1984 Congress passed the National Minimum Purchase Act. The law was passed to urge states to change their legal drinking age to 21. Congress assumed that if they raised the legal drinking age it would save a lot of lives. They believed that 21-year old’s stood more mature than an 18-year-old. I personally believe that was a big mistake,
According to published article on CNN website, proponents in favor of raising the minimal drinking age to 25 assert that it helps significantly to reduce traffic accidents as well as other alcohol linked accidents caused by younger people. The author reveals that the fact that alcohol is easily at the disposal of young people, it is opened further doors to other illegal drugs in the hands of teenagers whose brains are not yet fully developed (Griggs, 2015). Others argue
I think the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18 because 18 is the age the of majority. If someone at this age can serve in the military and vote, then they should be able to make the decision to buy alcohol. The drinking age in america has had a bit of history. The national drinking age was raised in 1984 with the passing of National Minimum Drinking Age Act.
If 18 year olds were able to consume alcohol, they would not be breaking the law (“9 Prevailing Pros”). Another pro to lowering the MLDA is that if college students are able to go to school and pay for their classes, they should be able to handle and purchase alcohol. College students take out loans risking their credit, and by doing this it shows humans are responsible enough to make adult life decisions. If a college student is mature enough to go into debt at the age of 18, then people should be able to purchase alcoholic beverages
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.
In 1984, the federal drinking age was raised to twenty-one. Since that time, there have been many positive results, such as the increase of brain activity in the frontal lobe of young people before the drinking age. However, there have also been some negative effects such as an increase of binge drinking near the legal age to drink. As over 100 colleges presidents who favor considering the federal drinking age point out, college students are binge drinking to the point of passing out and potentially dying of alcohol poisoning. MADD and others, however, argue against lowering the drinking age, noting that young adults and alcohol do not mixed because it can result in drunk driving which leads to accidents that can kill or maim people.
This law changed to 21 because all states would “lose a certain percentage of federal highway dollars” (“Frequently Asked”). Not only that but the rates of excessive drinking went up, along with drunk driving. Driving alone is hard enough, especially if the person is a new driver, but add alcohol and there is a very deadly mix. Being able to legally drink at the age of “21 decreased the number of fatal traffic accidents for 18- to 20-year-olds by 13% and saved approximately 27,052 lives from 1975-2008” (“Should the Drinking Age”). Since there have been less drunk driving accidents when the minimum age for drinking changed to 21, it is a safer environment if the drinking age is left at 21 instead of being
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.
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. The drinking age has been a debate between the ages 18 to the age of 21 for a while now. Over the years, studies have showed favors toward the age of 21.
One of the primary reasons why this bill was passed was to prevent traffic deaths caused by young drunk drivers. Why is 21 the ideal age to drink alcohol? I respectfully disagree with reasoning above and believe that national minimum drinking age should be