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Minimum Legal Lowering Age

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Although some say lowering the minimum legal drinking age, or MLDA, will only cause more underage drinking and harm the adolescent brain, the MLDA should be lowered to 18 because the legal age of adulthood is 18, and lowering the legal drinking age will cut down on underage drinking, increase responsible drinking, and decrease drunk driving accidents. In Illinois, teenagers get a permit one year before they can legally drive a car on their own, this teaches responsibility and accountability while driving, so why do we not learn how to drink responsibly? Why, on our 21st birthdays do we all go out and get so blackout drunk that our friends have to carry us home? The issue here is that teens are not taught how to drink responsibly so there …show more content…

This is true, but if the minimum legal drinking age is lowered to 18 years old and drinking is only allowed under parental supervision the drinking will be more responsible and will not damage the adolescent brain because the drinking is not severe. Preliminary studies suggest that rats exposed to high levels of alcohol during adolescence may be more sensitive to alcohol-induced memory impairments later in life (White et al., 2000).Although the causes of these long-lasting changes are unclear, they may in some cases involve alcohol-induced injury to the nervous system. In rats, exposure to high amounts of alcohol produces more extensive brain damage in adolescents than adults (Crews et al., 2000). To summarize, supporters of a higher minimum legal drinking age believe that alcohol has adverse affects on the adolescent brain. Although some may believe that a higher legal drinking age is the solution to all of our underage drinking problems, it most definitely is not, the MLDA should be 18 and between 18 and 21 consumption of alcohol is only legal under parental supervision, this is because teens will become more responsible drinkers, it will decrease underage drinking, and the legal age of adulthood is …show more content…

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. Keeping the legal drinking age the same is doing nothing to help this country or the people in it, more people will die or be seriously injured because of alcohol if we do nothing to promote responsible drinking. This paper might not make a difference in the fight to lower the MLDA, or treat the young adults in this country like true adults, but you

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