Underage Drinking

Underage Drinking

In the article Why the Drinking Age should be Lowered, Ruth Engs believes that the drinking age should be lowered to about 18 or 19. Engs is a Professor at Indiana University in the Health and Sciences department. In this article Engs makes a valid point in that “responsible drinking could be taught through role modeling and educational programs.” Engs also states facts about the different drinking ages in other countries, and that the United States has the highest legal purchasing age for alcoholic beverages in the world.

According to Engs’s research all of the irresponsible behaviors involving drinking such as: fighting, drinking and driving, students missing class because of hangovers, or vomiting after drinking has risen since they changed the law in 1987. All of these acts are from underage drinking or “underground drinking”. Engs makes the assumption that “the current prohibition is not working, the need for alternative approaches from the experience of other, and more ancient cultures, which do not have these problems and need to be tried”. Youth learn from their parents how to responsibly drink in other cultures. These are the related activities that work and the government needs to realize this.

This argument that Engs provides for society is entirely believable. The background and the amount of research she has done have been proven through facts in her argument. Facts such as; legal drinking ages in other countries, This article is also believable because the drinking age was 18 in the past, and it is possible that the government will change the drinking age back to 18 in the future. This article is drawn towards adults that are under the age of 21 and to the government, in regards ...

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...cation concerning drunk driving, designated driver programs, increased seat belt and air bag usage, safer automobiles, lower speed limits, and free taxi services from drinking establishments”. Engs disagrees with the government and is proving that people under the age of 21 who choose to consume alcohol are responsible drinkers.

One can tell that the values, beliefs, and attitude that Engs has towards the topic of underage drinking are strong. This argument is very persuasive and convincing because of the emotions, facts, and values that Engs includes in this article. This article could change the government’s perspective about the legal drinking age. Society could come to the realization that the drinking age should change to 18 or 19. Other countries or cultures have this law why shouldn’t we? This is the question one may ponder while reading this argument.