The legal drinking age in the United States will always be a point of contention. No one can settle upon a drinking age that everyone is in agreement with; should it be 18 or 21? Ages 18 and 21 are the most popular options, yet neither one has 100% of the vote. With the current legal drinking age in America standing at 21, meaning that people under the age of 21 cannot purchase or consume alcoholic food or beverages, there is the question of whether or not to lower it to 18 or 19 years old. This paper will argue that the drinking age should be lowered, and examine its impact on State University. Almost everyone has an opinion on what the drinking age should be. Some people believe that it should stay at 21. However, others argue that it should be lowered for the sake of teen safety. The opposition to lowering the drinking age backs their argument with science. Advocates of keeping the drinking age above twenty one believe that alcohol causes permanent damage to the still-developing brains of teenagers. This group of people includes scientists such as Susanne Hiller-Sturmhöfel, and H. Scott Swartzwelder, who have conducted scientific trials studying the effects alcohol has on the human brain. On the other hand, proponents of lowering the drinking age believe that the pros outweigh the cons of their story. To this group of people, including Ruth C. Engs, lowering the drinking age will come with restrictions still, although most of the restrictions will help educate young people about alcohol in the hopes of preventing alcohol related deaths. This is where universities come into the picture. Would keeping the legal drinking age at 21 prevent students on campuses from obtaining alcohol, therefore keeping them safe? Or wo... ... middle of paper ... ...ty, Choose. "The Minimum Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered." Teens at Risk. Ed. Christine Watkins. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Debating the Issues."chooseresponsibility.org. 2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. "State History of MLDA 21, 1933-present." ProConorg Headlines. ProCon.org, 27 Oct. 2011. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. Sullum, Jacob. "College dry: drinking age debate." Reason Dec. 2008: 16. General OneFile. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. University Center & Michael D. Rose Theatre Policy Manual. Memphis: University of Memphis, n.d. PDF. Wechsler, Henry, PhD, Jae Eun Lee, DrPH, Toben F. Nelson, MS, and Meichun Kuo, ScD. "Underage College Students’ Drinking Behavior, Access to Alcohol, and the Influence of Deterrence Policies." Journal of American College Health 5th ser. 50 (2002): 223-36. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
Lowering the legal drinking age would create problems such as infringing on the mental and physical development of the young drinker. As a respected author, Matt Nagin puts it, “The late teens and early twenties are formative years where character building, leadership in the community, and scholastic excellence should be emphasized. Alcohol detracts from all of these.” In other words, Nagin believes that the teen years are an imperative time of growth in a person’s life. Scientists have proven that the brain is not fully developed until the age of twenty five. If Nagin’s argument is correct, and I believe it is, then people should understand that scientists have proven the negative affects that alcohol has on the development of the brain. Alcohol has the power to kill brain cells and damage growth hormones. By making alcohol legally accessible to an eighteen year old, we are literally poisoning his or her brain.
"Americans Still Oppose Lowering the Drinking Age." Gallup Poll Briefing. (24 July 2014). Web. 19 Feb. 2016. The article provides the views of those who wish to keep the legal drinking age at 21. It states that almost 75% of Americans are still against lowering the drinking age. They believe that the higher age has reduced drinking and driving accidents. Also stated is the belief that since it has been in act for thirty years it should be left the same. The articles also provides statistics based on the specific classes of Americans who are for or against the issue. The purpose of the article is to show readers the benefits of keeping the drinking age as is. It was published on a website that is used to report new and political issues, therefore, allowing it to draw the attention of many people. It is unique in the fact that it provides surveys and information about the specific kinds of people that were surveyed. This article helps me with my thesis because it provides me with the views of people who do not agree with it, therefore, allowing me to show both sides of the
This issue hit home for me because it puts many people at risk for things such as car accidents, binge drinking, alcoholism, depression, suicide, and rape, things no one should ever experience, let alone in middle or high school. These reasons are why the legal age to purchase, and consume alcohol should remain at 21 years of age.
For decades, certain people have been contemplating on how to go about the issue of underage drinking; people of the government, parents, and other individuals concerned in global affairs. The problem is, the issue of underage drinking and the nationwide ineffectiveness of the drinking age law of twenty-one isn't debated and discussed as much and as aggressively as it should be. And the main components of discussion ought to be the matter of binge drinking among teenagers and college students, drinking issues and statistics in foreign countries, and finally, possible solutions for this problem. The main point is that the states of our country can only attempt to enforce the law rather than try approaching the problem in any other way. So for that reason, states should be allowed to figure out and experiment on possible ways to solve this matter on their own without government interference.
Eighteenth birthdays are a time for celebration and good times. It was my friend’s big day and she wanted just that. She asked her parents for a party, and like most teenagers she wanted alcohol to be involved. In order to keep her house and the people inside it safe, she had to make a few precautions before the party. These rules ranged from keeping the music volume moderate, closing the windows, and warning the neighbors beforehand. The party was under control and everyone was being courteous and controlled. Around midnight, two new guests walked around back through the sliding door and crashed the party. Unfortunately, they weren’t just people we forgot to call, they were police officers, and once they entered they immediately began arresting my friends. Luckily, none of us were charged because the police officers lacked probable cause for entering the house. I thought I would never see that kind of police harassment again. Unfortunately, I was dead wrong.
Primarily, the drinking age should be lowered to teach responsibility and safety in young adults. The idea seems paradoxical; however, the high drinking age that is present in the U.S. today has only pushed underage drinking underground (Balko 458). In fact, America has the highest minimum drinking age in the world (Balko 459). Even though the American drinking age remains high, America still remains with an astonishingly large number of alcohol-related accidents and deaths. Is this statement a coincidence? Throughout the years alcohol has become more and more of an issue in young adults, but the correct actions are not taking place. If alcohol were to legally be put in the hands of Americans eighteen and above, these individuals would likely be forced to learn a sense of safety and responsibility. As stated by Caryn Sul...
Liquor stores, bars, and clubs all want to make money, and if they can get away with selling to underage teens, then they will. A study done by the Academic Search Premier agrees that,?By now it is obvious that the law has not succeeded in preventing the under-21 group from drinking? Michael Smith - 1st place. There are a lot of benefits to having the drinking age change to eighteen. The amount of binge drinking would lessen, and the amount of outrage to drink would also decrease.
Bob Marley once said, “Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction.” This is the case when it comes to teens and alcohol. In America, the National Minimum Legal Drinking Age is a topic of great debate and controversy. Many people argue that the age restriction provides a safe environment for all citizens; whereas others disagree that the law creates an untrustworthy aura among teens. If the minimum legal drinking age were to be lowered, most people would be affected by it, whether it be by an increase in drunk-driving or a rise in crimes. Although teens are legally considered adults by the age of eighteen and the minimum legal drinking age prompts underage teens to exhibit risky behavior, the age restriction should not be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen because young teens would have easier access to alcohol, the minimum legal drinking age has decreased alcohol-related problems, and alcohol can cause damage to underage drinkers.
Main, Carla T. “Underage Drinking and the Drinking Age.” Policy Review. June/July 2009: 33-46. Wilson OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition. Web. 3 Mar. 2010.
Engs,Professor at Indiana University has been studying the topic of lowering the legal drinking age for the past twenty years. He has found that “a majority of the college students under this age consume alcohol but in an irresponsible manner. This is because drinking by these youth is seen as an enticing “forbidden fruit” (Why the drinking age should be lowered,1). This is not the first time that this policy has been discussed. During the National Prohibition in the 1920s these laws made every state change their MLDA to 21 years old. But these laws were repealed because they were unenforceable and caused other social problems. Facts show that young adult underage are more likely to be “binge” drinkers. 32% of heavy drinkers were underage while only 24% were of legal age (Why the drinking age should be lowered, 1). Research from the 1980s reveal that there has been a decrease in drinking and drinking among students before the law that made every states MLDA 21 years old. But many other factors may have decreased this rate. “There has been an increase in other problems related to heavy and irresponsible drinking among college age youth. Most of these reported behaviors showed little change until after the 21 year old law in 1987. For example from 1982 until 1987 about 46% of students reported "vomiting after drinking." This jumped to over 50% after the law change. Significant increase were also found for other variables: "cutting class after drinking" jumped from 9%
Lawmakers should not consider lowering the drinking age from twenty-one to eighteen. Despite the deep value this country places on freedom, personal liberties, and personal responsibilities, the data shows that public safety is greatly at risk if the drinking age were to be lowered to twenty-one. A variety of groups believe that the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen deeming that the twenty-one law is unconstitutional. On the opposing side, people agree that the law helps to protect our young people and the communities where they live.
Without a doubt, the United States has been facing serious national problems with underage drinking. Depending on personal ideologies, some people might not agree that the current minimum drinking age of twenty-one is based on scientific facts rather then ideology of prohibitionism. For example, since 1975 over seventeen thousand lives have been saved since the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) was changed to age twenty-one (Balkin 167). This shows that even over a short amount of time, a higher MLDA helps decrease the risk of teen suicides, accidents and overdose deaths. However, this widely debated topic has inevitably brought attention to the plethora of supporting and opposing viewpoints. The minimum legal drinking age of twenty-one has shown significant results in the prevention of accidents and death studies across the board. Accordingly, the MLDA should remain at the current age of twenty-one.
college students have found drinking at American universities has grown to become a defining part of college life despite the fact that a majority of college students cannot even legally drink. Lowering the drinking the drinking age could prove to be an effective step in changing the party hard way of life by encouraging responsible drinking and take the trill away from getting away with drinking. Students also binge drink to get as drunk as fast as possible. The dangers of this are obvious. If the age...
Despite the problems that would arise, many people are beginning to feel that the drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. Studies have been made; however, no hard evidence suggesting lowering the minimum drinking age would help have surfaced. Although there are countless studies of how alcohol has many harmful effects on teenagers, there is a great deal of negative criticism about what if the drinking age is lowered. Some would say the morally right decision is to not allow teens the chance to hurt themselves. Everyone is entitled to having his or her own opinions and beliefs. However, the overall health of the youth of our country seems a little more important than some personal belief. The drinking age should not be lowered due to the fact drunk driving, juvenile delinquency, and alcohol-related medical issues related to teens will increase.
Many people believe that the drinking age of 21 protects teenagers from harming themselves but the age restriction is only causing more harm for them.