The Pros And Cons Of The Minimum Legal Drinking Age

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Alcohol is an illicit drug that is often used in society. People consume alcohol for many different reasons: celebration, depression, anxiety, boredom, and peer pressure. Alcohol targets different culture, gender and ages of people. In 2012, it has been reported that teenage students have consumed alcohol (more than just a few sips) by the end of high school, and more than 1/2 have done so by 8th grade. It is incredibly simple for a teenager to find a way to attain alcohol. Even though it is illegal, it is available for their disposal through liquor cabinets at home or even older friends who buy it for them. Since there are so many possible outcomes of using alcohol, should the minimum legal drinking age be lowered to the age of eighteen? This paper will cover the pros and cons of alcohol among teenagers and weather the drinking age should remain the age of Twenty-One and the history of how it was set at that age. The Minimum Legal Drinking Age The Minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is the most well –studies alcohol control policy in the United States (Wagenaar and Toomey, 2000). The intention of this policy is to lower alcohol use and its associated problems among the youth. Following Prohibition must states have …show more content…

Youth who did not experience legal access to alcohol until age 21 (as a result of external policy changes raising the legal age) not only reduced their drinking during ages 18 to 20, but exhibited lower rates of drinking during the ages 21 to 25, after they had attained legal age. In short, in addition to the age of initiation effect, there may be a further age of legal initiation effect. The implication is that even if first use of drinking during the teenage years may have further beneficial effects during adulthood, in addition to the teenage injuries and other problems that may be

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