Essay on Arguments for and against Lowering the Drinking Age

The controversy on the proper drinking age is one that has been repeatedly discussed and researched over the years. Its common to hear the argument â€Å"If someone is old enough to take a bullet for their country, they should be allowed to drink alcohol.† But is that enough justification? Some would say no. â€Å"According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) it is estimated that in 2004 there were more than 1,700 student deaths, 599,000 injuries, and 696,000 assaults annually associated with excessive drinking† (Fennell 247). Given these numbers, would lowering the drinking age really be the best thing for America’s youth? In fact, the state and federal laws for consuming alcohol are different. â€Å"The federal law†¦show more content†¦Was it a good decision to choose 21 as the legal drinking age? Research shows that â€Å"alcohol consumption, heavy drinking, and daily alcohol use has declined among young adults age 18-2 0 since the 1980s† (Wechsler). Along with the decline in consumption, the percentage of alcohol-related traffic fatalities has also dramatically declined from the 1980s until 1997 when it leveled off. (Wechsler). (Wechsler). Despite the positive results that have come about since this law was passed, it is pretty clear that it has not prevented people under 21 from obtaining and drinking alcohol. College campuses across the country report problems with students binge drinking and students who drink deliberately to get drunk (Smith). â€Å"Today, the generally accepted definition of binge drinking is the consumption of five or more drinks in a row at least once in the past 2 weeks† (Binge). Some of the reasons given for binge drinking range from being curious to trying to escape from the ever-present stress in our lives. The latter reason is more prevalent in college students. â€Å"College students are more likely to engage in heavy drinking than their peers who do not attend college with 2 in 5 students nationally engaging in binge drinking on at least 1 occasion in the past 2 weeks† (Wechsler). Some believe that making the drinking age 21 is one cause of the currentShow MoreRelatedThe Leg al Drinking Age Should Be During The United States1387 Words   |  6 Pagesdebate about what the legal drinking age should be in the United States has been ubiquitous. People of all ages advocate both for and against lowering the age, and some people do not even have an opinion. What has led people to their specific convictions, and what facts do they possess that support these convictions? In the following paragraphs, this popular controversy will be addressed as each position is thoroughly analyzed. Many people today advocate for the drinking age to remain where it is, suchRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Agre1173 Words   |  5 PagesThe legal age of adulthood in the United States for most purposes is 18. At the age of 18, a person enters the realm of adulthood and is assigned the rights and responsibilities associated with this legal status. For example, an 18 year old can legally sign a contract and is bound by the terms and conditions of the contract. An 18 year old can marry without parental consent, serve on a jury, and vote in state and federal elections. An 18 year old who is charged with a crime is not tried in theRead MoreShould the Drinking Age be Lowered in the United States?1017 Words   |  5 Pagesdebate on the drinking age? The United States can take a look at other States such as: Germany, the Netherlands and France, and see how successful they are. Many teenagers would jump on the bandwagon of lowering the drinking age just because they want to have the a bility to drink, the argument of being able to die for the United States but can’t drink and it would take away the â€Å"Forbidden Fruit† of drinking. Much of the older generations would jump on the bandwagon of keeping the drinking age the sameRead MoreDrinking at 18 Essay1243 Words   |  5 PagesDrinking at 18 If you look around at college parties it seems as if everyone is drinking. Actually you are probably right, but over half of those people drinking are also under the legal drinking age. Drinking is one of the main forms of entertainment for the typical college student. The only problem with drinking being the main form of entertainment is that half of the students in college or 20 years or younger. This seems to be a problem all over theRead MoreThe Drinking Age Of The United States Should Be Lowered929 Words   |  4 PagesAn argument that many tend to dispute today, whether the drinking age of the United States should be lowered from 21 to 18. The drinking age for people to drink alcoholic beverages was made into law by the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. This ant enforced all states to raise their legal drinking age to 21. To get this law pass, the congress tried to strongarm the states, if the states did not comply, the government would take away their highway funds. Both arg uments for it to be lowered and toRead MoreFavors for and Against Lowering the Legal Drinking Age771 Words   |  4 PagesFactors In Favor of and Against Khimley Young Critical Thinking and Problem Solving/ Hum 200 AOS Instructor Dr. Steven Mathews October 24, 2012 Lowering the Legal Drinking Age to 18: Yea or Nay Argument in Favor of Lowering the Legal Drinking Age The age of 18 is a transitional point in life. An 18-year=old can vote, marry, enlist in the military and buy cigarettes. To some it’s absurd that an 18-year-old can vote politicians into office and fight wars for the country but cannotRead MoreLowering the Drinking Age1523 Words   |  7 Pages According to Andrew Herman, â€Å"Each year, 14,000 die from drinking too much. 600,000 are victims of alcohol related physical assault and 17,000 are a result of drunken driving deaths, many being innocent bystanders† (470). These massive numbers bring about an important realization: alcohol is a huge issue in America today. Although the problem is evident in Americans of all ages, the biggest issue is present in young adults and teens. In fact, teens begin to feel the effects of alcohol twice asRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age ( Mlda )1428 Words   |  6 Pagesthem? Since 1984 the legal drinking age has been 21, but that hasn’t stopped many of the younger adults, ag es 18-20, from partying with their friends, and consuming alcoholic beverages. It has lasted over the years as a popular way to rebel against parents, or other authority. Alcohol has a sort of â€Å"forbidden fruit† quality for young adults and teens because it is made out to be such a big deal by the government. Lowering it will get rid of this quality. 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Some people believe that binge drinking can be solved by lowering the drinking age, but lowering the drinking age is not the solution to binge drinking. Many teenagers spend their