Why Not Eighteen? Why is it legal for an eighteen-year-old to be able to sacrifice their life for their country, to get married, and to vote, but illegal for them to drink? The controversy and arguments for lowering the drinking age have been debated for years. Beginning with the early 1900s, the eighteenth amendment was ratified and had outlawed the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States following the Prohibition Movement. However, this amendment was ineffective in its enforcement and people continued to smuggle and consume alcohol as freely as they wanted.
The drinking age isn't meant to be a big deal, but the first couple years of lowering the drinking age could cause many students to be reckless. There are many responsibilities that come along with drinking at a low age, most importantly drinking and driving. Lowering the age will reduce all such problems, but at first will seem extremely hectic. Lowering the current drinking age of 21-and-over will allow young Americans, most of who are perfectly capable of drinking responsibly; to no longer drink in private or in short amounts of time, thus alleviating potentially dangerous conditions. Drinking privately is extremely unsafe and when kids are in a situation they can't handle, they can then ask for help.
However, the author believes that the actual alcohol isn't the problem but instead the problem is the law of 21 being the legal age for drinking. Seaman thinks that because the underage kids are prohibited to drink legally they are more tempted to do it but if the drinking limit were to be lowered to 18 then yes at first they would drink a lot but eventually they would get bored of it and they'd settle down to get their other priorities straight. Hence, Barrett Seaman hopes that pre gamers are allowed to come out so they can begin to learn to have control over alcohol like any adult. I really liked this essay, it’s something that I’ve had experience with, not so much as the underage drinking, but pre gaming before going out was something that I
So why can’t they enjoy a few beers legally? That is the question asked by many and has yet an exact and final answer on whether it will be allowed. According to David J. Hanson, an alcohol policy expert at the State University of New York-Potsdam, “Raising the drinking age to 21 was passed with the very best of intentions, but it’s had the very worst of outcomes” (Johnson, 1). Drinking in young people is becoming a serious problem as days move on, but having the drinking age at 21 is not helping solve these problems. Something
DRINKING AGE LIMIT On December 5, 1933, the repeal of alcohol prohibition by the 21st Amendment allowed each state to set its own drinking age limit laws. At that time most of the states’ minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) was 21. Later during the Vietnam War era, the passage of the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 in July 1, 1971. Following this, thirty states lowered their MLDA to 20, 19, and 18. During the 1970’s reports showed that teenage car accidents increased in states where the MLDA had been lowered from 21 years old.
This has been an issue topic for quite some time now, and more states are considering revising the law. It is evident in highschool, college, and in public places that 21 is not a working age. It has been clear sense day one that Prohibition never worked in the past, and it will not work now. Now is an appropriate time to make changes to our alcohol policy and begin educating and regulating adults starting at 18 how to drink
Researchers have pointed out that minimum drinking age laws in the U.S. are a post-Prohibition phenomenon. Prior to the repeal of the Eighteenth amendment (Prohibition), state laws prohibiting minors from possession or use of alcohol were unusual. Adolescent alcohol consumption was regulated by the informal controls of family, community, peers, and self-restraint. The only drinking controls that have enjoyed any success over the centuries are social and cultural constraints. I continue to witness the fundamental goodness of our young people and their capacity to be truly adult in their behavior, when given the chance.
Many believe that reducing the drinking age would be an opportunity to increase safety in under-twenty-one drinkers, and reduce yearly fatalities. “In 1999…New Zealand lowered the drinking age from 20 to 18 and…alcohol-related crashes involving 15-to-19-year-olds subsequently fell” (Sanghavi). Public safety is better now than it was in 1984, “thanks to the effective public advocacy of organizations [such as] Mothers Against Drunk Driving” (McCardell). Also, “we are far more aware of the risks of drinking and driving” and “[a]utomobiles are much safer” (McCardell). “Alcohol related fatalities have declined over the past 25 years…in all age groups” (McCardell).
Don’t get me wrong I do agree that there should be an age requirement on alcoholic beverages however not at the age of 21. The fact that teenagers become adults at the age of eighteen proves that purchasing and consuming alcohol should be part of being “an adult.” At the age of eighteen one is deemed an adult and with this comes benefits and great responsibility. As an adult you are able to drive, attend college purchase cigarettes, vote, fight for you country, apply for social security, go to jail, and most importantly you are no longer your parents responsibity. Because of all these responsibilities. I believe that purchasing and consuming alcohol should be added to this long list of things.
Name: Leow Peng Shen Class: DB6 Tutor: MS Liyana Shazleen Mohd Nizar MAT: J15017331 Why the drinking age should not be lowered Alcohol belongs to the category of psychoactive substances one can legally buy in almost any country, according to certain criteria. Most often it is about age; in the majority of cases, it is set to 21 years old. However, in a number of countries such as Australia, China or Russia, it is set to 18 years old. Considering that alcohol can lead to unpredictable behaviour and other negative consequences, the drinking age should not be lowered. One of the first associations which come to our mind when talking about alcohol is driving.