However, these teenagers also live in fear of getting caught for drinking and thus, consume their alcohol in unsafe environments; typically, these dwellings are where they can “escape” disturbances and predicaments, but usually encounter more. These environments are generally unsupervised and in groups of “children” that are ignorant of responsible drinking habits. Due to their apprehension of being caught, teenagers tend to never confess to an adult of the troubles they encountered as they drank and, therefore, may further affect their experience. Thus, if the drinking age was lowered to eighteen, a teenager would have the ability to be more straightforward with their drinking and would be able to drink in more supervised locations. They would also begin to drink in moderation since there is no longer the appeal of a “forbidden” rebellion.
If peers encourage others to drink alcohol underage, often teens will drink to feel more accepted by their peers. Schools can counter this influence by sending out a “don’t drink” message. Often schools have classes, such as health, which will encourage students to not drink and drive, or to say “no” to alcohol, but Levine claims that many schools do not have these types of classes. According to the Amethyst Initiative, 18 year-olds are not
She says that today’s laws on alcohol are impracticable. With the drinking age at 21, teens do not get the chance early enough to learn about how to drink gradually, safely, and in moderation. She proves a very good point. European teens already know how to drink safely, causing less binge drinking and less alcohol-related injuries. The rules on alcohol consumption are impractical.
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
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.
[23][36] MLDA 21 exerts valuable social pressure on potential underage drinkers. Youth may choose not to drink, or to drink less often, because of decreased social acceptability or increased risks from parental or legal authorities. Older youth and adults may furnish alcoholic beverages to minors less frequently, and licensed alcohol outlets may sell to minors less frequently, because of their perceptions that it is illegal, morally wrong, or because they might be caught.
Many students do this, because it is fun. It’s the thrill of doing something they’re forbidden to do. If drinking were made legal for eighteen-year-olds, there wouldn’t be as much of a thrill or excitement to it. Yet another legitimate reason to lower the drinking age to eighteen is that there are young men and women who don’t look old enough to be holding a gun fighting for our freedom and risking their own necks every day. But they are denied the right to drink an alcoholic beverage after being shot at in the sand all day.
The Dangers Of Teen Drinking While alcohol is legal to people age twenty-one and up, most teenagers partake in events that involve alcohol. However teens do not realize that alcohol is a drug. Averaging from the age of twelve to seventeen, alcohol is the highest used drug. (DiscoveryHealth.com) Teenagers may just think of this as a beverage to become more social or to fit in but do not realize the hard facts of alcohol. It has lasting effects on a developing brain of a teenager, it can affect everyday life, and the long term effects of alcohol can permanently damage one's body.
Teenage drinking affects the academic achievements of many teens that drink; in some cases that involves poor or failing grades and excessive absences. A long-term effect of teenagers consuming alcohol is the fact that they are more prone to addiction. 87% of teens who drink alcohol before the age of twenty one are susceptible to being alcoholics for the rest of their lives. Drinking is a major factor in the leading cause of teen deaths. Most teenagers do not outgrow the unhealthy habit of heavy drinking.
More watchful parents and closely monitoring a child's friends will lessen or eliminate the ease of accessibility to not only marijuana, but other drugs as well. As a society, we have failed our youth in many areas of life. Youth need positive role models that are concerned about protecting them from harm and leading them in the right direction to go on a lead productive, drug-free lives despite any changes made to the laws. Being that age restrictions are put on everything else, there should be legal age restrictions for people who can legally purchase marijuana. People who can legally purchase marijuana should not be allowed to be around anyone under the age of 21 while the are under the influence or have marijuana in their possession.