Drinking Age To 18 Essay

Change Legal Drinking Age To 18 In 1984, a law was passed raising the national drinking age of all states and provinces to 21. Since then, studies have shown that 75% of 12th graders, 67% of 10th graders, and 40% of 8th graders have consumed alcohol (McCardell 1). supporting the fact that the law has “utterly failed” (Engs). Many say that the drinking age of 21 should be kept because of problems with younger people becoming dangerous and undesirable. However, studies of all 50 states show that more alcohol related fatalities occur in states with higher drinking ages, and that having a higher drinking age does not make young adults safer. Other societies have proven by trial that employing a lower drinking age proves to be safer, and teaches…show more content…
Students view drinking alcohol abusively as a “forbidden fruit”, and creates more of a pleasure for them. People against lowering the drinking age argue that legally allowing 18 year olds to drink would create more irresponsibility. However, allowing those students to legally drink would eliminate the forbidden fruit idea and would allow them to learn what is socially responsible at home from their parents. All in all, the nation and young adults individually would benefit from lowering the drinking age to…show more content…
Hanson, David J. “The Drinking Age: Science vs Ideology”. 2007. D.J. Hanson. 25 February
2009. <http://www2.potsdam.edu>.
La Zizza, Joe. “Have a drink on us.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor).” National Review
60.19 (Oct 20, 2008): 2. Student Resource Center – Gold. Gale. PINECREEK HIGH SCHOOL. 16 Mar. 2009 <http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodld=IPS.>
McCardell, John. “The Status Quo Has Bombed.(drinking age). “U.S. News & World Report
145.6 (Sept 15, 2008): 11. Professional Collection. Gale. PINECREEK HIGH SCHOOL. 16 Mar. 2009 <http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodld=IPS>
"Spending Power." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. Eds. Jeffrey Lehman and Shirelle
Phelps. Vol. 9. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 3 pp. 13 vols. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. PINECREEK HIGH SCHOOL. 20 March 2009
<http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS>.
Sullum, Jacob. "College dry: drinking age debate.(Citings)." Reason 40.7 (Dec
2008): 16(1). Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. PINECREEK HIGH SCHOOL. 1 Mar. 2009. <http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS>.
Wilkinson, Will. “Bottoms Up!.” Forbes 182.5 (Sept 29, 2008): 28. Student Resource Center