Lowering Drinking Age to 18

559 Words3 Pages
Many of the 50 U.S states have their minimum drinking age set at 21. Who is to say that is “right,” though? Responsibilities of adulthood are granted to people at the age of 18. They are allowed to marry, vote, serve on juries, join the military, go to jail, and more. It is outrageous that these things can be done at 18, and people are considered adults, but they cannot consume alcohol. The legal drinking age in all 50 states should be lowered to 18. It is hypocritical that the legal age for drinking is 21. Say an 18 year old commits a crime. They will more than likely be tried in court for it, and held accountable for that as well as any other choice they make (Cognac 2). No longer is it a juvenile detention center they will go to; it is jail. Law assumes they are incapable of making the decision whether or not they should drink, but they are held responsible for every other choice. Many men and women, at the age of 18, join the military each year. Also, 18 year olds are eligible to be drafted for war (Ailas 2). This country will place them in grave circumstances and let someone’s blood be on their hands. People will let them take a bullet for the country. Yet, an 18 year old has to wait three more years to consume alcohol. Military men and women have every right to drink and purchase alcohol if they so choose. Do Americans really believe that since alcohol consumption at 18 is illegal, that is does not happen? Of course the answer is no. When those who are underage do drink, they do it secretly in unsupervised places such as fraternity houses or house parties. If they become intoxicated or get injured, they are afraid of seeking help because of legal consequences (“Drinking age ProCon” 2). Lowering the drinking age would allow teens to drink in supervised places with regulations. People at 18 years of age binge drink because they are not taught to drink
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