Alcohol impairs judgment, and being under the influence of alcohol causes bad decision making. “The legal drinking age should be lifted to 25 to limit the violence associated with drunkenness, the head of the nation's peak medical organisation says”(Raise drinking age to 25, says top doc).Teenagers already make bad decisions as it is and we know that, so raising the drinking age will prevent this further. Not only that, but alcohol is a depressant. If teenagers get a hold of this depressant it could lead to bad decision making such as dropping out of school and even
Toulmin Analysis of “Don’t Make Teen Drinking Easier” T.R. Reid argued in his article “Let my Teenager Drink” that the United States should lower the drinking age in order to show them how to drink responsibly. In “Don’t Make Teen Drinking Easier” Joseph Califano writes against this article giving sufficient reasons as to why lowering the drinking age can be dangerous. Califano discusses research that proves that American fifteen year olds were less likely than those of other nations with a lower drinking age to actually be intoxicated two or more times. Teen drinking is one of the leading causes to deaths and can also cause damages on growth and health for them.
This portrayal relates to adolescent during their identity crisis. While they are trying to be accepted by those around them, alcohol seems like the key they need to being popular and having fun. South African Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Elizabeth Thabethe, argued on the 8th March 2012 that "It is not right to promote liquor as we are doing in South Africa" especially when the advertising of alcohol is aimed at young people, this is because what the adverts fail to tell you is the terrible effects alcohol has on the brain biologically and developmentally. The biological effects of alcohol on the brain The biological effects of alcohol on the brain are extensive. The brain is the control Centre, it controls muscle movement, thought processes and repertory systems by using chemical and electrical signals called neurotransmitters (Tompson, 1997).
Should the Legal Drinking Age be Lowered? Alcohol has taken the lives of many young adults and in order to stop this chain reaction from occurring once again with new generations there needs to be a change. Young adults under 21 drink now because it is illegal and it is what causes them to drink irresponsibly and causes them to do many regrettable things, knowing that they are going against authority. On college campuses nationwide students are currently drinking illegally while under the age of 21 and if the drinking age was changed the whole aspect of drinking would be looked at differently. Lowering the drinking age, I feel would be the best solution to solving the underground drinking problem, it would allow for drinking to be more “open.” Having the drinking age at 21 allows for there to me more difficulty in keeping track of the kids who use it because they do it secretly and tend to abuse it more.
Lowering MLDA 21 would be medically irresponsible because the brain's frontal lobes, essential for functions such as emotional regulation, planning, and organization, continue to develop through adolescence and young adulthood. Alcohol consumption can interfere with this development, potentially causing chronic problems such as greater vulnerability to addiction, dangerous risk-taking behavior, reduced decision-making ability, memory loss, depression, violence, and suicide. [20][21][22][23] Lowering MLDA 21 to 18 will irresponsibly allow a greater segment of the population to drink alcohol in bars and nightclubs, which are not safe environments. 76% of bars have sold alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons [43], and about half of drivers
Consequences of Underage Drinking & A Lower MLDA Health Issues • Individuals who start drinking earlier than age 21 are more likely to be a driver in a motor vehicle crash, be injured, and be in a physical fight, according to a recent study. The younger the individual, the more likely he or she will experience these The cost of pain and suffering top a outcomes after drinking.10 • Repeated use of alcohol during adolescence can lead to deficits in cognitive abilities, including learning and memory. • Heavy drinking during adolescence and young adulthood is associated with poor cognitive functioning in young adulthood.11 • Serious chronic diseases involving the liver, heart, and digestive system are associated with heavy alcohol consumption.
Teens who drink are at higher risk for date rape, pregnancy, HIV and other STDs, assault, drowning, alcohol poisoning, alcohol dependency, DUI-related injury and death (yours and/or others). This has nothing to do with “good” or “bad” or what kind of person you are. When you and others are drinking, you can become careless, and it’s all downhill from there. Teens who drink are also more likely to engage in violence against others. In addition to criminal penalties, there may be
The medical irresponsibility of allowing teenagers to drink alcohol on a legal basis is also obvious to those who have basic knowledge. Consuming alcohol on a regular basis can negatively affect the development of an individual’s brain’s frontal lobes, which are responsible for emotional regulations, as well as planning and organizing. Underage individuals who consume alcohol put themselves at more risks of addiction, decreased ability of decision-making, tend to behave less responsibly, and may become violent, depressed, and even prone to suicide. The so called “trickle-down effect”, well known to sociologists, is another reason against lowering drinking age which should be taken into consideration. This effect implies to individuals who already have a right to purchase alcohol and consume alcohol, while also tend to buy it for their younger
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. We should educate teenagers to the dangers of alcohol and keep them away from it. Alcohol, like any other thing you put into your body, breaks down at a certain rate. This is known as your metabolism. On average, your body can metabolize about one drink per hour.
It was set because teenagers can develop serious health issues. Poisoning of the blood can occur from a large dose of alcohol in one period. When teens are drinking, they are not considering the dangers of their actions. Their judgment is clouded by the effects of drinking. Another health concern is the effect that drinking has on the brain, which is still developing in all teenagers.