Essay about Lower the Drinking Age - 906 Words

Lower the Drinking Age Everyone knows that it is illegal to consume alcohol under the age of 21. Why is 21 the magical age that makes a person intelligent and mature enough to consume alcohol? Sure, some adults abuse alcohol and some teenagers would be perfectly able to drink responsibly, but why not 18 or 35 or 40? This seemingly random number, 21, is associated with adulthood, as if the day a person turns 21 they know everything and are mature. The drinking age should be lowered to where one can learn to drink responsibly. First, the drinking age used to be 18 in some states. Many of today?s parents were legally allowed to drink at 18. Today, teenagers are faced with more responsibility and are treated more like adults†¦show more content†¦According to Wechsler, this was during National Prohibition in the 1920s and State Prohibition in the 1850s. These laws were finally repealed because they were unenforceable and because the reaction towards them caused other social problems. Today we are repeating history and making the same mistakes that occurred in the past. It did not work then and it is not working now. Thirdly, since the law was passed in 1987, which raised the legal age from 18 to 21, there has been a decrease in car crashes but at the same time there has been an increase in other problems related to heavy, irresponsible drinking. This movement, the law that was passed, that swept all 50 states, may actually have made the bingeing worse. When teens drink, they know it will probably be a while before they?ll have liquor again, so they make up for it by drinking in larger quantities. According the College Health Survey 96, cutting class after drinking jumped from 9% in 1982 to almost 12% in 1996. Also, missing class because of a hangover rose from 26% to 28% and getting a lower grade went from 5% to 7%. It is this consumption of large amounts that is causing so many problems among the youth of America. ?By setting a high drinking age, what we have inadvertently done is say that drinking is an adult activity, and that makes it especially appealing to younger people,? says David Hanson. It makes it a thrill for the younger drinkers.Show MoreRelatedLower the Drinking Age924 Words   |  4 PagesLower the Drinking Age Everyone knows that it is illegal to consume alcohol under the age of 21. Why is 21 the magical age that makes a person intelligent and mature enough to consume alcohol? Sure, some adults abuse alcohol and some teenagers would be perfectly able to drink responsibly, but why not 18 or 35 or 40? This seemingly random number, 21, is associated with adulthood, as if the day a person turns 21 they know everything and are mature. The drinking age should be lowered toRead MoreIs it Right to Lower the Drinking Age?1070 Words   |  4 Pagesunderlying issue. My question is, â€Å"Why should we lower the legal drinking age†? Current proposals to lower the minimum legal drinking age to 18 would have some benefits like increasing revenue for bars and liquor stores. However the risks surpass the benefits. Many people think that if you’re 18 you’re portrayed as an adult, you’re old enough to serve your country, vote, and make your own decisions. In some cases this could be true, but lowering the drinking age would be way too risky for themselves andRead MoreDont lower the drinking Age1229 Words   |  5 PagesDespite the problems that would arise, many people are beginning to feel that the drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. Studies have been made; however, no hard evidence suggesting lowering the minimum drinking age would help have surfaced. Although there are countless studies of how alcohol has many harmful effects on teenagers, there is a great deal of negative criticism about what if the drinking age is lowered. Some would say the morally right decision is to not allow teens theRead MoreTo Lower or Not to Lower the Legal Drinking Age to 18, That Is the Question881 Words   |  4 Pagesthat binge drinking is on the rise among college students (Eisenberg n.p.). With an increase of alcohol consumption by underage drinkers, it only seems logical to lower the drinking age to prevent binge drinking, however the re are far more consequences to be seen. Lowering the drinking age to 18 will not solve the binge drinking problem among college students but will cause more problems. In this paper I will explain the reason why lowering the drinking age will not stop binge drinking and the adverseRead MoreLower the Drinking Age Essay examples1430 Words   |  6 Pages Lowering the drinking age to 18 would help prevent the crime and personal injuries that are caused by alcohol abuse. Although many states are trying to get the drinking age lowered, there are many groups and national statistics that are keeping the drinking set at 21. For example, â€Å"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says laws setting the drinking age at 21 have cut traffic fatalities involving drivers by 13 percent† (Keen). They are hoping that by keeping the age set at 21, peopleRead MoreWhy Lower the Legal Drinking Age?801 Words   |  3 Pagesthat lower the drinking age below 21 lose 10% of their annual federal highway appropriations (Haevens). This is the main reason the legal drinking age has not been lower below 21 years of age.a large number of the general population desires a lower drinking age. In the 25 years since the legal drinking age was set at 21, seven states have tried to lower it. (Wechsier ).It is unfair for the federal government to withhold money from states if they exercise their rights to set the legal drinking ageRead More Lower Legal Drinking Age Essays1249 Words   |  5 Pages Since the states increased their drinking age to 21 in 1987, every citizen of this country between the ages of 18 and 20 have been oppressed by the very people elected to power to protect their rights. It is evident that the legal drinking age among Americans should be lowered to the legal age of adulthood, 18 years. At this age, any American can marry without their Parent’s approval and can move out of their guardian’s house and live on their own. Why are these adults deprived of their right toRead MoreEssay on Lower the Drinking Age To 18453 Words   |  2 Pages The age of drinking has been an issue in our country for a long time and there are many regards on why the age is set at 21. The federal government should not impose a drinking age of 21. The drinking age should be lowered to the age of 18 for the following reasons; one, most people between the age of 18-20 are drinking alcohol already, and two, you should have the right to purchase alcohol when you reach the age of 18, because that is the age when you are considered and adultRead MoreDo not Lower the Legal Drinking Age825 Words   |  3 Pagesinfringing on personal rights. It’s regarding whether the legal drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. This has been a huge controversy geared exclusively towards college students due to the fact that alcohol consumption at universities is the definitive part of campus life even though the greater part of students are not legally permitted to drink. It is apparent that through the regularity and risks of binge drinking across universities and the high percentage of DUI and alcoholRead MoreEssay about Lower the Drinking Age To 18561 Words   |  3 Pages The drinking age in the United States is a contradiction. At the age of eighteen, one can drive a car, vote in an election, get married, serve in the military and buy tobacco products. In the United States you are legally an adult at eighteen. An eighteen-year-old, however, cannot purchase alcoholic beverages. The minimum drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one in the United States. Unbelievably, the United States citizens trust their sixteen-year-old children to drive three thousand pound