The Drinking Age Of 21 - 1520 Words

The drinking age in America should be lowered from 21 to 18. At 18, someone in America is legally considered an adult, and they can indulge in things that are potentially far more harmful than alcohol. Under certain circumstances, alcohol has already been permitted for people under the age of 21. Furthermore, the drinking age of 21 is ineffective because people between the ages of 18 to 21 are still drinking regardless. However, this drinking often takes the shape of dangerous binge drinking. Many college deans, who have first-hand knowledge of how ineffective the current drinking age is, are in support of a lower drinking age. Reckless alcohol behavior of uneducated underage drinkers also leads to drunk driving, instead of confiding in†¦show more content†¦Joining the army puts someone’s life on the line. These are all serious actions that have serious consequences. America draws the line at drinking alcohol, which belittles 18 year olds, making them seem less like adults. Someone could risk his or her life for his or her country, or wreck his or her body with cigarettes, but drinking alcohol is forbidden. Some states agree that this logic is flawed, such as Alaska, who passed a bill that allows active members of the military to drink at the age of 18, â€Å"with the rationale that if they re old enough to fight and die for their country, they re old enough to have a beer,† (Brown). Being in the army is not the only time that there has been an exception for the drinking age in America. Many young children and teenagers have had wine during communion at Church, or during other religious ceremonies (â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions†). In over 37 states, if a child is at home and accompanied by a parent, he or she may drink. For example, New York’s stance on underage drinking is that, a person under the age of twenty-one years may possess any alcoholic beverage with intent to consume if the alcoholic beverage is given... to the person under twenty-one years of age by that person s parent or guardian, (â€Å"Where Teenagers Can Legally Drink†). Underage alcohol use is also permitted when used for prescribed medical purposes (â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions†). Some people argue that 18 is simply too youngShow MoreRelatedThe Drinking Age Should Be 21 Years Of Age1663 Words   |  7 PagesThe drinking age should be 21 years of age. Underage drinking is a major problem in the world that has claimed many lives. There are multiple ways to die from alcohol: alcohol poisoning, drunk driving, and many other ways. No doubt about it, alcohol just starts trouble. Have you ever wondered what the leading reason for car crashes is? It isn’t texting or any usage of the phone. It is fully driving under the influence. Millions of Americans are pulled over and given a ticket for driving under theRead MoreLowering The Drinking Age From 21 Essay1214 Words   |  5 PagesUnderage drinking. It’s all the rage in this generation. Youths everywhere are subjecting themselves to excessive amounts of alcohol at illegal ages, and the consequences are evident all around us. Every year over 5,000 kids under the age of 21 die from alcohol abuse, 1 in 5 10th graders will resort to binge drinking, and alcohol continues to damage developing teen brains (Let’s Stop Teen Drinking Tragedies). While they may not be seen in ni ght clubs in bars, people between the ages of 18 and 21 are subjectingRead MoreShould the Drinking Age Be Raised to 21?785 Words   |  4 PagesShould the drinking age be raised to 21? Teenagers between the age of fifteen to eighteen are drinking an average of nine to eleven cans of beer per week. They will ruin their lives if they dont cut down on the alcohol. Should this be enough to raise the drinking age up to twenty-one? Teenagers do not understand how dangerous alcohol can be. BBC News proved that the UK has one of the worst problems in Europe, with a fifth of children aged eleven to fifteen drinking at least once per week.Read More18 vs. 21: Drinking Age1389 Words   |  6 Pagesdo people only want to change the drinking age from 21 to 18, when there are other activities that have limit of age such as marriage at 18, driving at 16 and 35 to be a president? Alcohol plays a major role in today society, which becomes a controversial issue among teens. Alcohol is a mind-altering chemical that is potentially more dangerous than any other drug and can be very destructive. For past few years, many people are trying to lower the drinking age without knowing the negative effectsRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age: 18 or 21?1770 Words   |  8 Pageswere also allowed to buy alcohol.   This all changed when President Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. This act stated that the drink ing age would change to 21 and it has remained that way since. There has been controversy on the effectiveness of the law because most people drink before they turn 21. Which side is right? Was Reagan correct for implementing the drinking age as 21 or are the multiple college president and chancellors of Amethyst Initiative that believe it shouldRead MoreThe Drinking Age Should Be Lowered From 21950 Words   |  4 PagesWe do not hand teenagers car keys without teaching them how to drive first, so why do we expect 21-year-olds to know how to drink responsibly for the first time. Law passed by congress in 1984 leaves America to being one of four countries left in the world with its drinking age at 21, while the rest of the country s drinking ages are 16 or 17 or has no age limit at all. As a part of turning 18 you are now considered a legal adult and are allowed to make the decision to vote, marry, buy tobacco productsRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Stay At 211300 Words   |   6 PagesI believe that the legal drinking age should stay at 21 for many reasons. Underage drinking should not be allowed in any country because it is dangerous, causes health complications and it can be overused, and most of the time misused. As a young adult it will take less time for them to become â€Å"drunk† and more likely to put them in negative situations which will harm them later as an adult. If the government were to lower the drinking age to under 21, unprotected sex, sexual assault, and other tragediesRead MoreEssay about Keeping the Drinking Age at 211662 Words   |  7 PagesWhen it comes to the subject of drinking and teenagers, what is the first thing that comes to mind? To me its the legal age limit of when teens should be able to drink. Having it lowered is controversial because according to prior experiences, data shows that younger age drinking is well known for its fatalities. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), on one of the most popular prom nights in 1999, as many as 62 percent of the traffic deaths were alcohol-related (). The most importantRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Remain At 21 Essay1848 Words   |  8 PagesWhy 21? When it comes to an alcohol safety policy, the United States has never attracted more research and public attention than the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA). In the U.S., the legal drinking age is one of the highest worldwide. The MLDA of 21 is to control traffic fatalities, protect young teens from killing themselves while driving under the influence, and prevent damage medically to a developing brain of a young adult. Many Americans believe that the drinking age of 21 has not stoppedRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered From The Age Of 21 Essay980 Words   |  4 Pagesconsidered â€Å"adults† cannot even make their own decisions? The drinking age on alcohol is a controversial social and cultural issue in today’s society; all fifty states have a minimum drinking age of 21. The legal drinking age should be lowered from the age of 21 to 18 allowing young adults to be granted the right to drink in restaurants, bars, at social events, in the comfort of thei r own home, and so on. If anything, lowering the legal drinking age would have a positive impact on the United Sates economy