Benefits Of Underage Drinking
Underage drinking is starting to become a widespread occurrence in the United States more than any other country in the world. The legal drinking age has always been a topic that creates controversy when brought up because many people disagree with the idea of becoming an adult at age 18 but having to wait until age 21 to consume alcohol. At age 18 in America we gain rights to vote, ability to marry, and can legally be tried as an adult in the judicial system, but whether we like it or not the human brain is still not fully developed at that point. In the United States, Americans should not be able to consume alcohol at age 18 because, although it is technically the age of adulthood, it would be detrimental to our youth and society as a whole.
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One primary reason that supports this is the fact that it negatively impacts the growth of the human brain. Studies conducted by Susan F. Taphert, Ph.D., Lisa Caldwell, and Christina Burke, M.A. that were published by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism show that consuming alcohol at a young age can adversely affect “memory function, attention, visuospatial skills, and executive functioning”. This indicates that a constant barrage of alcohol to an underdeveloped mind will hurt basic memory functions in both the short term and the long term. Also, Ruth Sanchez-Way, the director of the Center of Substance Abuse Prevention, states, "Alcoholism is a brain disease, and the earlier people start drinking, the worse the effects on the brain," she said. "Besides, research has shown that the earlier people start drinking, the more likely they are to develop alcohol problems later in life"(Sanchez-Way). The medical statistics prove that brain development is affected by alcohol. The intake of alcohol, especially in excessive amounts, before the body’s systems, have finished forming can stunt healthy growth, causing permanent deficits. Alcohol in the hands of young adults is increasingly more dangerous depending on the environment, but the consequences of consuming alcohol at 18 go beyond just effects on the brain’s development and lead to behavioral issues as well. John Hopkins conducted a study on underage drinking which determined the underage consumption of alcohol increases the risk of sexual assault or risky sexual behavior, is associated with academic failure, and can lead to illicit drug use. It is clear by the evidence provided above that the human brain is not capable of handling alcohol at the age of 18 and the current National Minimum Drinking Age Act has the best interests of preserving and protecting human life in the
One primary reason that supports this is the fact that it negatively impacts the growth of the human brain. Studies conducted by Susan F. Taphert, Ph.D., Lisa Caldwell, and Christina Burke, M.A. that were published by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism show that consuming alcohol at a young age can adversely affect “memory function, attention, visuospatial skills, and executive functioning”. This indicates that a constant barrage of alcohol to an underdeveloped mind will hurt basic memory functions in both the short term and the long term. Also, Ruth Sanchez-Way, the director of the Center of Substance Abuse Prevention, states, "Alcoholism is a brain disease, and the earlier people start drinking, the worse the effects on the brain," she said. "Besides, research has shown that the earlier people start drinking, the more likely they are to develop alcohol problems later in life"(Sanchez-Way). The medical statistics prove that brain development is affected by alcohol. The intake of alcohol, especially in excessive amounts, before the body’s systems, have finished forming can stunt healthy growth, causing permanent deficits. Alcohol in the hands of young adults is increasingly more dangerous depending on the environment, but the consequences of consuming alcohol at 18 go beyond just effects on the brain’s development and lead to behavioral issues as well. John Hopkins conducted a study on underage drinking which determined the underage consumption of alcohol increases the risk of sexual assault or risky sexual behavior, is associated with academic failure, and can lead to illicit drug use. It is clear by the evidence provided above that the human brain is not capable of handling alcohol at the age of 18 and the current National Minimum Drinking Age Act has the best interests of preserving and protecting human life in the