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Essay On Lowering The Drinking Age

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Essay On Lowering The Drinking Age
The controversial topic of lowering the drinking age has been present since they raised the minimum drinking age from eighteen to twenty-one in the summer of 1984. Today, we see that drinking is more than just an occasional weekend activity for young adults. Whether it be a young adult or a middle-aged individual, the consumption of alcohol is a popular coping mechanism for any misfortune one may endure. The only difference being that young adults are more susceptible to addiction. Another issue that must be addressed when discussing lowering the drinking age is that the human brain isn’t finished developing until the age of twenty-five, as a result eighteen year olds risk altering this development by drinking alcohol. The drinking age should …show more content…
The drinking age must remain twenty-one because eighteen year olds are simply too immature to understand the dangerous effects of alcohol. Drinking alcohol while underage can lead and cause alcohol dependence at a young age, and it has many damaging effects towards the development of the brain as a young adult. Being an eighteen year old is a time of new beginnings and a phase of experimentation. Young adults become wrapped up in the excitement of this new chapter of life. They often neglect to look at the bigger picture and make responsible decisions. The Mercury News Writes an article about the negative effects of alcohol in young adults and argues that eighteen year olds are not mature enough to handle the backlash of being under the influence.(2011) Researcher of alcohol consumption in younger people, Kim Gibson states, “The younger population is into risk-taking and so if you wait for more maturity, you’re not matching the risk-taking with the alcohol consumption.”(DeCeglie, 2011, 10 ) As young adults develop and mature they become more conscientious and aware of the way alcohol can truly affect them. By lowering the drinking age to eighteen we face the issue of potential alcoholism at a young age. If people are exposed to alcohol legally at a younger age, it will enhance the rate at which they consume and rely on alcohol. Eighteen year olds are

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