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Ceara Cavalieri

Minimum Legal Drinking Age In California Should Be Lowered

As we are all aware, California has determined that the legal drinking age is twenty one. Many believe this to be unfair. We all have our reasons for believing at what age a person should be able to legally drink alcohol, this essay includes mine.“Adults under 21 are deemed capable of voting,getting married, signing contracts, serving on juries and enlisting in the military, but are told they are not mature enough to have a beer” (Amethyst Initiative: Rethink the Drinking Age).I believe that if we hold 18 year old’s capable of having those responsibilities, they should also be responsible enough to drink alcohol. My Dad always likes to remind me of a famous quote from the movie called Billie Jean, and I think it is perfect for this situation, “fair is fair.

In the United States one is considered an adult at the age of eighteen, in which they are eligible to be in the military, and most importantly, able to fight and die for their country’s cause in war. If someone is considered responsible enough to fight for our country, then how can they in turn make a law prohibiting them from making the decision if they want to consume alcoholic beverages? Jeff Rainforth, a man running for U.S. Congress, stated that if the minimum legal drinking age was not changed, he was going to propose that those turning eighteen joining the armed forces could still join, but they would not be allowed to fight in combat until reaching twenty-one. He also claims that “it is easier in some cases for a person to obtain drugs than it is for them to purchase a single can of beer”(Rainforth 1). I think Mr Rainforth has some good points, some people may come to believe that limiting the availability to legally purchase alcohol at age eighteen, may lead to drug use. Would you rather have eighteen year old’s being able to legally purchase alcohol, or would you rather have them taking marijuana or other drugs? Rainforth also stated that “either a person has the ability to make rational life decisions at age eighteen or a person has the ability to make rational life decisions at twenty-one. It cannot be both ways”(Rainforth 1). If an adult the age of eighteen can fight for our country and go over seas away from the life he knows to fight in a war then he should be able to have a beer or a shot while he’s on leave without being prosecuted because he is under the legal drinking age, fair is fair.

Some may say the legal drinking age is twenty-one because at eighteen you are not old enough to handle the responsibility, however mysteriously at age twenty-one you are. Many adults in between the ages of 18-20 years old admit that they have consumed alcohol at least once if not on a regular basis. One of the main reasons the minimum legal drinking age was nationally raised to twenty-one in the late 70’s early 80’s was because the government deemed that adults under the age of twenty-one were not mature enough to handle alcohol, yet these same adults are mature enough to vote, and fight for our country. “While twenty-one may be the legal drinking age in most of the U.S., no scientific evidence exists proving this is the age at which young people can safely begin drinking alcohol”(Dr.Engs,B). In a study by Dr. Ruth Engs,Professor of applied health and science, found that by increasing the legal drinking age, young people tend to abuse alcohol more. In actuality raising the drinking age was much worse than doing nothing. Drinking is more exciting when it is illegal”(Dr. Engs, B). In turn, some people consume more alcohol because they know they should not be drinking it at all. By lowering the drinking age it would take away some of that type of thrill temptation. Its not as much fun when it is allowed! A common reason for underage drinking is because alcohol is seen as “the forbidden fruit or a badge of rebellion against authority and as a symbol of adulthood” (Dr. Engs, B).

We have all heard of the famous saying, we want you to join the military to protect and serve our country. Well, you are telling me that I can legally kill someone at age eighteen, while I serve the military and go to war but I can’t legally have a sip of alcohol. Due to this none senseless situation, age should be equal. Also, if a person can be deemed responsible enough to vote, sign contracts, get married, serve on a jury, and join the military, at age eighteen, then it should also be deemed the appropriate age to legally consume alcohol. In most aspects in our culture in the U.S. you are considered an adult at age eighteen. Why can’t we legally drink at that age then? “The legal age to consume alcohol in Australia and the UK is eighteen” (Dr. Engs, B). Dr Ruth Engs; professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington uses these examples to propose the following: “The drinking age should be lowered to about 18 or 19 and permit those of legal age to consume it socially controlled environment such as restaurants and official school university functions” (Dr Engs, B). This is a good example because it shows that some countries in Europe are already allowing alcohol to be consumed at age eighteen and lower, as well as some professors that are backing the age of legal consumption of alcohol to be around age eighteen. I don’t understand why the big commotion against lowering our sates legal age from twenty one to age eighteen.

In conclusion, Americans should consider repealing the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, or at least choosing another alternative. Although many believe that twenty-one is a suitable and responsible age for allowing the legal consumption of alcohol, or some of you may even go so far as say that it should be set higher than that. There are reasons why you should rethink your decision. The majority of the rest of the world’s young adults are allowed to consume alcohol at the age of eighteen and have done so in a mature manner and are more acclimated to the effects of alcohol. I believe this will take a lot of the thrill drinking that occurs due to it being illegal. If our laws state you are old enough to marry, vote, sit on a jury, sign legal contracts, and join the military, and possibly give your life due to war, than in turn you should be deemed old enough to have a beer legally. Not being able to drink at your own wedding reception, but being allowed to die for your country in a war is unfair.