Lowering the Drinking Age
Samantha Juneau
Marguerite Newcomb
English Composition I
April 6, 2014 Why the Drinking Age Should Stay at Twenty-One The United States drinking age throughout all 50 states has been the same since 1984 when a law was put in place by the U.S. Congress punishing all states who did not abide by the legal age limit of 21. Since this law was put into place, it has become one of the most widely studied laws in history. While there are many arguments and new bills being created to reduce this age, especially among college universities, all have failed to become law. Over half of adults agree that lowering the drinking age would increase binge drinking among teens, and 72% believe that it would make alcohol more accessible to kids as well. Over 50 scientific studies have found that the 21-law saves lives. (Dean-Mooney 1) There is just not enough time to grow and become fully mature at a teenage level, especially when most are involved in the college life. One may argue that at age eighteen anyone can become a smoker, move out of their home, get married, enroll in the Army and drop out of school, among other things; so why not be able to legally consume alcohol? Alcohol is detrimental to the growing brain, which is not fully developed until mid-20s. Alcohol can affect coordination and memory as well as decision-making abilities, which can come with many dangerous life term consequences including illness, disease, dependability and even death to the adolescent drinker or others. (Dean-Mooney 2)
Because decision-making abilities are clouded and an adolescent has not reached full maturity, drunk driving accidents are more common. As a drinking teenager who may not want to be reprimanded by their parents or guardians, they may find themselves driving home drunk due to fear of calling for a ride. It can be argued that if alcohol consumption was legalized at a younger age there would be less drunk driving due to less fear of becoming
Marguerite Newcomb
English Composition I
April 6, 2014 Why the Drinking Age Should Stay at Twenty-One The United States drinking age throughout all 50 states has been the same since 1984 when a law was put in place by the U.S. Congress punishing all states who did not abide by the legal age limit of 21. Since this law was put into place, it has become one of the most widely studied laws in history. While there are many arguments and new bills being created to reduce this age, especially among college universities, all have failed to become law. Over half of adults agree that lowering the drinking age would increase binge drinking among teens, and 72% believe that it would make alcohol more accessible to kids as well. Over 50 scientific studies have found that the 21-law saves lives. (Dean-Mooney 1) There is just not enough time to grow and become fully mature at a teenage level, especially when most are involved in the college life. One may argue that at age eighteen anyone can become a smoker, move out of their home, get married, enroll in the Army and drop out of school, among other things; so why not be able to legally consume alcohol? Alcohol is detrimental to the growing brain, which is not fully developed until mid-20s. Alcohol can affect coordination and memory as well as decision-making abilities, which can come with many dangerous life term consequences including illness, disease, dependability and even death to the adolescent drinker or others. (Dean-Mooney 2)
Because decision-making abilities are clouded and an adolescent has not reached full maturity, drunk driving accidents are more common. As a drinking teenager who may not want to be reprimanded by their parents or guardians, they may find themselves driving home drunk due to fear of calling for a ride. It can be argued that if alcohol consumption was legalized at a younger age there would be less drunk driving due to less fear of becoming
Cited: Beck, Melinda. “Dad, I Prefer the Shiraz.” WSJ. Dow Jones & Company, 08 March 2011 Web. 04 April 2014. Dean-Mooney, Laura. “A Lower Age Would Be Unsafe.” US News. 08 Sept. 2008. Wed. 05 April 2014 Dryden, Jim. “Lower Drinking Ages Lead to More Binge Drinking.” Washington University in St. Louis. Web. 04 April 2014. “Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered?” TIME. 06 Jun. 08. Web. 04 April 2014.