Minimum Legal Drinking Age Essay

The minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) has been a popular debate for many years, and as reported by Toomey, Rosenfeld, and Wagenaar in “The Minimum Legal Drinking Age”, it is imperative to keep the age of 21. Alcohol is the main source of numerous problems for teenagers, which would escalate if the MLDA was decreased. The MLDA was lowered between 1970 and 1975 by 29 states, resulting in an increase in dilemmas such as “traffic crashes, drownings, vandalism, assaults, homicides, suicides, teenage pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases” (Toomey, Rosenfeld, and Wagenaar 213). When it was raised back to 21, the number of alcohol induced traffic deaths was reduced significantly. Some may argue that introducing alcohol to children at a younger age will help it become less of a toy for teenagers, which is false and subsequently leads to more health problems and dangers for everyone. If the MLDA was to be lowered again, it would make alcohol more accessible to high school and college
After the 21st amendment was passed, alcohol became legal to sell again. This only sparked more disputes in the United States as people started questioning the MLDA. The government had no authority over this law, and each state could choose its own MLDA. The ages chosen throughout the states ranged from 18-21, and lower drinking ages were harmful to America. Not only were traffic fatalities increasing, but health problems in teenagers were rising too. Considering the government couldn’t enforce a law to raise the MLDA, the Uniform Drinking Age Act was passed, which would cut any state’s highway funding by up to 10 percent if their MLDA was not at least 21. Eventually, every state raised their legal age, which “cut traffic fatalities involving drivers aged 18 to 20 by 13 percent” (Drinking While Young). Since then, the MLDA across the United States has remained as it should be, at 21 (Drinking While