...Should the Legal Drinking Age Be Changed Back to Eighteen? The debate on the legal drinking age has been going on for many years. More mature adults say that the minimum legal drinking age should be kept at twenty-one. Young adults say that the minimum legal drinking age should be changed back to eighteen. There are many reasons that go behind the opinions of each. People believe that since the age of eighteen is the legal adult age in the United States of America that young adults should be able to make their own decisions on the consumptions of alcohol. Teens are still able to get alcohol due to parents, older siblings, friends, and other family members. Also, allowing eighteen to twenty year-olds to drink alcohol under supervision should lower the issue of underage drinking, and it will be good for the economy too. However, there are a lot of consequences that come with drinking at a younger age, such as eighteen year-olds have lower maturity than twenty-one year olds. Therefore, eighteens year-olds are more likely to get into negative alcohol and alcohol-related outcomes. With taking all opinions into consideration, you can see why this has been an ongoing debate on whether the minimum legal drinking age should be changed back to eighteen year-olds. I believe the debate should conclude on the prevision of allowing young adults to have the ability to make their own decisions upon alcohol consumption. Drew Saylor noted the effectiveness of the minimum legal drinking age, “The...
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...“Alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of death in the United States” (Wechsler and Nelson 986). Just because something has been around for a long time doesn’t mean it has to change. For example, the legal minimum drinking age was set at 21 since 1984. Since 1984, “drinking and daily alcohol use have declined among young adults aged 18-20 years” (Wechsler and Nelson 987). This change was needed because alcohol consumption was a major threat to human health. Lowering the drinking age to 18 means that we are just ignoring what our history has presented us. It is common sense that alcohol is a major threat to general well-being. Allowing 18 year olds to legally buy and consume alcohol would simply allow them to harm themselves and others...
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...of Australians under 25 years is related to alcohol consumption. Fellow year 12 and Mrs Thomas there is much research showing the benefits of raising the legal drinking age in Australia from 18 to 21. I believe it is the right thing to do for the good of our health and the good of our futures. Young people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heavy drinking. Excessive alcohol consumption affects how our young brains develop. Studies have shown that alcohol consumption negatively affects academic performance and can impair judgement resulting in risk taking behaviours, unsafe or unwanted sex or injury. Our brains continue to develop into our 20’s. Areas of the brain that undergo the most dramatic changes during adolescence are the frontal lobe and the hippocampus.These are areas of the brain that are associated with motivation,planning,judgement, decision making, language, impulse control and addiction. Aspects that heavily affect people of our age. Alcohol is a neurotoxin. Neurotoxins are substances that are poisonous or destructive to nerve tissue. In simple terms, alcohol poisons the brain. Excessive alcohol consumption at a young age interferes with vitamin B absorption; this prevents the brain from working properly. Professor John Toumbourou of the Deakin University School of Psychology says that ‘Alcohol causes permanent brain damage in young people, and raising the legal age will reduce not only youth alcohol problems but also other forms of drug use.’ ...
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...Lowering the Legal Drinking Age The debate about whether the legal drinking age should be raised or lowered is a common debate in the public domain. The decision on what age one begins drinking is determined by various factors which involve the gene combination of the person and the immediate environment around the person (Vingilis and Smart 415). For instance, the changes that adolescents go through in their biology and physiology can influence the age at which they start drinking alcohol. The behavior of a child influences his environment as the child gets to make friends and these influence the age at which the child can start to experiment with alcohol. Raising or lowering the legal drinking age is bound to raise major concerns. This will be a major concern for parents whose children are directly affected by the issue. Likewise, adolescents and youth are bound to get affected thus they are likely to engage in this debate too (Vingilis and Smart 415). Raising the legal drinking age lowers death rate. According to Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Congress members who met to mark the 20th anniversary of passing of a federal law that rose the minimum legal drinking age to 21, about 20,000 lives were saved through the passing of the law (MADD). The law signed in July 17, 1984 by the then President Reagan set the minimum drinking age as 21. An estimate by MADD approximates that underage drinking kills 6,000 people every year through traffic crashes and other alcohol related...
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...Highway Policy Age—it is nothing but a number—as many people say. With age comes wisdom, and with wisdom, wise decisions are made. Maintaining the minimum legal drinking age at 21 will deter life-long consequences, decrease traffic fatalities in result of alcohol consumption, and relieve issues in relation to public safety. In 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act mandated that all states increase the minimum age purchase and consumption to 21. Under the Federal Highway Aid act, also referred to as the National Interstate of Defense Highways Act which was established in 1956, states that do not adhere to this requirement faced a highway-fund cutback consequence. Underage drinking, which affects many adolescent-and-young-adult households, is a problem and a significant public health concerns. It is correlated with an abundant array of damaging consequences (Spoth, Greenberg, & Turrisi, 2009, pg. 1, para. 1). Over the past several decades or so, the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) has raised debate in the United States. The influence to decrease the MLDA from 21 to 18, 19, or 20 came from a decrease in the legal voting age to 18. A total of 29 states lowered their MLDA between the years of 1970 to 1975. Because of this poorly thought through revision, traffic collision due to alcohol consumption have dramatically increased in adults between the ages of 18-20. With such dramatic outcomes of the MLDA, state-level movements to reverse the MLDA back to the age of 21 came underway...
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...Alcohol Drinking: Is 18 Too Young for a Legal Drinking Age? Maria Anna Dante Arellano University (Jose Abad Campus) ABSTRACT The debate of a legal drinking age has been long discussed. The legal age in the Philippines is 18 and people in the country wonder whether or not is the right call. At the age of 18, Filipinos has the right to vote. If an 18 year old can make up their mind as to who the potential leader of the country should be then, they should have every right to purchase and drink alcohol. The majority of the world has their legal age set at 18 and if you are old enough to be regarded an adult by society, you are old enough to have the same rights afforded to you. Introduction Teen drinking is on the rise. By the age of eighteen the law recognizes these young people as adults, they can be tried as an adult in the law, parents signatures are no longer necessary, and it is assumed you are mature enough to make sound decisions regarding things such as alcohol. Alcohol is abused heavily by teenagers across the nation. As they grow older their alcoholism grows worse and worse. The effects of teenage drinking affects many aspects of your body and mental state that it can lead to risky behaviours. DISCUSSION In the Philippines, although there is an age limit for purchasing alcoholic beverages it is estimated that 60% of young people will have at least tried alcohol before then. Hard liquors and beers can be easily buy in convenience stores by teenagers under the...
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...Minimum Legal Drinking Age Debate Name University Affiliation Date There are many topics where people have different opinions whereby they either agree or disagree. An example of these topics is should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age. All states in the United States have their minimum drinking age stated as 21 although there are some exceptions in some states based on consumption at home, medical necessity, under adult supervision and other reasons. This paper is a synthesis on the ideas brought out on the debate of whether the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to a younger age. The position that I hold on the topic is that lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 would not make a difference or have a major impact on the society. I disagree with the law on lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 years due to some of the premises that have been brought forward to support the law. The Procong.org website explores the pros and cons of controversial issues such as whether the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to a younger age. I will examine three premises from the Procon.org website that support my position on this topic. One of these premises is that lowering the MLDA 21 would be medically irresponsible (Dejong, & Blanchette, 2014).I do not think that lowering the age from 21 years to 18 years should be considered as medically irresponsible. I agree that consuming alcohol below 18 years is harmful to the mental health of an individual...
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...Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which changed the national legal alcohol purchase and consumption age to 21. Though states were not required to comply, those which did not change the drinking age to 21 were threatened with losing 10 percent of their federal highway money. Though the act successfully reduced traffic fatalities related to drunk driving accidents, underage drinking has not stopped. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, underage drinking accounts for 17.5 percent ($22.5 billion) of consumer spending for alcohol in the U.S. Lowering the drinking age to 18 would allow 18-to-20-year-olds to consume alcohol safely in regulated environments, with supervision. Since the drinking age is 21, underage college students often consume alcohol in unsupervised spaces, such as house parties, where binge drinking and other drug use occurs. Lowering the drinking age would also reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents among underage drinkers. Many underage drinkers will not seek medical attention, no matter how severe injuries may be, because they fear the legal consequences of their actions. At age 18, citizens are allowed to vote, purchase tobacco, be prosecuted as adults and serve the country, so why can they not be allowed to purchase and consume alcohol? If the drinking age was lowered, alcohol consumption could be less taboo for adults between ages 18 and 20. Alcohol could become a more integral part of American...
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...Age Is Not The Problem, We Are As midnight struck on November 4, 1998, the eve of Brad's 21st birthday, he went with a group of friends to Rick's American Caf� to celebrate his birthday. He began to play a game of “drink your age.” ;When he had finished 21 shots and knowing that the record among his friends was 23, he drank 3 more for a total of 24 shots of liquor. He drank them in about 1-� hours. The Media's Effect on Underage Alcohol Abuse The Media’s Effects on Underage Drinking The use of alcohol is a major aspect of our society. It is used in religious ceremonies, during socialization, and its presence ...His friends took him home and put him to bed as he passed out. His BAC continued to climb to a lethal level of .44 g/100ml, as the depressant did its work. His breathing stopped and the coroner estimates that he died at approximately 4:30 AM. He died on his 21st birthday, November 5, 1998. Tragedies similar to this one happen too often. People say that the age of 21 is an age of responsibility, and one is now responsible The Media's Effect On Underage Alcohol Abuse The Media’s Effects on Underage Drinking The use of alcohol is a major aspect of our society. It is used in religious ceremonies, during socialization, and its presence is seen ...to drink. Well in this particular case, responsibility was not there. Having an age limit for alcohol use does nothing if individuals are not educated to use alcohol properly. Lowering the age limit to 18 will not cause any more...
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...Affiliation Abstract Most college students in the U.S fall between the 18-21 age bracket. As is custom, the highlight of an active collegiate lifestyle is partying, where binge drinking is the highlight of the day. In retrospect, the legal drinking age still stands at 21. Some proponents for the lowering of the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 contend that at that age, one is appended adult-like responsibilities such as the right to make decisions on their own, joining the military, marrying and starting a family, to mention but a few. In this regard, these proponents argue that if one is considered responsible enough to be trusted with the safety of the country, why not be trusted enough to consume alcohol? This has been the subject of rife debate in recent times, as either side puts arguments and counterarguments forth. Introduction A 2008 article authored by John Cloud headlined “Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered?” published on Friday, June in Time argues that the legal drinking age should remain steady at 21, and should not be lowered to 18 as critics would like to have it. A particular statement that tickles my fancy was “It’s unclear why shifting the venue of drinking from frat houses to bars will help solve the problem of hard-core student drinking” (Cloud, 2008). Although Cloud presents a sound argument, it is more sensible to implement more methodical and all-encompassing alcohol education to the youth engaging in underage drinking, as a more educated and enlightened...
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...Affiliation Abstract Most college students in the U.S fall between the 18-21 age bracket. As is custom, the highlight of an active collegiate lifestyle is partying, where binge drinking is the highlight of the day. In retrospect, the legal drinking age still stands at 21. Some proponents for the lowering of the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 contend that at that age, one is appended adult-like responsibilities such as the right to make decisions on their own, joining the military, marrying and starting a family, to mention but a few. In this regard, these proponents argue that if one is considered responsible enough to be trusted with the safety of the country, why not be trusted enough to consume alcohol? This has been the subject of rife debate in recent times, as either side puts arguments and counterarguments forth. Introduction A 2008 article authored by John Cloud headlined “Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered?” published on Friday, June in Time argues that the legal drinking age should remain steady at 21, and should not be lowered to 18 as critics would like to have it. A particular statement that tickles my fancy was “It’s unclear why shifting the venue of drinking from frat houses to bars will help solve the problem of hard-core student drinking” (Cloud, 2008). Although Cloud presents a sound argument, it is more sensible to implement more methodical and all-encompassing alcohol education to the youth engaging in underage drinking, as a more educated and enlightened...
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...Should The Drinking Age Be Lowered To 18? Every teenager anticipates the day that they will finally be eighteen years old. This is the day they are finally seen as being an adult in the eyes of our government. Eighteen year olds are now free to make their own life choices and be held accountable for them. At the age of eighteen, you are free to put your life on the line and fight for your country, if you commit a crime you can be tried as an adult in court, and you are also give the right to vote in your country. So, why should the drinking age be twenty-one years old when you are considered an adult at the age of eighteen? At the age of eighteen you are not mature and responsible enough to purchase and consume alcohol. Alcohol has been around for centuries, showcased at parties, bars, sports events and just about everywhere. For these very reasons every day in our country the drinking age is being ignored and violated by young adults, teenagers, and even children all under the age of twenty-one. “On average ninety-five percent of those who will be alcohol consumers in their lifetime take their first drink before the age twenty one. Fifty percent of eighteen to twenty year olds consume alcohol on a regular basis” (McCardell 1). Based on these statistics we can conclude that the enforcement of the legal drinking age has fallen short. The most commonly known place where alcohol is consumed very heavily is on our college campuses. Many college students participate in binge...
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...lives have been saved in the U.S. with the legal drinking age remaining 21” (MADD 35). Drinking under the age puts a higher risk to both an individual and society especially the younger the person is. Early alcohol use may have long lasting consequences as well as develop problems for those of young age. I believe the drinking age remaining 21 helps the people of or around my age stay distant from endangerments all around. If our state decided to lower it today, in just weeks the increase of accidents would uprise throughout. Consumption of alcohol while or before driving increases the risk greatly of car accidents, highway injuries and vehicle deaths. “Statistics have shown an estimate of 32% of fatal car crashes involved an...
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...allowed to legally purchase and consume alcohol. The United States is one of the few countries that maintains a relatively high minimum legal drinking age of 21. Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to 18? Well, in a way the drinking age should be lowered to 18, because we have persons that go into the armed forces at the age of 18. We also have the buying of tobacco products, by 18-year-olds. 18 -year-olds are also allowed to make decisions and vote for leaders of our local, state, and federal governments. So why are they not allowed to drink? The drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18 because 18 year olds are responsible adults that are part of society and are mature enough to handle alcohol consumption. To begin with, the definition of an adult is a person who has attained the age of maturity as specified by law. In the USA, that age is 18, and with every American's 18th birthday comes all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of becoming an adult. When becoming an adult you are given more freedom in life; such as applying for a credit card, being legally married without parental consent, filing for divorce, paying rent/mortgage, making purchases, signing a binding contract, voting, serving on a jury and serving in the military. If charged with a crime, the 18-year-old is no longer tried in juvenile court; he's tried as an adult. In overall, an 18, 19 and 20-year-old can do everything a 21-year-old can do, except drink alcohol. Do people ever wonder why? Why are...
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... the Drinking Age in the United States of America The substance of alcohol has long been a topic of intense debate, particularly in the United States of America. In its relatively short history, the United States has had a prohibition which completely banned all alcohol distribution and consumption, as well as a drinking age which has changed over the years. Ultimately, it seems that legislative bodies in the U.S. cannot make up their minds. A big part of that indecision may stem from the fact that most amendments have been largely ineffective in culling what has been a very real, very large problem in the United States: alcohol related deaths or sicknesses. Nearly one out of every ten deaths in working class adults dies from alcohol-related incidents (10% of all deaths), making alcohol the fourth largest cause of preventable deaths in the United States. As a result of this, promoting responsible alcohol consumption and continued responsible actions once its effects take place are paramount in responding to those significant statistics. The method that seems to have been most focused on in curtailing dangerous alcohol consumption has been legally regulating who is allowed to consume it (as mentioned above: prohibition, and drinking ages). In short, alcohol consumption has been made illegal, and consequently deemed unjust, for people below certain ages. Many people have raised ethical, practical, scientific, and legal arguments surrounding the issue,...
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