...Sasha’ Young 9/4/2013 Topic: Alcohol (Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18?) Impact of alcohol on life; A study of Metropolitan Columbia. Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18? Starting, the United States has a minimum drinking age of 21. The minimum legal drinking age of 21 has proven to save lives and reduce negative effects in people who consume alcohol legally. Compared to other countries has proven a safe drinking age. In addition to all of the positive effects of having this law set in place, there are plenty of ways parents can prevent their adolescent from consuming alcohol. The evidence of the minimum drinking age of 21 saving young people's lives is overwhelmingly true. Since the minimum legal drinking age was raised from 18 to 21 in 1984 there has been a twenty percent decrease in fatal accidents amongst younger people. The strategy of congress refusing highway dollars to those states was enough to make them all adhere to setting a higher minimum drinking age. The states that have the strictest laws against using fake identification to purchase alcohol show a direct correlation to reduced alcohol related fatalities among people 21 and under. An estimate by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that increasing the minimum legal drinking age to 21 has saved the lives of about 27,000 young adults age 18-20. Approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die each year because of alcohol related accidents; of those 5,000 kids 1,700...
Words: 433 - Pages: 2
...Essay 2 Rough Draft Writing 123 Enthymeme: The minimum legal drinking age in the United States should not be lowered from 21 to 18 because the legal drinking age is in place to protect young people at a time when irresponsible behavior is prevalent. The Minimum Legal Drinking Age Debate Since 2008, 136 college chancellors and presidents have signed the Amethyst Initiative, asking that the United States reconsider the minimum legal drinking age-21 (MLDA-21) laws that have been in place in all 50 states since 1984. The Amethyst Initiative argues that the MLDA-21 laws simply do not work, create a culture of binge-drinking, and that a policy of legalization and education would be more effective in protecting the safety of American adolescents. Elisabeth Muhlenfeld, the president of Sweet Briar College in Virginia and Amethyst Initiative signatory writes that 70 percent of the student population is underage. Teaching abstinence to students that blatantly ignore the MLDA-21 laws, or urging responsible behavior while drinking underage and breaking the law, are both hypocritical positions for the college administration to be in (Muhlenfeld 2). The Amethyst Initiative position is that current MLDA-21 laws have created a culture of heavy alcohol use by making drinking clandestine and extreme (Saylor 1). The statistics seem to back up this claim. Recent survey's of the 18-20 year old population by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services show that a full 72 percent report...
Words: 2399 - Pages: 10
...Different governments have age limits for legal consumption of alcohol. In most western states, it is illegal for individuals below 18 years of age to consume alcohol. Other countries have an age limit of 15 years (Miller, 2010). All governments have reasons for setting this age requirements for alcohol consumption. For example, some argue that raising the legal age limit may not have an impact on society if people do not have the will to stop irresponsible drinking. Others argue that raising the legal age limit would allow individuals to drink when they are mature and responsible (Kolander, 2011). This would reduce chances of irresponsible drinking. This essay aims at discussing the legal age for alcohol consumption and whether it should be raised. According to reports from several police departments, most youth consume alcohol when they have not met the age limit. This implies that raising the age limit is effective albeit dutiful parenting (Miller, 2010). The need to raise the age limit, therefore, becomes crucial in curbing the negative effects caused by alcohol consumption. However, altering the age limit does not provide a conclusive solution to challenges of alcohol consumption. Governments can also create awareness in schools through program initiatives that educate children on the negative impacts of alcohol. Religious and social groups can collaborate with the governments on this aspect so as to make it effective. Secondly, raising the age limit for consumption of alcohol...
Words: 664 - Pages: 3
...The drinking age has been a topic of debate ever since an age was established. Many years ago, government said that 21 years old would be the minimum age for drinking. This was fine for a while but later became an issue. People started to think of all the things one can do as an 18 year old, yet still not able to drink a beer. At 18 years old one is considered an adult. They become eligible to serve in the military and yield weapons. Also at 18, one can go out to the store and buy a pack of cigarettes. So why can they still not have a beer. This is where controversy has begun. People believe the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Already in some states it is legal for someone to drink at 18, under some circumstances, but why is it not nationwide?...
Words: 1772 - Pages: 8
...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 current...
Words: 1712 - Pages: 7
...olds can now do everything their parents do except legally consume alcohol. If they are caught in public drinking alcohol they will be arrested. College students and soldiers are being forced to drink unsafely in the privacy of their homes because they are not legally able to purchase or consume alcohol. Minors are surrounded by their drunken peers every day and want to join in on the fun, but can’t legally drink. They are forced to drink heavy amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time, and this leads to alcoholism, drunk driving, heart and liver disease, and alcohol poisoning. Over time lowering the legal drinking age to eighteen will greatly reduce binge drinking which will result in less alcohol related deaths. Binge drinking is having ten or more drinks on one occasion. Binging can lead to violence, alcohol poisoning, drunk driving, and alcoholism, all of which can be deadly. This has become a major problem in the United States. The majority of binge drinkers are minors, people under the legal drinking age of 21. Over the last five years, the number of students binge drinking went up three to five times, which means the number of alcohol related deaths per year is also rising. This is a new problem that was a result of raising the drinking age from eighteen to twenty-one. If it was lowered back to eighteen there would be no need to binge drink. Over time binge drinking will stop being the new thing to do, and less people will...
Words: 1216 - Pages: 5
...A Claim Against 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...
Words: 3432 - Pages: 14
...The Long-Term Effects of Binge Drinking on University Students Sociology Abstract Binge drinking on university campuses poses a concern for serious health issues and negative social implications. Education and awareness, about the non-gender specific short and long term effects associated with binge drinking, provides a mechanism for students to make informed decisions about the alcohol consumption levels they will indulge in. This report illustrates the risks associated with binge drinking and offers an info graphic for observation, and consideration by students that challenges them to stop and think before they engage in risky drinking behaviours. The information for this report is drawn from the research findings of studies carried out by a variety of academics and professionals. The objective is to alert or reiterate, to the entire university student population, the risks associated with binge drinking, and the hope is that students will be oriented toward making choices related to their optimal health and wellbeing and avoid binge drinking. For many students, relaxing after a difficult week of study and research is complemented by drugs and alcohol, and sometimes way too much of either or both. Evidence of imbibing plentifully can be witnessed on campus after wild nights, reminders of excess that lead binge-drinkers to unhealthy mornings and possibly to poor exam or paper results. The “What’s Your Cap?” initiative has presented...
Words: 2794 - Pages: 12
...depression having their flaws in negative ways. Alcohol is popular in a way that in which has one become intoxicated, intoxicated meaning that he or she have drank and alcoholic drink to the point of in which your body becomes numb, warm, and poisoned by it becoming a mental and physical alteration of ones self; you become drowsy like, a slur of words, tend to have short memory, walk abnormally or not at all, and have the tendency to throw up! it can be easy to tell if someone is intoxicated when a person smells of alcohol, glazed or bloodshot eyes, the person is passive or argumentative, and a deterioration of the persons appearance. It is basically an obvious problem. This essay will try to prove that alcohol is poisonous substance that should be highly monitored and the drinking age being raised as a result. Have you ever been pressured into doing something you would rather not do? many people have been in many different ways. It seems that teens are being pressured more and more into drinking than anything else. if you choose to drink it is he or she's choice but are you doing it to fit in? or just because you want to? there are many different ways an adolescent might take a drink even if they know it is wrong. Some reasons are the risk taking, the expectancies, how sensitive and how they tolerate the alcohol, hereditary factors, personality characteristics, and psychological thoughts. Some people say that we should change our drinking ages to 16, like in Europe, where they...
Words: 1381 - Pages: 6
...our present laws prohibiting teenage drinking are quite irrational. It is illegal to sell or serve alcoholic beverages to minors, yet we expect young people to take their places suddenly at eighteen or twenty-one in an adult culture where drinking is the norm. Somehow, miraculously, without any practice, they are supposed to know how to drink sensibly and befittingly. Fortunately or unfortunately, all the studies of what teenagers actually do, rather than what they are supposed to, show that teenagers do drink. The percentage of teenage drinkers increases steadily with age, until at eighteen the proportion of drinkers is approximately the same as in the adult population. The percentage of teenage drinkers varies depending on the region of the country. “One study, which showed 86 percent teenage drinkers in Nassau County, New York, and only 44 percent in rural Kansas, was typical of the general trend: teenagers in metropolitan areas are more likely to drink than those in rural regions” (Silverstein and Silverstein 78). Boys, who are traditionally given more freedom than girls, have a higher percentage of drinkers than girls. The difference is especially distinct in rural areas, and it decreases with age. Beer is the most commonly used alcoholic beverage among young people. Wine is second, and hard liquor last. Most teenagers who drink do so in their own home, or in the homes of friends, often under their parents’ supervision. Drinking at parties is another frequent practice...
Words: 2034 - Pages: 9
...the number one spot where advertisements are released because of the variety of age groups that it reaches throughout the United States. “Average number of hours per week that American youth ages 12-17 watch television: 20 hours, 20 minutes,” (CERC, 1998). Although Television is the most effective way to advertise products because of how much it is consumed and how large of an audience it captures, does it attract individuals who were not intended to be targeted when it comes to alcohol advertising? Advertisements centered on alcohol have proven to attract all races, both the male and female gender, and all age groups, especially those who are underage. The marketers of alcoholic products have succeeded with these advertisements, but have also created a negative impact to many individuals that have experienced this product. Although it is clear that alcohol industries aim to only increase market share and not necessarily increase the number of underage drinkers that their commercials attract, research has stated that this is, in fact, the direct outcome. Alcohol advertising has also shown to attract low income and minority groups. The television networks are fully aware that because of this specific advertising, it could be causing greater harm then what is intended. “Alcohol marketers say they have voluntary standards that prevent them from targeting consumers younger than the legal purchase age. They claim to avoid pitches that primarily appeal to teenagers and to pass up ad...
Words: 2468 - Pages: 10
...Introduction The term Binge drinking refers to the excessive consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. In the US, binge drinking is defined as consumption of five and above units of alcohol for a man or four and more units of alcohol for a lady in a single session. This term can also be termed as heavy binge drinking especially when it occurs more than twice in a week of more than thrice within a period of two weeks (Wechsler, Henry, and Toben F. Nelson, 2006). Almost 80% of alcohol consumption by youths is in a form of binge drinks. The most affected age is the age between 18 and 24, of which many these youths are college students. From a research, one of the big cause of binge drinking is by influence usually by adverts from beverage (alcoholic) companies. These companies put the adverts in a way that it seems attractive and fun to drink much, among the youths. Again peer pressure plays a big role in the cause of binge drinking among youths especially college guys. Other causes may be due to curiosity i.e. they want to be aware how someone feels when drunk, believing that someone feels so good when he or she is drunk (Cranford, James A., Sean Esteban McCabe, and Carol J. Boyd, 2006). Also due to some believes that one can reduce stress by taking alcohol push students to alcohol drinking mostly towards or after an exam. As per the latest report by National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about four in a group of five college students take alcohol. Also...
Words: 705 - Pages: 3
...years. Peer pressure in relation to alcohol use include peer norms, peer approval to drinking and the need to conform. Studies show that peer pressure does have an impact on alcohol use. However, other factors such as intrapersonal or psycho social forces, as well as parental influencess also have an effect on adolescents decisions to drink. The following literature reviews show the extent of peer pressure on adolescent alcohol and the other factors that may have a contribution to it. Impact of Peer Pressure on Risky Behaviour (alcohol abuse) Peer pressure refers to the influences that a group of friends or peers can have over each other. It is common among adolescents who are at a time in their lives where development of a separate identity from the identity perceptions their parents have of them is at a peak. Additionally, it is at this time that peers are trying to fit in with their group and therefore find themselves in activities or risky behavior that they would otherwise partake in. Peer pressure has no demographic boundaries affecting males and females over a wide age range in different ways with negative implications. Such negative implications of peer pressure include risky behaviors such as alcohol abuse. Alcohol consumption is one of the many risk behaviors that adolescents engage in as a result of peer pressure. Arata, Stafford and Tims (2003)focus on problem drinking among 930 adolescents of 13 to 19yrs from an urban private high school in Roslyn Heights...
Words: 1155 - Pages: 5
...Milgram 1 Cory Milgram WR 121 Abby Grewatz Essay 3.2 3/13/13 Beer and Sports Sports are a huge source of entertainment in the world. Watching sports is an excellent activity that the whole family can enjoy. More than ever before, fans in America can turn on their HDTVs and tune into their sporting event of choice. With such a large quantity of viewers glued to their TV sets, companies have begun paying top dollar to direct their advertisements at sports enthusiasts. Commercials relating to sports have commonly been extremely successful and consumers purchase these companies products at an astounding rate. The problem I have with sports related advertisements specifically relates to the beer industry. These are some of the most profitable corporations and suck people in with multimillion-dollar commercials. These commercials are clever yet often deceitful. Beer commercials also air more frequently than that of nearly any other product. This gives viewers a constant reminder to purchase a product that, in fact, can be dangerous and detrimental to one's health. Beer commercials should be banned from televised sporting events because beer commercials make viewers believe they are dependent on alcohol consumption to enjoy watching sports. Watching televised sports is viewed as a social event. Gathering around the television with friends, living and dying with every pitch, is a rich part of the American culture and its tradition. These are the moments people look forward...
Words: 1657 - Pages: 7
...Underage drinking is becoming more of a noticeable problem in society, not only with high school students, but also with younger generations. Drinking is all over the television, the radio, and talked about in schools, public places, etc. Alcohol advertisements are more and more appealing to younger generations. If our youth is educated at a younger age, if school policies were stricter, and if clubs and bars cracked down on underage drinking the problem would not be as serious. Youth should be well educated about consumption of alcohol well before middle school. By the time students reach middle school they are already exposed to alcohol. D.A.R.E, the program that teaches children about alcohol and its effects, should be taught in elementary school. According to underagedrinking.samhsa.gov, over 70% of eighth graders said alcohol is easy to get 30% of children age 12-14 get alcohol from a family member. These statistics show that drinking is very popular in middle school. It seems as though these kids already know what they are doing by eighth grade, so D.A.R.E classes must be taught at an earlier age. Another reason classes should be taught earlier is from my own personal experience. High school football games should be a memorable part of their high school career. Instead of innocent cheering and fun at the games the young students show up intoxicated with the smell of alcohol on their breath. Now a day, children find it harder to enjoy things sober. To support my own personal...
Words: 851 - Pages: 4
