Negative Effects of Lowering the Minimum Legal Drinking...

When looking at the drinking age in many nations, a trend of relatively young minimum legal drinking ages (MLDA) can be seen around the world. As it stands, all of America’s 50 states employ a MLDA of 21 making America one of only seven countries in the world to have a drinking age set at 21; the oldest age set as the minimum legal drinking age in the world. Where many of our friends in Europe are happily drinking away at 18, many here in America are left wondering why we don’t employ the same age requirement. Why is it that America has set the age so high as opposed to everyone else? How much more dangerous could drinking at 18 be as opposed to 21? The reason that the MLDA in America is so high is not because America is ignorant or†¦show more content†¦At colleges, the problem persists as well where more than 30% of college students display at least one or more symptoms of alcohol abuse and more than 40% of college students reported one or more symptoms of alc ohol dependence (McCabe). Even so, studies have shown that 21 year old drinking restrictions reduce the amount of underage drinkers. It has been shown that since the implementation of the 21 year old drinking age requirement, binge drinking doesn’t peak until people are between the ages of 21-25 as opposed to 18-20 (Department of Health and Human Services). While the earlier statistic that 72.2% of twelfth graders admit to drinking may be shocking, it is actually down from the percent of underage people drinking since 1984 when the drinking age was increased to 21 (Fell). Not only this but since the drinking age was increased, people continue to drink less through their twenties and into adulthood (Wagenaar). Together with reducing the frequency of underage drinking in America, the MLDA being set at 21 also has reduced the frequency of alcohol consumption in the nation as a whole. In a 2002 study, 87% of analyses found that higher MDLAs were associated with lower alcohol cons umption as a whole (Toomey, Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws: Review and Analysis of the Literature from 1960 to 2000). This study is further supported by the NHTSA finding that since 1986, just two years after the 21 year old legal drinking age was enacted, the percentage of weekendShow MoreRelatedThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1700 Words   |  7 Pagesthe National Minimum Drinking Age Act made all 50 states raise the legal drinking age to 21(Dejong). The debate is on whether the age should be lowered or not. Statistically, having the age at 21 has been very helpful in keeping the nation safe. If there is not an issue with age now, would it make sense to lower the age and create unnecessary problems? In this case, the negative effects outweigh the positive. Simply because there is no good in lowering the age. The legal drinking age has been setRead MoreLegalizing the Drinking Age to 181624 Words   |  7 PagesLegalizing the Drinking Age to 18 When people turn to the age of eighteen, they are finally considered an adult. They can join the army, have the right to vote, buy cigarettes or tobacco products, get a tattoo and even die for our country, but they aren’t allowed to buy alcohol? A person can be responsible enough to live on his or her own, make money, pay bills, and yet they are not old enough to purchase or consume any type of alcohol. Underage drinking has been a major controversial issue forRead MoreAmerica Is Against Minimum Legal Drinking Age994 Words   |  4 PagesDrinking Alcohol from High School Senior Year Nice music, best friends, happy families, delicious foods, and amazing gifts are in the high school graduation party, but what’s missing from here? The answer is alcohol. America is against minimum legal drinking age under 21. That means Americans under the age of 21 years old are not allowed to buy beer, wine, or any drink that contains alcohol at the store. Many people complain about this law lately for several good reasons. America’s drinking age shouldRead MorePositive And Negative Effects Of Drinking Alcohol1709 Words   |  7 Pagesthe consumption of alcohol but it can be said that drinking alcohol has both positive and negative effects. Controversy may arise between opposing sides that those below the age of twenty-one are not responsible enough to drink however are allowed a driving license or a driver’s permit. In the United States of America, society and lawmakers focus more on the negative impacts of alcohol consumption especially when it comes to who we allow drinking, and do not consider that teenagers are able to thinkRead MoreThe Minimum Drinking Age Of South Dakota Vs. Dole2398 Words   |  10 PagesAmerican government raised the minimum national drinking age from 18 to 21 as a method to reduce the number of car crashes and deaths caused by underage drunk drivers. The government placed the minimum drinking age law in the Federal Aid Highway Act, and by doing that states were not technically required to keep their minimum drinking age at 21. Given the fact that the law was a part of the Highway Act, if a state wanted to establish a different minimum drinking age, they would be required to surrenderRead MoreThe Drinking Age Of The United States Should Be Lowered929 Words   |  4 PagesAn argument that many tend to dispute today, whether the drinking age of the United States should be lowered from 21 to 18. The drinking age for people to drink alcoholic beverages was made into law by the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. T his ant enforced all states to raise their legal drinking age to 21. To get this law pass, the congress tried to strongarm the states, if the states did not comply, the government would take away their highway funds. Both arguments for it to be lowered and toRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age At The United States Of America1698 Words   |  7 Pagesthe legal age to drink alcoholic beverages in the United States of America. Some otherwise intelligent people want to lower the legal drinking age to eighteen rather than keep it at twenty-one, the current federally mandated drinking age. In Time Magazine Mary Cary, author of Time to Lower the Drinking Age, puts forth the position that lowering the drinking age would actually be beneficial to society. Though lowering the drinking age to eighteen may lead to solutions to underage drinking, manyRead MoreLegal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered2099 Words   |  9 Pages friends, and the feeling of being invincible. Although there are a legal al cohol drinking and purchasing age in various countries, it is easily accessible to those who are underage. Alcohol is a monitored and controlled substance that can be purchased legally, yet there are many concerns that surround the substance. There are pros, cons, and different patterns regarding alcohol and the legal alcohol drinking and purchasing age. As a result of alcohol use, there have been many fatalities and injuriesRead MoreWhy The Drinking Age During The U.s. Should Be Lowered1300 Words   |  6 PagesInsert name Professor’s name Course/class Date Why the drinking age in the U.S. should be lowered to 18 Getting to 18 years of age is an important milestone for a US resident because it is the legal age for independence, allowing the individual to make his or her decisions regarding tobacco smoking, driving and even joining the armed forces while being treated as an adult by the justice system. While this statement is essentially accurate, it is untrue concerning the ability to purchase and drinkRead MoreLowering The National Drinking Age1698 Words   |  7 PagesLowering the National Drinking Age Winston Churchill was infamous for his one liners and occasional drunken outbursts. One night at a party, he shocked a rather prominent woman with his drunken atrocities. Insulted, she turned to him and said, â€Å"Mr. Churchill, you are as drunk as a dog.† The Prime Minister returned, â€Å"Madam, I may be very drunk, but you are very ugly. But tomorrow,† he added, â€Å"I shall be sober† (Churchill, W). The use and abuse of alcohol is a centuries old vice that has circumnavigated