Lowering the Drinking Age
Lowering the Drinking Age
“Nearly 10 million youths, ages 12 to 20, in this country report they have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days.” (“City Council”) Teens use alcohol for a numerous amount of reasons, ranging from celebration to stress to boredom and underage drinking has now become a hobby done behind closed doors. The legal limit today in the United states has been 21 since the 1984, requiring all states to raise the minimum age for purchase and possession of alcohol to 21, but that is not stopping teens from underage drinking. The Minimum Legal Drinking Age is largely ineffective because teens are going to drink whether it is legal or not. The minimum drinking age limit should be lowered to 18 because 18 year olds are adults, teens would drink in a more controlled manner, and there would be less unsafe incidents. In the US, 18 is the age of adulthood, so adults should have to right to make their own decisions, especially pertaining to alcohol consumption. “Turning 18 entails receiving the rights and responsibilities of adulthood to vote, smoke cigarettes, serve on juries, get married, sign contracts, be prosecuted as adults, and join the military.” (Chiappetta) Some of these rights even put you at the risk of death. If at the age of 18, you are allowed to make all of those decisions for yourself, then why not with alcohol? This question still remains unanswered. Republican Richard Marron states, “It just doesn't sit right with me that people [at the age of 18] have the right to do everything else, including serve their country, but don't have the right to consume alcohol, it's a form of age discrimination.” Being an adult means making your own choices. If 18 year olds are held mature old enough to enlist or vote, it should be held consistent allowing them to buy and drink alcohol. Many argue against the claim that you are old enough to drink at 18. Opponents of lowering the drinking age argue that teens have not yet reached an
“Nearly 10 million youths, ages 12 to 20, in this country report they have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days.” (“City Council”) Teens use alcohol for a numerous amount of reasons, ranging from celebration to stress to boredom and underage drinking has now become a hobby done behind closed doors. The legal limit today in the United states has been 21 since the 1984, requiring all states to raise the minimum age for purchase and possession of alcohol to 21, but that is not stopping teens from underage drinking. The Minimum Legal Drinking Age is largely ineffective because teens are going to drink whether it is legal or not. The minimum drinking age limit should be lowered to 18 because 18 year olds are adults, teens would drink in a more controlled manner, and there would be less unsafe incidents. In the US, 18 is the age of adulthood, so adults should have to right to make their own decisions, especially pertaining to alcohol consumption. “Turning 18 entails receiving the rights and responsibilities of adulthood to vote, smoke cigarettes, serve on juries, get married, sign contracts, be prosecuted as adults, and join the military.” (Chiappetta) Some of these rights even put you at the risk of death. If at the age of 18, you are allowed to make all of those decisions for yourself, then why not with alcohol? This question still remains unanswered. Republican Richard Marron states, “It just doesn't sit right with me that people [at the age of 18] have the right to do everything else, including serve their country, but don't have the right to consume alcohol, it's a form of age discrimination.” Being an adult means making your own choices. If 18 year olds are held mature old enough to enlist or vote, it should be held consistent allowing them to buy and drink alcohol. Many argue against the claim that you are old enough to drink at 18. Opponents of lowering the drinking age argue that teens have not yet reached an