Lowering the Mlda in the Us to 18
Shannon Hernandez
English 2
Ms. Williams
25 July 2011
Lower the Minimum Legal Drinking Age to 18
Lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) of 21 to 18 is a heavily debated topic in the US. Currently, the MLDA is widely believed to save lives by reducing traffic fatalities among underage drivers. Further, the federal Uniform Drinking Age Act (FUDAA), which pressured all states to adopt an MLDA of 21, is regarded as having contributed enormously to this life saving effect. It is also believed that the legal drinking age of 21 plays a major role in preventing adolescents from consuming alcohol. However, the legal drinking age of 21 just isn’t working. It is the lone exception to the legal age of adulthood in the US while in nearly all cultures alcohol consumption is coincident with the legal age of adulthood. Not only has the law failed at its goal of keeping young people from excess alcohol use, but the evidence that the MLDA of 21 is solely responsible for preventing alcohol related traffic fatalities is faulty. Therefore, it is only fair that the legal drinking age be lowered to 18 to be consistent with the other legal rights that one encounters upon adulthood.
In the article, “Does the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Save Lives?” Miron and Tetelbaum state that in 1984 the Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act (FUDAA) was signed by President Ronald Regan. This act threatened to withhold 10 percent of federal highway funds from states that did not prohibit selling alcohol to those under the age of 21. Though most states argued that it was an unjust act, pressuring them to raise their legal drinking age to 21, the court argued that lowering traffic fatalities among those ages 18-20 was sufficient enough to enforce the FUDAA (317). After that law passed, by 1988, 49 states had complied; and after years of court fights, Louisiana surrendered and joined the other states in 1995 (Johnson). Further, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
English 2
Ms. Williams
25 July 2011
Lower the Minimum Legal Drinking Age to 18
Lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) of 21 to 18 is a heavily debated topic in the US. Currently, the MLDA is widely believed to save lives by reducing traffic fatalities among underage drivers. Further, the federal Uniform Drinking Age Act (FUDAA), which pressured all states to adopt an MLDA of 21, is regarded as having contributed enormously to this life saving effect. It is also believed that the legal drinking age of 21 plays a major role in preventing adolescents from consuming alcohol. However, the legal drinking age of 21 just isn’t working. It is the lone exception to the legal age of adulthood in the US while in nearly all cultures alcohol consumption is coincident with the legal age of adulthood. Not only has the law failed at its goal of keeping young people from excess alcohol use, but the evidence that the MLDA of 21 is solely responsible for preventing alcohol related traffic fatalities is faulty. Therefore, it is only fair that the legal drinking age be lowered to 18 to be consistent with the other legal rights that one encounters upon adulthood.
In the article, “Does the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Save Lives?” Miron and Tetelbaum state that in 1984 the Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act (FUDAA) was signed by President Ronald Regan. This act threatened to withhold 10 percent of federal highway funds from states that did not prohibit selling alcohol to those under the age of 21. Though most states argued that it was an unjust act, pressuring them to raise their legal drinking age to 21, the court argued that lowering traffic fatalities among those ages 18-20 was sufficient enough to enforce the FUDAA (317). After that law passed, by 1988, 49 states had complied; and after years of court fights, Louisiana surrendered and joined the other states in 1995 (Johnson). Further, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
Cited: drinking age (MLDA)? Some findings to inform the debate." Addictive Behaviors 34.4 (2009): 407-410 Save Lives?” 47.2 (2009): 317-336. EBSCO.Web. 13 July 2011. VanEeghen, Ernst. Personal interview. 17 July. 2011.