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Lowering the Drinking Age in the US
Most states in US have set their drinking age at 21 years with some exceptions existing on state by state basis in which consumption is required to be done at home, or under adult supervisory and or for reasons of medical among many more reasons. However, this law has elicited mixed reactions from different frontiers, with a section proposing the limit to hold while under opposing that the age limit be reduced to 18. Every group has their reasons for their stances. Those suggesting lowering of the minimum age to 18 argue that the laws has not stopped teenagers from continued drinking as it has instead, further pushed underage binge drinking behaviors in private and in less controlled environments. This has led to impact of health and unwarranted behaviors among teenagers in their entire lives. On the other hand, the opponents of reducing the minimum drinking age argue that teenagers should not engage in drinking habits because they cannot handle alcohol responsibly as they are likely to cause harm or kill themselves. Their cognitive or mental capability is not strong to withstand the forces of alcohol and therefore by engaging in drinking, it risks their health and their own life’s.
Lowering of drinking age in US has both pros and cons. For instance, pros of lowering drinking are many. When an individual turn 18 years, constitution recognized him /her as an adult and is liable to face the laws in case of contravening the constitution. Further, such a person receives responsibilities and rights as a citizen to vote and take on duties such as service in the military, can get married, sign contracts and participate in any other activities like any other person. This therefore demonstrates that such a person needs to be trusted and given the freedom to make decisions about alcohol consumptions. A person over 18 years is an adult and should be able to take responsible of his own actions and decisions. In addition, failure to teach adolescents to drink in moderation results to excessive drinking at later stages. Therefore, these youths should be taught responsible drinking at an early stage in order to be acquainted with the dangers that are associated with heavy drinking. This therefore, means that the age should be reduced to 18 to enable them learn to drink in moderation. One of the reasons for increasing the minimum age in US to 21 was to ensure reduction in road fatalities. However, when US increased minimum age, its traffic fatalities in 1980 decreased les compared to Europe, which has its legal drinking age less than 21(Anne, Laurie, & Bevan, 183). This statistics demonstrates that age does not contribute to some of these fatalities and therefore US age should be reduced to 18 years.
Furthermore, lowering the age will make alcohol to be seen not as a taboo , and will take away the thrill among young teenager of breaking the law but instead will make alcohol to be a normal venture that can be done in moderation. Limiting teenager to drink in public place, bars or restaurant make them drink in private places and in case they are injured, they fear seeking medical attentions for fear of legal implication. This harms them and leads to further complication in their future lives. Therefore, by reducing the age limit it will allow them to drinking supervised environments and lead to responsible drinking. Furthermore, misconception of drinking to be maturity privilege makes young teenagers to want to consume alcohol to appear mature. This misconception can be avoided by reducing the age. Age is just a number and moving the limit to 21 does not guarantee that accidents will reduce. Responsible drinking and driving is the only solution therefore age should be reduced. Drinking among teens is a major problem and to avoid this government should spend a lot of their resource in educating them about the effects of drinking that spend their time enacting laws to increase the age limits. Furthermore, it is unconstitutional for the laws to discriminate the adult of the age of 18 years.
Cons of lowering the drinking age include. There will be an increase in accidents and fatal road accidents when drinking age limit is reduced to 18 years. For instance, fatal accidents among people of age between 18 to 20 decreased to 13% saving an approximate of 21,887 lives between 1975 and 2002 when the age limit was increased to 21(James, & Welte, 42). Another con is that teens are still undergoing many changes in their bodies, face peer influence pressures and other urges and when the age limit is reduced, they will engage in substance abuse, unsafe sex, and violence and in other social mischief. The percentage of underage drinking has also reduced since 1984 with the increase in the drinking age to 21 years. Teenagers, upon drinking behave in a bad way demonstrating their prone to alcohol abuse. Furthermore, such teenagers have a higher chance of failing in their academic hence affecting their academic performance. US teenager drive at a younger age, and by reducing the drinking age, accidents will increase due to increase in consumption of alcohol. More so, those people who begin drinking at an early age, faces risks of becoming alcoholic which may later lead to suffering from negative withdrawal and affecting brain development. Early drinking present health implications as it increased unplanned pregnancies among teenagers (Angela, & Tara 737).
To sum up, alcohol drinking age is an important factor in the US Context. It is imperative that government spend most of its time on educating people on responsible drinking rather than spending substantial amount of time debating on teenage limits. Upon reaching 18 years, the constitution recognizes a person as an adult. Therefore, such person should be given discretion to make decision pertaining drinking or not. At this age, the mental capability is developed and an individual understands the repercussions of excessive drinking
Works Cited
Angela, Fertig, & Tara Watson. “Minimum drinking age laws and infant health outcomes,” Journal of Health Economics, 28.3 (2009): 737-747. Print.
Anne, McCartt, Laurie, Hellinga, and Bevan, Kirley. “The effects of minimum legal drinking age 21 laws on alcohol-related driving in the United States,” Journal of Safety Research, 41.2 (2010):173-184. Print.
James, York, & Welte, Hirsch. “Regulation of alcohol intake with advancing age,” Alcohol, 36.1 (2005): 41-46. Print.
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