Debate on the Legal Drinking Age - 736 Words

The drinking age has been twenty-one for the past thirty years, but for the past few years, there have been debates on changing the drinking age back to eighteen. Most individuals under twenty-one have consumed an alcoholic beverage; many have done so because he or she thinks it is cool and/or his or her friends want him or her to. Regardless of why individuals drink before the legal drinking age, if those individuals are caught by authorities, the individual(s) will have to face the consequences. Considering everything that an individual becomes responsible for at the age of eighteen in the United States of America, including: joining the military, living on one’s own, getting married, owning a vehicle, working a full time job, raising a family, and many more, but at eighteen many still believe those individuals are too young to handle alcohol. Many people have argued that if an individual is old enough to join the military and risk his or her life, he or she should be able t o consume alcohol. Opinions run high over this debate, but there are many studies being conducted as well. A study states, from the New York Times, that different environments cause different actions from underage drinkers. The New York Times stated that when underage drinkers get together for parties, the individuals tend to become more reckless because the individuals are in a large group rather than alone or with a close friend. Reckless behavior in large groups occurs because there is an excessiveShow MoreRelatedThe Debate On The Minimum Legal Drinking Age2364 Words   |  10 PagesThe Debate on the Minimum Legal Drinking Age There has been a debate going on about the minimum legal drinking age, or â€Å"MLDA†. Some people believe it has no impact on our youth, and should thus be lowered to the standard age of adulthood, age 18. They refuse to acknowledge the true significance of this law, however, and continue to see it as a futile attempt to control the inevitable. Yet in reality, having an MLDA of 21 has many benefits, and stands for a healthier view of alcohol consumption,Read MoreThe Debate Over A Proper Legal Drinking Age1243 Words   |  5 PagesThe debate over a proper legal drinking age has been ongoing for decades. Some people believe twenty-one is the right age for legally consuming alcohol, while others believe twenty-one is too old. There are many supporters of an age limit of eighteen on alcohol consumption, but it has not been enough to sway Congress away from their set age of twenty-one. One major advocate for the age of twenty-one is the organization MADD, or â€Å"Mothers Again st Drunk Driving†. This organization supports the age ofRead MoreEssay about Debate Over the Legal Drinking Age1735 Words   |  7 PagesThe Debate Over the Legal Drinking Age College life is filled with changes. It is filled with many new experiences. As college students, we are on our own, adults. As adults we are responsible for keeping up to date on information that affects us. One issue that affects college students nation wide is drinking. The current legal drinking age in the United States is twenty-one years of age. The Federal government raised the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 in 1984. Even with the current drinkingRead MoreResearch Paper Drinking Age1565 Words   |  7 PagesThe legal drinking age refers to the youngest age at which a person is legally allowed to buy and consumes alcoholic beverages. The drinking age varies from country to country. Here in the United States the legal drinking age is twenty-one. There has been much debate on whether the drinking age in the United States should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. People in favor of keeping the drinking age at twenty-one believe that there will be less alcohol related injuries and deaths fromRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Agre1173 Words   |  5 PagesThe legal age of adulthood in the United States for most purposes is 18. At the age of 18, a person enters the realm of adulthood and is assigned the rights and responsibilities associated with this legal status. For example, an 18 year old can legally sign a contract and is bound by the terms and conditions of the contract. An 18 year old can marry without parental consent, serve on a jury, and vote in state and federal elections. An 18 year old who is charged with a crime is not tried in theRead MoreQuicker Liquor Essay1506 Words   |  7 PagesShould We Lower the Drinking Age? | 18 vs. 21 | â€Å"Quicker Liquor† A Short Research Paper Should the legal drinking age be lowered? Those who supported the change for the 2009 re-authorization of the law (dubbed Pro 18), and those who wanted the law to remain at the current age of 21 (dubbed Pro 21), had three major categories to explore for this debate: safety, binge drinking and maturity. There is opposition and support on both sides of the issue including a coalition founded inRead MoreDrinking Age1395 Words   |  6 Pagesscenarios an argument can occur that debates whether one thing or another is good or bad, helpful or hurtful. Some debates are simple with no major side effects such as would drinking gatorade or water better maximize the performance of athletes. Other debates involving drinking are not as simple, these debates involve alcohol drinking age. Both arguments can have different viewpoints, the difference is the significance in the argument. What should the legal drinking age in the United States be? Read MoreLegal Drinking Age853 Words   |  4 PagesAlthough the debate began many years ago, it still continues to this day. Should the legal drinking age be lowered, or should it not be lowered? The argument has always been massive, with both sides spitting out rebuttals left and right. Despite the fact that both sides showcase decent evidence, only one brings hard-hitting facts that truly make a difference: the legal drinking age should not be lowered because it helps prevents youths from driving drunk, it helps prevent youths from committing violentRead MoreAlcoholism And The Consumption Of Alcoholic Liquor918 Words   |  4 Pages Over eighty percent of the world’s population over the age of eighteen has consumed an alcoholic beverage sometime in their lives. Of which, fifty-six percent of them have consumed an alcohol this month (http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/). â€Å"Alcoholism is an addiction to the consumption of alcoholic liquor. Alcoholism is considered to be a m ental illness that results in alcohol dependency† (Webster Dictionary). Statistics state that there were 2.5 million deaths worldwide; and 88,000 deaths in the UnitedRead MoreLowering the Drinking Age from 21 Would be Irresponsible Essay577 Words   |  3 PagesLowering the drinking age from 21 would be irresponsible. People argue that lowering the drinking age is not smart because most youths still have not yet reached a mature age to handle alcohol. Teens that include themselves in an unsafe environment are likely to endure in self-harm and encounter in binge drinking. The Alcohol Policy Information System says, â€Å"Annually, about 5,000 youth under the age of 21 die in incidents due to underage drinking† (â€Å"Drinking†). I believe the drinking age should not