Lowering the Drinking Age to 18: Why I Think It's Time
The drinking age should be lowered to 18 giving young adults the permission to drink in controlled environments such as restaurants, bars and official school and university functions. Mature and sensibly drinking behavior could then be taught and educated. Why will lowering the drinking age to 18 make any difference?
According to a study made by Professor Ruth C. Engs from Indiana University, young adults under 21 are most likely to become heavy drinkers. The reason for that is because of the way young people think. In most cases, the fact that you need to be 21 to drink, makes teenagers under 21 feel like they need to drink because it is part being an adult. They know it is illegal, and it makes them more impatient to drink. If the drinking age was lowered to 18, these thoughts would not the same; young people wouldn't look at it the same since it would be available to them legally. This would change their opinion of drinking and they would begin to expect mature drinking. They would also feel less of a need for alcohol since it is accessible to them at anytime legally.
Personally, I can verify the difference that could possibly occur if the drinking age was lowered. I lived in Denmark for 11 years, where the drinking age is 15. The drinking and driving rate is very low and any alcohol related crime isn't something that occurs a lot. The truth is that in Denmark, people don't have to physically bring themselves to a place where they can drink unlike in the U.S. where most teenagers attend parties to drink. In Denmark, people drink maturely and responsibly. When I just arrived to the U.S., I noticed that basically everybody drove to parties, and had no choice than to drive back home after drinking. If you can't buy alcohol, the only way you can drink is by attending places where people will provide it to you. And this is why a lot of accidents occur; because people travel back and forth just to drink.
In conclusion, the drinking age should be lowered to 18, not just because it could decrease the amount of heavy drinkers, or because it could decrease drinking and driving related accidents, but because it hasn't worked to prohibit drinking in the past, so why have the "no drinking until 21" law? Some people might disagree with some of my thoughts and opinions of this law, but everyone sees things in a different perspective. I have lived in several countries, and so I have a broad view of how people treat the laws of drinking. Maybe one day the U.S. will fix the problem.
Published by Armen
My name is Armen Adamian, 18 years old, originally from Europe, came to United States 4 years ago. I love Film Making; it is my passion. To see the reactions of people after they've watched my work, is the... View profile
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11 Comments
Post a CommentI think the drinking age should be to 16. I mean if younger people didnt have to drive to parties and could just stay at a house and drink after they buy it, then itd all be fine. but the law makes that harder and harder.
I LIKE CANDY!!!!!!!!!!!
Who ever is against this proposal listen to me I am 17 years old. My first sip of alcohol was my freshmen year as with most kids now a days. Accomidating alcohol was really no problem for us. When we all started we thought we were the bomb. But since then we really find no need for it anymore. Teenagers are more responsible than older people think. The way you learn right from wrong is by learning from your mistakes. I feel we should take on the laws of european countries and change the driving age to 18 and drinking beer not spirits to 16 and spirits at 18. Studies there HAVE SHOWN less teen deaths because by the time teens start driving they have become familiar with the affects of alcohol.
Who ever is against this proposal listen to me I am 17 years old. My first sip of alcohol was my freshmen year as with most kids now a days. Accomidating alcohol was really no problem for us. When we all started we thought we were the bomb. But since then we really find no need for it anymore. Teenagers are more responsible than older people think. The way you learn right from wrong is by learning from your mistakes. I feel we should take on the laws of european countries and change the driving age to 18 and drinking beer not spirits to 16 and spirits at 18. Studies there HAVE SHOWN less teen deaths because by the time teens start driving they have become familiar with the affects of alcohol.
How many stop with 1 drink. Give me a break. Being a Puritan isn't the problem. Being incapable of controlling yourselves is the problem. Drunk Drivers are the problem. Dead children from drunk drivers is the problem. Irresponsible behavior is the problem. 18 is too inmature to be deciding if they are responsible or not. Soldiers are not responsible at 18. Just because they go to war doesn't make them smart. It only makes them patriotic or stupid.
Why don't be just put in their bottles and train them from a young age to be stupid and irresponsible. Drinking only leads to problems. 18 or 85 it is trouble. This is all we need out on the roads is thousands of young, stupid, no driving kids being allowed to drink. They aren't responsible enough to keep their clothes on, much less be allowed to drink at that age. What a stupid article.
In response to Matthew, if parents are training students to drink responsibly as you suggest then lowering the drinking age to 18 isn't a problem. Time we got rid of antiquated, Puritan (I mean that literally) ideas about alcohol that suggest one drink damns you to irresponsibility.
I liked this one!
**Clarification: I wrote below that lowering the drinking age would give "parents excuses NOT to let their kids..." However, I meant to write, lowering the drinking age would give "parents more excuses TO let their kids..."
First of all, there is no research to show that lowering the drinking age to 18 would lower drinking and driving rates, as well as the amount of heavy drinkers.
Instead, how about parents teach their high school kids responsibility of not drinking? I got along just fine without having a sip of beer or alcohol in my high school years.
In my opinion, high school kids are too young to drink because some of them can't even predict the consequences of their own actions yet! Lowering the drinking age to 18 would only give high school kids more reason to drink, and only give more parents excuses NOT to let their kids have drinking parties at their houses. Your opinion is quite naive and I for one am glad that the drinking age is restricted to 21 in the United States, whether it "works" most places or not.