High and college student are faced with a ever pressing issue each year. The legal drinking is one of the few responsibilities that American society feel they are not worthy for. We feel the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18.
In Our studies we found the majority of states in the United States (31 of 50 states) have laws that prohibit or limit the consumption of beverage alcohol for those individuals under 21, in all 50 states it is illegal to posses alcohol. “Three have a national minimum drinking age of 21 (Malaysia, South Korea, and Ukraine)”, (March, 1998).
In countries where no exceptions are made, “26 countries have minimum drinking ages of 18”, (March,1998).
“Five have a minimum drinking age of 16 (Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain)”, (March, 1998).
2 countries (Japan and Iceland) have a minimum drinking age of 20. Out of all this information however the most useful fact is our two neighboring countries serve alcohol to 18 year olds. Travel agencies has noticed this fact and have packages specially aimed at getting high and college student into Mexico and Canada. With the lowering of age high and college student would skip these awkward and sometimes dangerous trips and spend there spring breaks here in the states.
The Term Paper on Lowering the Drinking Age in America
... European country with legal drinking ages under twenty-one. (Pros and cons. 2014, July 18). If the United States lowers the drinking age to ... the individual just needs to be responsible. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act, was enforced during FDR’s presidency, is initiated by ... common concern and national security concerns are always in high alert due to illegal circulation of documents, in ...
Furthermore I feel the legal drinking age should be lower is lessen the image of alcohol as the “Forbidden fruit”, “badge of rebellion against authority” and “adulthood”(1998).
Alcohol abuse did however “decrease” In America when this law was implemented. This is a major fallacy however “32% of under age” college students “binge drink (consume over 5 drinks at least once a week)” (1998).No matter what age limit teenagers, much like adults during the probation will get alcohol by whatever means possible. I (Brian Hunt) was big into the party scene in high school. The number one reason why all my peers drank was cause it was wrong. Most did not like the flavor, or the effects of the drinking. They just did it for the thrill that they might get caught, or to be seen as mature. Which is quite counter-productive to the original reason for raising the drinking age in the United States.
It would allow for a greater legal sales of alcohol. This combined with a 1 dollar charge on every purchase of alcohol would allow for programs in high school to educate student about the risks of alcohol in schools. There are some naysayer that feel this policy will not work but here is an example. Indiana University has been experiencing a dramatic increase in student drinking. So after much ado the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) decide to create a “alcohol awareness program for college student”(2001).
There study also brought up the fact that there is a “lack of adequate alcohol education material” (2001).
After much testing, and collection of data the students were tested again. “There was also a significant difference in means between scores for the three month post test”(2001).
In conclusion the legal drinking age in the United States should be lowered to 18 one to bring it back in line with the rest of our neighboring countries, to stop the counter-productive mysticism that alcohol will make you wise and mature, and too bring more revenue to educate students about the effect of alcohol.
The Term Paper on College Student Alcohol Students Drinking
... drink is accepted socially and that makes everything just fine. The social acceptance of drinking alcohol in college statistically makes alcohol abuse among college students ... education about excessive drinking should begin with kids in middle school and continue throughout high school. The local media ... the media to cut down on under age drinking and stop selling alcohol so cheap. There needs to be a ...
