America Must Lower the Drinking Age Essay - 981 Words

America Must Lower the Drinking Age The current drinking age in the United States of America is 21. There are some people who agree with the current drinking age even some who think it should be raised. On the other hand, a number of people feel that the current drinking age produces more problems than it prevents (â€Å"Cross Fire†). The United States has unsuccessfully tried prohibition legislation not once, but twice in the past. These laws were eventually done away with due to the inability to enforce and the repercussion towards them that ended up causing even more trials and tribulations (Engs). â€Å"Prohibition demonstrates beyond a doubt that drinking and the problems caused by drinking cannot simply be eliminated from the†¦show more content†¦If individuals were taught that drinking is another privilege obtained at age eighteen it would be taken more seriously. Lowering the drinking age to eighteen would not give people a better reason to abuse it, but instead a sense of trust and relia bility that the U.S. government expects people to live up to (Dodd). The focus of alcohol needs to be on educating the youth about responsible drinking instead of on restriction. American teenagers, unlike European teens do not have the opportunity to be taught how to drink gradually, carefully, and in moderation. â€Å"Though the per capita consumption of alcohol in countries like France, Spain, and Portugal is greater than in the U.S., the rate of alcoholism and alcohol abuse is lower† (â€Å"Cross Fire†). Due to legal restriction in this country, young people in America postpone drinking until they can no longer benefit from their parents’ supervision and guidance (Don). â€Å"Irrefutable evidence supports the fact that the early introduction of drinking is the safest way to reduce juvenile alcohol abuse† (Ford). Young adults need an opportunity to learn sensible and moderate drinking in controlled and safe circumstances. Parents should be allowed to serve their children alcohol and young adults should be perm itted to drink in controlled environments such as restaurants. Alcohol needs to be portrayed as a natural, normalShow MoreRelatedProhibition Of The National Minimum Drinking Age Act1376 Words   |  6 Pagesregulations instituted by the government were suggestions. After the Prohibition laws were lifted in 1993, the drinking age was set at twenty one but was later lowered to eighteen because of the passage of the 26th amendment which lowered the voting age to eighteen. In order to combat drunk driving, The National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed and stated that states must raise their drinking age to twenty one or lose 10% of their funds to pay for their highways. The organization MADD (Mother’s AgainstRead MoreEmily Blair . Ms.Kaba. Research Paper. 13 May 2017. The1124 Words   |  5 PagesEmily Blair Ms.Kaba Research Paper 13 May 2017 The Legal Drinking Age is Not Working A problem that is becoming very prevalent throughout the United States is underage drinking. Although the legal age of alcohol consumption is twenty one, alcohol abuse still remains a significant problem with American youth. Almost all alcohol consumption by teenagers is done through binge drinking. In America the age of eighteen is when you are finally considered an â€Å"adult†. Although you are now considered anRead MoreAmerica s Legal Drinking Age Essay1195 Words   |  5 PagesEveryone knows that the United States’s drinking age is at 21, much higher than England’s drinking age. Many people believe that we cause way less destructions than the people of England, but that’s not true. We actually cause more accidents and destructions than they do. 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But discussion on the topic tends to vary far more than that. Congress discussed the issue in 1984, with the National Minimum Drinking Age Act: an act that withheld federal highway funding from states without a minimum legal drinking age (MLDA)Read MoreThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1692 Words   |  7 PagesMinimum Drinking Age Act. This act stated that all states must raise their minimum drinking age to 21. Individuals under the age of 21 would now be prohibited from purchasing or being in public possession of any alcoholic beverage. Though not every state was keen on this idea, they all jumped to raise the minimum drinking age due to the government threat that they would lose up to 10% of their federal highway funding if they ignored the request. However, since the National Min imum Drinking Age Act wasRead More Lower Legal Drinking Age Essays1249 Words   |  5 Pages Since the states increased their drinking age to 21 in 1987, every citizen of this country between the ages of 18 and 20 have been oppressed by the very people elected to power to protect their rights. It is evident that the legal drinking age among Americans should be lowered to the legal age of adulthood, 18 years. At this age, any American can marry without their Parent’s approval and can move out of their guardian’s house and live on their own. Why are these adults deprived of their right to