drinking age should not be lowered essay

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The Reasons Why The Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered

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The New York Times

The learning network | should the drinking age be lowered.

Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered?

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

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Many states lowered the drinking age to 18 or 19 in the early 1970s, around the same time as the passage of the 26th Amendment granting 18-year-olds the right to vote. But then all 50 states raised it again to 21 when Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act — for fear of losing a portion of federal highway money. But does a uniform drinking age of 21 work?

Should the drinking age be lowered?

Room for Debate asks the same question in “ You Must Be 21 to Drink .”

Gabrielle Glaser, the author of “Her Best-Kept Secret: Why Women Drink — and How They Can Regain Control,” writes in favor of returning the drinking age to 18 :

Return the drinking age to 18 — and then enforce the law. The current system, which forbids alcohol to Americans under 21, is widely flouted, with disastrous consequences. Teaching people to drink responsibly before they turn 21 would enormously enhance public health. Now, high school and college kids view dangerous binge drinking as a rite of passage. The current law, passed in all 50 states in the 1980s, was intended to diminish the number of traffic deaths caused by young drunk drivers. It has succeeded in that — but tougher seatbelt and D.U.I. rules have contributed to the decrease, too. Raising the drinking age hasn’t reduced drinking — it’s merely driven it underground, to the riskiest of settings: unsupervised high school blowouts and fraternity parties that make “Animal House” look quaint. This age segregation leads the drinking away from adults, who could model moderation. The roots of this extreme drinking lie in our own history. Prohibition, which banned most alcohol in the United States from 1920 to 1933, normalized the frenzied sort of drinking that occurs today at college parties. In speakeasies and blind pigs, the goal was to drink as much and as soon as possible, because you never knew when the feds would show up. Today’s law, likewise, encourages young people to dodge the system. Like Prohibition — and abstinence-only sex education — it’s been a dismal failure.

Tamika C. B. Zapolski, an assistant professor of psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, argues in favor of keeping the drinking age high :

Alcohol use in the United States is a serious public health concern, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Recent results from a national survey found that by eighth grade, approximately 27 percent had used alcohol, which increased to 66 percent by 12th grade. Additionally, a second national survey indicated that among high school seniors, about 20 percent binge drank, consuming more than 5 drinks in one occasion, during the two-week period preceding the survey. Heavy drinking is associated with negative social, mental and physical health outcomes — including risk of violent behavior, sexual assault, accidents that cause injury, additional drug use, poor academics, legal troubles, and family and interpersonal problems. Those most likely to experience harm from heavy drinking are young people, particularly those of college age. Thus lowering the drinking age would be harmful in two ways. First, young people, those most likely to be harmed from drinking, will have greater access to alcohol. Second, lowering the drinking age may lead to lowered perception of risk. When perception of risk from a particular substance decreases, prevalence rates tend to increase.

Students: Read the Room for Debate feature, then tell us …

— Should the drinking age be lowered? Why?

— Does a higher drinking age encourage binge drinking , as alcohol is now forbidden for young people under 21?

— If Americans are old enough to vote and join the military at the age of 18, should they be allowed to decide if they want to drink?

— Or do you think alcohol is such a dangerous substance, especially when abused, that it should continue to be prohibited for those under 21? And does keeping a high drinking age save lives by decreasing drunken-driving fatalities ?

— Would lowering the drinking age send the wrong signal to young people, that drinking is not inherently risky?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

I agree with the law of U.S.A is correctly because is for protection by all citizen of the country, because sometimes the young people specific under 21 years no have a lot responsabilities and no thinking in others when they drink, and cause accidents fatalities for people innocent.

It is dangerous drink a lot alcohol, this is clear but that situation have long time, must the young people like to drink, people around the world drink before 18 year. if you love yourself don’t abuse to anything in the life. ” health body is health life” so be careful.

due to favorable benefits has had the law not to allow the youth of 18 -19 to consume alcoholic beverages for security reasons both health and prevention in terms of accidents or Automobile sales intoxication ,I’m totally agree with the law not to allow alcohol to under 21.I’m totally agree that the law continue preventing alcohol exes.

The should the drinking age can not be lowered. Because some time people the 18 age don’t have control when take alcohol. and have a bat behavior

I consider young people it is more dangerous to drink under 21 years. Because drink a lot of its considered a negative social include violent and addiction .I agree in unite state drink in public is considered a health concern than other country’s. people under 21 need way to be a 21 years for can drinks . Who drinks before 21 has a penalty for broken the roles.

I think alcohol for age lowered is bad and dangerous because teenager don’t have a control when drink almost teenager drive because have permission for the families but sometime teenager drink alcohol and driving with alcohol and but this some accident in the road . teenager can not use alcohol because they can control when their drink… is better if they have 21 because they are responsible because I agree with the new rule of new York state .

I agree that idea, because the teenagers think they have the control on everything. If in this country law was lowered drinking age will happen more accident. A good example is happening in Spain. Most students from many countries go to Spain because there is lowered drinking age 18. But the people who are living there complain all time about this situation,.

I thing the young people should be more aware drinking is not a game and must wait for the right age to drink alcohol without hurry. perhaps should also expect the age of 21 for young peoples can join the military force or army so they do no feel entitled to take drinking early

I agree what not can drink because the teenagers can’t measure the consequents about the alcohol in they brain and body not could react in a situation. Each person is conscious is aware of what makes not matter if is under 21 or not whe a person want drink , but is good always create awareness about the consequents the drink alcohol. In USA the teenagers are minor only for drink , whe needs some people for military in this moment anyone is under 21.

l think young under 21 shouldn’t’ drink because sometimes they don’t see the consequences , more accident can happen for example: I was 18 I had different mind ,different opinion is ok when you are 21 you decide to go military service but alcohol is dangerous subtance

I agree with this article because the drinking age it should be lowered. Many young people drink and drive so that can be impossible, they can have an accident. They can drink when they return 21, but moderately and not drive when they are drinking. You can have fun without the alcohol.

About the article I think is dangerous, because they are not prepared. I think the effects to be bad and they will have no control over what might happen and would not be good for health. I think at 21 years themselves can be responsible for their actions

In my opinion wee see the big problem about the binge drinking in the teenager ,when you are teenager your bobby make changes ,if you drink your brain not going to work ,in my opinion alcohol it’s a big problem today because we have to much commercial in the TV about alcohol that’s make change in the mentality of the teenager that’s why we have to much alcoholic people today for resolve this problem the authority need to take care about this.

I disagree that the age be lowered, they can to continue to be prohibited for those under 21 or more because some of them are 21 years old but aren’t mature and irresponsible, in the stores they can to forbid the sale of more than one bottle of alcohol for each one.

think the age for alcohol consumption should not be reduced because young people are less likely to develop disruptive behavior due to alcohol include excessive drinking, can see that while younger are more young people are eceden to drink more alcohol and their behavior has to have more impact on the health and safety of young himself, including damage to his conduct, risk of death and increased risk of involvement in acts of violence and contracting contagious diseases. Why WHILE higher the drinking age youth can go to learn to control themselves because they can look at others asbehave blame alcohol

I will disagree, if the government decided to lower the age to use alcohol. Young men between ( 16 & 21 years old ) does something, like they are unaware and everyone know what alcohol cause to people. when i was doing my five hours class before i got my appointment for the test. Our teacher, let us watched a movie,

I disagree because a lot of young people die for drink , so many youngers don’t have conscience and they die in accidents they only want to have fun and that’s it but they don’t think in the problem in the future , the best age for drink for me is 23 but everything is depend .

I think that the articulate is very important for all persons and specially the young people who drink heavily. the young people abuse of you body because not only consume alcohol bot also drugs. Adults have the right to monitor the movements of young people, so that you do not pass any problem, it is the best.

I think they should not the drinking age be lowered, first of all because is no good for health and teenagers are more vulnerable to do mistakes and get more easily persuade for friends to do bad things, including legal troubles like drive a car after they drink alcohol, somebody can be abused more easily when they are drinking alcohol, poor academics and family problems.

I disagree, because if some adults don’t have control when are drinking the young people less because they want to experiment new thing, they don’t have sufficient maturity that is why they have binge drinking. In this time the young don’t respect their parents and anything, the parents loss the control, is necessary the young people drink when they have 21 years old in that time they have more responsible about their live.

I disagree, because someone might be crazy enough to dare someone to drink beer then get in the car to drive. Then you wouldn’t get in trouble if the limit is lowered plus someone could get seriously hurt or killed.

I think the drinking age shouldnt be lowered because people will start to get out of control and put their life and possibly others in danger. Now, if you get caught drinking under the age of 21, then you will get a consequence. They made it the age 21 for a reason. But, if they change the age to 18 or 19 then somebody will get hurt.

i don’t think it should be lowered because younger people may not know how control their alcohol and it would increase accidents and other tragedies.

No the drinking age should not be lowered because Recent results from a national survey found that by eighth grade, approximately 27 percent had used alcohol, which increased to 66 percent by 12th grade. Additionally, a second national survey indicated that among high school seniors, about 20 percent binge drank, consuming more than 5 drinks in one occasion, during the two-week period preceding the survey, this is bad because heavy drinking is associated with negative social, mental and physical health outcomes including risk of violent behavior, sexual assault, accidents that cause injury, additional drug use, poor academics, legal troubles, and family and interpersonal problems. When young people drink it could mess up their brains and they could possibly die. That is why we should not lower the age for drinking. The age 21 is fine.

+I think the drinking age should not be lowered as that many consequences can be developed and also occur. This can effect the growth and life of the teen and early adult.

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Why the drinking age should be lowered

• Drinking Patterns and Problems of a National Sample of College Students
• Forbidden Fruit
• Cycles of Social Reform
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Alcohol Research and Health History

Why the drinking age should be lowered: an opinion based upon research.

Engs, Ruth C. (1997, 2014). “Why the drinking age should be lowered: An opinion based upon research. Indiana University: Bloomington, IN. Adapted from: IUScholarWorks Repository:  http://hdl.handle.net/2022/17594

The legal drinking age should be lowered to about 18 or 19 and young adults allowed to drink in controlled environments such as restaurants, taverns, pubs and official school and university functions. In these situations responsible drinking could be taught through role modeling and educational programs. Mature and sensible drinking behavior would be expected. This opinion is based upon research that I have been involved in for over thirty years concerning college age youth and the history of drinking in the United States and other cultures.

Although the legal purchase age is 21 years of age, a majority of college students under this age consume alcohol but in an irresponsible manner. This is because drinking by these youth is seen as an enticing "forbidden fruit," a "badge of rebellion against authority" and a symbol of "adulthood." As a nation we have tried prohibition legislation twice in the past for controlling irresponsible drinking problems. This was during National Prohibition in the 1920s and state prohibition during the 1850s. These laws were finally repealed because they were unenforceable and because the backlash towards them caused other social problems. Today we are repeating history and making the same mistakes that occurred in the past. Prohibition did not work then and prohibition for young people under the age of 21 is not working now.

The flaunting of the current laws is readily seen among university students. Those under the age of 21 are more likely to be heavy -- sometimes called "binge" -- drinkers (consuming over 5 drinks at least once a week). For example, 22% of all students under 21 compared to 18% over 21 years of age are heavy drinkers. Among drinkers only, 32% of under-age compared to 24% of legal age are heavy drinkers.

Research from the early 1980s until the present has shown a continuous decrease, and then leveling off, in drinking and driving related variables which has parallel the nation's, and also university students, decrease in per capita consumption. However, these declines started in 1980 before the national 1987 law which mandated states to have 21 year old alcohol purchase laws.

The decrease in drinking and driving problems are the result of many factors and not just the rise in purchase age or the decreased per capita consumption. These include: education concerning drunk driving, designated driver programs, increased seat belt and air bag usage, safer automobiles, lower speed limits, free taxi services from drinking establishments, etc.

While there has been a decrease in per capita consumption and motor vehicle crashes, unfortunately, during this same time period there was an INCREASE in other problems related to heavy and irresponsible drinking among college age youth. Most of these reported behaviors showed little change until AFTER the 21 year old law in 1987. For example from 1982 until 1987 about 46% of students reported "vomiting after drinking." This jumped to over 50% after the law change. Significant increase were also found for other variables: "cutting class after drinking" jumped from 9% to almost 12%; "missing class because of hangover" went from 26% to 28%; "getting lower grade because of drinking" rose from 5% to 7%; and "been in a fight after drinking" increased from 12% to 17%. All of these behaviors are indices of irresponsible drinking. This increase in abusive drinking behavior is due to "underground drinking" outside of adult supervision in student rooms, houses, and apartments where same age individuals congregate. The irresponsible behavior is exhibited because of lack of knowledge of responsible drinking behaviors, reactance motivation (rebellion against the law), or student sub-culture norms.

Beginning in the first decade of the 21st century, distilled spirits [hard liquor] began to be the beverage of choice rather than beer among collegians. Previously beer had been the beverage of choice among students. A 2013 study of nursing students, for example, revealed that they consumed an average of 4.3 shots of liquor compared to 2.6 glasses of beer on a weekly basis.

This change in beverage choice along with irresponsible drinking patterns among young collegians has led to increased incidences of alcohol toxicity - in some cases leading to death from alcohol poisoning. However, the percent of students who consume alcohol or are heavy or binge drinkers has been relatively stable for the past 30 years.

Based upon the fact that our current prohibition laws are not working, the need for alternative approaches from the experience of other, and more ancient cultures, who do not have these problems need to be tried. Groups such as Italians, Greeks, Chinese and Jews, who have few drinking related problems, tend to share some common characteristics. Alcohol is neither seen as a poison or a magic potent, there is little or no social pressure to drink, irresponsible behavior is never tolerated, young people learn at home from their parents and from other adults how to handle alcohol in a responsible manner, there is societal consensus on what constitutes responsible drinking. Because the 21 year old drinking age law is not working, and is counterproductive, it behooves us as a nation to change our current prohibition law and to teach responsible drinking techniques for those who chose to consume alcoholic beverages.

Research articles that support this opinion are found in the Indiana University Repository at: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/17133/browse?type=title

and https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/17130/browse?type=title

Some material here also used in: Engs, Ruth C. "Should the drinking age be lowered to 18 or 19." In Karen Scrivo, "Drinking on Campus," CQ Researcher 8 (March 20,1998):257.

Alcohol Research and Health History resources

(c) Copyright, 1975-2024. Ruth C. Engs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405

Home / Essay Samples / Law / Drinking Age in America / The Drinking Age In America Should Not Be Lowered

The Drinking Age In America Should Not Be Lowered

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