Drinking Age
The
United States has the highest drinking age in the world its 21. Three
countries have set their minimum age at 20, one set it at 19, and the rest are
18 or younger.
I think that the drinking age should be lowered to about 18 or 19. Currently, we prohibit 20-year-olds from drinking champagne at their own weddings! Some teens say that it is easier for them to get drugs than it is to obtain alcohol. The determination of legality in drinking should not be age, but rather maturity and ability to handle responsibility. For example, there are many teenagers in the world that are considerably more mature than the average twenty-one year-old. The twenty-one restriction seems out of date in todays society. Many parents of todays teenagers were legally allowed to drink at the age of eighteen. Todays teenagers face more responsibility and are treated much differently from the way their parents were treated. If twenty-one is considered so mature, then why is eighteen considered an adult? If an eighteen year-old can be held to so many responsibilities, then it seems unfair to say that they are not old enough to drink. At eighteen, a person can even have a closed container of alcohol in their possession, but they cannot drink it. Prohibiting the sale of alcohol to people under the age of twenty-one may cause habits such as binge drinking and alcohol abuse. It just causes a rebellion. Keeping the age at twenty-one makes it seem as if an eighteen year-old is not a real adult. Drinking is then viewed as a glamorous activity since it is only for adults. Then, in rebellion, those underage will just find a way around it. For example, many have fake identification cards, steal alcohol from their parents liquor cabinets, or ask someone who is twenty-one to illegally purchase the alcohol for the underage drinkers. In addition, this gives young individuals the urge to drink even more when they get older so that they could make up for their so-called lost time, hence causing alcoholism. I propose that individuals of any age be permitted to consume alcohol under the direct supervision of their parents in their own homes. The legal purchase age is 21, a majority of young people under this age consume alcohol. This is largely because drinking is seen by these youth as "forbidden fruit," and a symbol of adulthood. U. S. has twice tried prohibition. These efforts to prevent drinking were unenforceable and created serious social problems. The flaunting of the current age-specific prohibition is readily apparent among young people who, since the increase in the minimum legal drinking age, have tended to drink in a more abuse manner than do those of legal age. Lowering the drinking age wouldn't solve the problem. But, it would be an important step in the right direction. Lowering the drinking age would help send the important message that drinking is, in itself, not evidence of maturity.
Jeff
Rainforth, candidate for US Congress, supports lowering drinking age to 18.
A
person becomes an adult at the age of 18 according to our government. I believe
that all rights of adulthood should be extended to persons upon reaching this
age. This includes the ability to choose whether or not one wishes to purchase
and consume alcoholic beverages. He says.
There are different ways being proposed to change the drinking age.
One is the "Graduated" drinking age where at eighteen a person
can drink beer but not hard liquor. He favors this idea most. He believes that
by age nineteen a person should be able to purchase all types of alcohol.
At
18, one is considered an adult. Being
an adult gives many rights and responsibilities.
At 18, you are able to marry, sign legal contracts, purchase lottery
tickets, purchase cigarettes, and fight for your country, but you are unable to
consume alcohol. 18 years old is
when you become an adult, and therefore should get all of the privileges of
becoming an adult.
Men
in America, aged 18-21, often feel cheated that they are unable to legally
drink, but must register to draft for the army.
A student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas said, "You can
be drafted by your country, go to war yet you cant have a beer. You can
be tried as an adult yet you cant have a beer." Many Americans feel it is unfair they are able to die for
their country, but cannot consume alcohol.
Changing
a law will cost money. The interest
groups will have to get money from sponsors and individuals in order to hire a
lobbyist. The government will need
money in order to implement this new law. An
idea would be to charge a sin tax on alcohol purchases.
This increase in revenue from alcohol can help pay for the policy and law
changes. A sin tax is tax generated
on an item deemed sinful such as tobacco.
Lowering of drinking age will allow states exercise their rights as states, and allows those above 18 years of age to have all of the privileges and responsibilities that comes with gaining and adult status.
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