Drinking Age In America: Should Be Lowered, Raised, Or Kept The Same

Although many people hold it that adulthood begins at 18, and adults should have the right to make their own decisions patterning to alcohol consumption. This is on the backing that responsibilities of adulthood to vote, serve on juries, get married, sign contracts, be prosecuted as adults, and join the military begin at the age of 18. Medics have a contrary view to this with evident claims that lowering Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) would be medically irresponsible. Based on fact findings, alcohol consumption can interfere with development of the young adult brain's frontal lobes, essential for functions such as emotional regulation, planning, and organization. When alcohol consumption interferes with this early adult brain development, the potential for chronic problems such as greater vulnerability to addiction, dangerous risk-taking behavior, reduced decision-making ability, memory loss, depression, violence, and suicide is greater. 

Suggestions have been made to allow under 21 individuals to drink alcohol in regulated environments with supervision in order to decrease unsafe drinking activity. This is equally risky because underage persons are prone to addiction and may find themselves wondering into public drinking places. Lowering MLDA will irresponsibly allow a greater segment of the population to drink alcohol in bars and nightclubs, which are not safe environments. From findings, about 76% of bars have sold alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons, and about half of drivers arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) or killed as alcohol-involved drivers in traffic crashes did their drinking at licensed establishments. Neighborhoods with higher densities of bars, nightclubs, and other alcohol-selling locations suffer more frequent assaults and other violent crimes.

Although opponents to the MLDA 21 implementation hold that the rate of occurrence of traffic accidents of under 21 drivers does not correlate with their drinking habits, a significant reduction in traffic accidents and fatalities have been observed in the under 21 age group since this law was enacted. About 100 of the 102 analyses (98%) in a meta-study of the legal drinking age and traffic accidents found higher legal drinking ages associated with lower rates of traffic accidents. A 30 years survey of MLDA 21 implementation has proven that, drunk driving fatalities decreased by a third. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that MLDA 21 has saved 31,417 lives from 1975-2016. 

Research has shown a greater level of experimentation among teenagers. So, allowing them to consume alcohol will expose them to illicit drug consumption. A peer-reviewed study from the Journal of Studies of Alcohol and Drugs found that the younger a person begins to drink alcohol the more likely it is that they will use other illicit drugs. 

According to findings by Matt Nagin Sep 14, 2012 drinking age shouldn't be lowered because of three very real risks, namely: drunk driving, alcohol poisoning and violent and/or destructive behavior.

There is a popular statement which says and I quote 'If you drink, don’t drive and if you drive, don’t drink'. This statement is true because of the increase risk that alcohol can cause to a person on the wheel. Drunk driving is a blight on our civilization. An average of 17,000 individuals die each year in drunk driving related deaths. What is more, drinking and driving is strongly correlated with youth. According to M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), in 2010 the highest drunk driving rates were found amongst those ages 21 to 25 (23.4%), and 18 to 20 (15.1%). After age 25, the drunk driving rates decrease. It should be noted that the 15% (teenagers between 15 and 21) of teenage deaths occurred from illegal drinking which seems quite plausible that were alcohol to be legalized for those under the age of 18, the 15.1% of 18 to 20-year olds who drink before getting behind the wheel would rise significantly. The fatalities caused by drinking and driving would likely rise as well

According to Matt Nagin another critical reason why the drinking age should not be reduced from 21 in the USA drinking age is as a result of the persistent increase in the number of teenagers engaging in binge drinking, particularly on college campuses. A brief walk through nearly every major campus in America reveals a shocking number of parties, crowded bars filled with fake ID wielding minors that rage through the night. The Center for Science in The Public Interest, stated that, '44% of students attending 4-year colleges drink alcohol at the binge level or greater. “Because of this reason, there are rising number of college teens who depend on medical care or treatment each year to cope with alcohol poisoning. Citing reports from Fox News, it states that 157 college-age individuals (ages 18 to 23) drank themselves to death from 1999 through 2005. With such shocking revelations, lowering the drinking age will be like condemning an entire generation and increasing the expenditure on medical care

Citing the works of Nagin 2012, one of the most important reasons why the age of drinking should not be reduced bellow 21 is because of the hig posibility of violent and/or destructive behavior which is more prevalent in teenagers. Also, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the consumption of alcohol is very closely associated with deviant behaviours such as sexual hassesment, rape, high drug consumption and several health-related problems. Knowing that teenagers have a higher urge to explore things and try new methods, not forgetting their natural destructive tendencies, it becomes more eminent that a reduction of the drinking age will only increase crime wave. In addition, more than 75% of rape cases after investigation shave been conducted have been proven that female students involved in date rape had been drunk or using drugs.'  

References

• Alexander C. Wagenaar and Traci L. Toomey, (2002). “Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws: Review and Analyses of the Literature from 1960 to 2000,” Journal of Studies on Alcohol
• Alexander Wagenaar and Traci Toomey, (2004). “Illegal Alcohol Sales to Obviously Intoxicated Patrons at Licensed Establishments,” Alcohol Clinical Experimental Research
• Birckmayer J and Hemenway D, (1999). “Minimum-age Drinking Laws and Youth Suicide, 1970 –1990,” American Journal of Public Health.
• Denise Kandel, et al., (1992) “Stages of Progression in Drug Involvement from Adolescence to Adulthood: Further Evidence for the Gateway Theory,” Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
• Kathryn Stewart, (2012). “How Alcohol Outlets Affect Neighborhood Violence,” Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation website
• Mary A. O’Donnell, (1985). “Research on Drinking Locations of Alcohol-impaired Drivers: Implications for Prevention Policies,” Journal of Public Health Policy
• Matt Nagin, (2012). “Top 3 Reasons Why the Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered to 18,” https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Nagin/e/B01M6ZZV3J%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), (2018). “Drunk Driving,” samhsa.gov
• US Department of Human Health and Services (DHHS), (2007). “The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking,” hhs.gov
• US Supreme Court, (1976) “Craig v. Boren,” justia.com