The Minimum Drinking Age: 18 or 21?
Michelle Lyons
Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: Opinion
It's your 18th birthday. What do you do first? Maybe buy a pack of cigarettes. Oh, or you could get your first lottery ticket. Okay, of course there's porn…but how about a beer?
As I am sure you are aware, our current law states: to buy and drink alcohol legally one must be at least 21 years of age. Why is 21 the magic number? Why are so many averse to lowering the drinking age to 18? What are the pros and cons, and which outweigh the other? I am in favor of lowering the drinking age to 18 and I'll tell you why.
The National Minimum Drinking Age Law was passed in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan. The act stipulates a minimum legal age of 21 for the purchase or public possession of any alcoholic beverage, and incorporates sanctions against states whose laws are not in compliance. Many argue that the age was changed to 21 because that is the approximate age that brain development levels off. This seems logical, but is it really? And is it fair?
Any problems we see with drinking among younger people, 18 or 21, share their roots and should not be separated so concretely. Dr. Ruth Engs, professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University suggests that responsibility should be taught through role modeling and educational programs. John McCardell, president of Middlebury College in Vermont agrees, stating that parents and the community need to be more actively involved in alcohol education and appropriate role modeling. 18 year olds can be just as responsible or irresponsible with alcohol as 21 year olds, and it is due largely to how they are raised and educated. If parents allow their children to drink, or they are allowed to drink legally at age 18, they will be more likely to be susceptible to parental supervision.
Due to its illegal nature, underage drinkers often take their operations underground, putting themselves in grave danger due to higher receptiveness to peer pressure and safety risks. By legalizing a younger drinking age the drinking in itself would be able to be more safely regulated and monitored by parents and the community. It's a fact, 59.8% of 12- to 17-year-olds reported talking at least once in the past year with their parents about the dangers of drug, tobacco or alcohol use. Youths who reported having such conversations had lower rates of current drug, tobacco or alcohol use than those who did not talk with their parents about substance abuse.
As I am sure you are aware, our current law states: to buy and drink alcohol legally one must be at least 21 years of age. Why is 21 the magic number? Why are so many averse to lowering the drinking age to 18? What are the pros and cons, and which outweigh the other? I am in favor of lowering the drinking age to 18 and I'll tell you why.
The National Minimum Drinking Age Law was passed in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan. The act stipulates a minimum legal age of 21 for the purchase or public possession of any alcoholic beverage, and incorporates sanctions against states whose laws are not in compliance. Many argue that the age was changed to 21 because that is the approximate age that brain development levels off. This seems logical, but is it really? And is it fair?
Any problems we see with drinking among younger people, 18 or 21, share their roots and should not be separated so concretely. Dr. Ruth Engs, professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University suggests that responsibility should be taught through role modeling and educational programs. John McCardell, president of Middlebury College in Vermont agrees, stating that parents and the community need to be more actively involved in alcohol education and appropriate role modeling. 18 year olds can be just as responsible or irresponsible with alcohol as 21 year olds, and it is due largely to how they are raised and educated. If parents allow their children to drink, or they are allowed to drink legally at age 18, they will be more likely to be susceptible to parental supervision.
Due to its illegal nature, underage drinkers often take their operations underground, putting themselves in grave danger due to higher receptiveness to peer pressure and safety risks. By legalizing a younger drinking age the drinking in itself would be able to be more safely regulated and monitored by parents and the community. It's a fact, 59.8% of 12- to 17-year-olds reported talking at least once in the past year with their parents about the dangers of drug, tobacco or alcohol use. Youths who reported having such conversations had lower rates of current drug, tobacco or alcohol use than those who did not talk with their parents about substance abuse.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 29
steve baker
posted 12/17/07 @ 10:53 PM EST
ok well im gunna have a good rant now.
im just about 2 turn 19, now im not a binge drinker bt i like 2 go out and have a good time..... im young thats what life is all about at my age. (Continued…)
Alyssa
posted 3/12/08 @ 11:33 AM EST
Your right, people do ruin it for others.... but if we lower it.. and just give them fines.. they might think ts no big deal... kids die.. babys die all the time from drunk drivers. (Continued…)
liz
posted 4/02/08 @ 2:32 PM EST
lowering the drinking age will minimize the underage drinkers.
greencoke
Gary Lowell
posted 4/07/08 @ 6:23 PM EST
First off, having a low drinking age in and of itself does not lead to more people drinking. Look at Europe, there is no drinking age in any of the countries over there and yet they do not have as big a problem with drinking as the U. (Continued…)
JRobertson
Jesse
posted 4/10/08 @ 1:47 PM EST
The drinking age needs to stay as is, this campus needs to not be a dry campus!
Gary Lowell
posted 4/10/08 @ 3:16 PM EST
Jesse,
Whether or not the drinking age was changed to 18 or it stayed at 21 BSC would still be a dry campus. Alcohol is prohibited for everyone, whether they be over 21 or not, except for the Student Apartments. (Continued…)
Douglas Lopez Jr
posted 8/05/08 @ 8:19 AM EST
There is no point of having the drinking age to 21 because kids from 18 and up are going to drink anyways.So yea i actually agree the age should be at 18. (Continued…)
Douglas Lopez Jr
posted 8/05/08 @ 8:25 AM EST
There are 43 countries that have the drinking age 18 doesnt look like there having any problems.
Ayana
posted 8/19/08 @ 3:55 PM EST
Lowering the legal drinking age would just make drunk driving worse. We would then see, 18 year olds providing to 15-17 year old teens. Let's not be ignorant with this topic. (Continued…)
kay
posted 11/21/08 @ 10:50 AM EST
all this world revolves around anymore is drinking. can't anyone have fun without it? Lowering the drinking age would just increase al the drinking in the world. (Continued…)
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