Tuesday, November 29, 2011

21 Is Less Than 18


Lowering the drinking age has been a mild yet persistent issue for a long time. The initial enactment of the 21 year old drinking age came about because the national government demanded that states either raise their drinking age or lose 10% of their funding for highways. Many people hoped that raising the drinking age might contribute to less dangerous drinking habits, but in practice it had the opposite effect. Accident fatalities in the US are greater than European countries whose drinking age is 18. Also, because underage drinkers are forced to do so in private locations, they lack supervision that could be vital in reducing accidents and fatalities.
Another argument is the fact that at 18, citizens are able to give their lives for their country. With freedom comes responsibility, so how can the government expect men and women who have the enormous responsibility of ensuring our nation’s security to not drink? The reasons behind raising the drinking age are vague and are in direct violation of our personal freedoms. The constitution does not give the government the right to dictate who can and cannot consume alcohol.
The fact is underage people drink alcohol, whether it’s legal or not. In light of that fact, there are many dangers that come with having to drink secretly. It doesn’t allow teens to learn how to drink responsibly, and causes them to do things, such as binge drink and drive while intoxicated, that they might not do if the drinking age were lowered. When approaching this issue, we need to shed old assumptions and take a good long look at the facts.

4 comments:

  1. After reading 21 Is Less Than 18 by Alex Cheyenne I have to say that I do not agree with the author of this blog.  I believe that raising the age to drink from 21 to 18 would only cause additional problems for young teens not even fully out of their teenage years as well and legal issues.  At eighTEEN they are still considered a teenager and not a full adult.  This is simply giving a teenager just out of high school a slowing ticking bomb and more then likely will keep them from doing well or even choosing going to college.  Personally I think a lot of teenagers are so happy to graduate to run off to college and experience life, and it is unfortunately the drinking life and freedom that give them that much more of a push.  So increasing the drinking age would not help.  When you stated that it causes them to binge drink and drink and drive, how many people do you know 21 plus drinking and driving and binge drinking even though they do not realize it?  The fact is people will do what they want anytime in their life whether it is legal or not.  I think they law is completely fine at this point and gives a person 21 years to decide what they really want.  So I just do not believe changing the drinking age will make any difference other then a harmful one. 

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  2. I disagree with both the author, and Ms Valdez.

    Let me start by suggesting that the legal drinking age was chosen at 21 because supposedly that is the age that the brain leaves the essential developmental stage in adolescents. Why it was raised from 18 to 21, I am not entirely sure. I'm not even 100% sure of the accuracy behind my first statement, but I must now go on to confuse you further by saying it's irrelevant. In comparing the cultural use of alcohol in this country to that of Europe, the legal drinking age has nothing to do with the death toll relating to alcohol consumption. In the US, children are brought up to idealize alcohol consumption as something outside themselves that they must obtain, wether that be like-ability, friendliness, conquering of fears, etc. Children are raised to see that getting drunk is "cool." They may not be learning this from their parents, but the media has set this standard. In Europe, however, children typically are raised around alcohol in their home, as if it's no big deal (because it really isn't). From a relatively early age, adolescents are taught how to drink responsibly, and how to tell when you have reached your limit. Getting drunk is not considered "cool" in most places in Europe, in stead it's generally viewed as trashy.

    So in response to wether or not the legal drinking age in the United States should be lowered to 18 again, it wouldn't matter. Kids will be reflections of the media's idealized kids. Until our culture develops a distaste toward our modern use of alcohol, illegal drinking, drunk driving, and other such antics will still occur. So in conclusion, the drinking age should absolutely be lowered. Rock on, teens. You're going to do it anyway, so why not?

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  3. I think that the US should keep the current age restriction on alcohol. I do agree with Alex saying that teens drink today are drinking, but however this fact is not a responsible argument as to why they should lower the legal drinking age. If we lowered the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 this would cause an enormous increase in the amount of of teenagers who drink.
    Teenagers are irresponsible, don't know how to handle emotions and feelings, and tend to think they are invincible. Think about what this will do to society; more health problems, a very high increase in alcoholics, more car accidents resulting in death, affecting the academic performance, and much more violence. What if a student who is 18 decides to drink before arriving to class and becomes irritable or angry? All of his/her surrounding peers and teacher's safety is at risk. What if they have a friend who isn't legal to drink? I am positive that a whole lot more teens that today will start drinking because it'll be all the more easier to get it from their friend is only 1-3 years older than they are, and next thing you know you have a party of drunk teenagers.
    I understand Alex saying that this is a freedom that the constitution cannot intrude on, but if we were to lower the legal drinking age there would be an uproar afterwards due to all the negative that will come of it. Lowering the legal drinking age will enable teens to commit suicide because surely it is a death sentence. Can you imagine a drunk teen texting and driving with someone in the passenger seat? I guarantee this will become to new epidemic if the legal age is lowered. Teenagers are not responsible enough to comprehend the consequences of drinking and to know how much is enough, all they will think is "Yay we can drink after a football game!" This is a horrible idea and will result in deadly consequences.

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  4. After having read, “21 is less than 18” by Alex Cheyenne, I have to disagree with the author. Why? Well to be honest I believe that the law was brought up for a reason. How is it possible that it has made matter worse?! Teens tend to drink because most of them are taught from a young age to idolize alcohol. Sure, there have been more and more accidents involving teens and their binge drinking; but that doesn’t mean it’s because of the drinking age.
    Teenagers tend to be irresponsible, and never think of the consequences of their actions. Giving them the right to drink at 18 is just plain dumb, if you ask me. This will not only affect our society, but them as well socially, emotionally, and education wise. Although, personally I don’t want them to lower the age it wouldn’t necessarily make a difference because ,kids are still going to go out and drink one way or another. Accidents will occur whether we want them to or not, the important thing is to at least teach these kids the importance of drinking safely. So, we can at least prevent these types of accident to occur.

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