The Legal Drinking Age On America s Youth - 1749 Words

In 1984, the legal drinking age was changed to twenty-one years of age. This change was made after the Prohibition. Studies during this time found that as the minimum legal drink age (MLDA) was lowered, there was an increase in youth traffic accidents. A study done after the legal drinking age was raised to twenty-one showed reduced youth drinking, youth drunk-driving, and accidents related to alcohol. The change of the minimum legal drinking age proved to be beneficial during this time period. During our lifetime, alcohol has become a very serious health problem throughout the United States. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol has become the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth. Some interesting statistics presented by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, in the year 2013, 8.7 million people (ages 12-20) reported that they drank alcohol, (2015). There is no getting around the fact. Young people d rink, they are going to drink, and it would be impossible to make them stop drinking. We all know that they are going to partake in this activity. As children grow older, they tend to get a sense of maturity and independence. Seeking new activities and taking risks is what children live for. Underage drinking is one particular risk that attracts many young people. The big major debate currently going on is should the minimum legal drinking age be lowered? With the issue of the alcohol policy, thereShow MoreRelatedEmily Blair . Ms.Kaba. Research Paper. 13 May 2017. The1124 Words   |  5 Pages13 May 2017 The Legal Drinking Age is Not Working A problem that is becoming very prevalent throughout the United States is underage drinking. Although the legal age of alcohol consumption is twenty one, alcohol abuse still remains a significant problem with American youth. Almost all alcohol consumption by teenagers is done through binge drinking. In America the age of eighteen is when you are finally considered an â€Å"adult†. Although you are now considered an adult and have legal and social responsibilitiesRead MoreProblem And Solution Of Underaged Drinking1553 Words   |  7 PagesKendra Gallos English III Sean Meisner 4/6/17 Problem and Solution of Underaged Drinking in America One of the major problems facing America s youth today is underaged drinking. This is simply defined as the consumption of any commercial alcoholic beverage while under the legal age restriction of twenty one. A solution is in dire need, as the problem causes exponential harm to many teen’s health. Underaged drinking has been the underlying cause of numerous fatalities over the past several decadesRead MoreDrinking Age1012 Words   |  5 PagesDrinking Age The drinking age was moved from 18 to 21 for a reason. The higher drinking age of 21 has saved many lives, helped reduce the amount of underage drinking, and therefore should not be lowered. Many studies from a large variety of sources have proven higher drinking ages have a positive effect on society. Alcohol is harmful to the development of younger people. Research has shown that an adult is less likely to bingeRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age : A Discourse Appraisal1452 Words   |  6 PagesMinimum Legal Drinking Age in America: A Discourse Appraisal You know an issue has evoked large levels of community discussion when interest groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and rappers like J-kwon are telling us the same thing: teen drinking is very bad. But discussion on the topic tends to vary far more than that. Congress discussed the issue in 1984, with the National Minimum Drinking Age Act: an act that withheld federal highway funding from states without a minimum legal drinkingRead MoreThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1700 Words   |  7 PagesNational Minimum Drinking Age Act made all 50 states raise the legal drinking age to 21(Dejong). The debate is on whether the age should be lowered or not. Statistically, having the age at 21 has been very helpful in keeping the nation safe. If there is not an issue with age now, would it make sense to lower the age and create unnecessary problems? In this case, the negative effects outweigh the positive. Simply because there is no good in lowering the age. The legal drinking age has be en set atRead More America Must Lower the Drinking Age Essay981 Words   |  4 PagesAmerica Must Lower the Drinking Age The current drinking age in the United States of America is 21. There are some people who agree with the current drinking age even some who think it should be raised. On the other hand, a number of people feel that the current drinking age produces more problems than it prevents (â€Å"Cross Fire†). The United States has unsuccessfully tried prohibition legislation not once, but twice in the past. These laws were eventually done away with due to the inabilityRead MoreMinimum Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1253 Words   |  6 Pages Minimum Legal Drinking Age Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age? Ever since the end of prohibition in 1933 the United States government has placed the issue of minimum legal drinking age sensitively in the hands of the states, letting each decide for itself what the minimum age should be. At that time all agreed that the minimum legal drinking age should be 21, where it remained for all statesRead MoreThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1211 Words   |  5 Pages Some people find it hard to understand that at the age of eighteen you can fight and die for your country, but you cannot legally drink or purchase alcoholic beverages. Others find it hard to believe that there are people who want people under the age of twenty-one drinking. The important question is: should the drinking age be lowered to eighteen instead of remaining at twenty-one? The legal drinking age is the age at which a person can consume or purchase alcohol. These laws cover a wide rangeRead MoreLowering The National Drinking Age1698 Words   |  7 PagesLowering the National Drinking Age Winston Churchill was infamous for his one liners and occasional drunken outbursts. One night at a party, he shocked a rather prominent woman with his drunken atrocities. Insulted, she turned to him and said, â€Å"Mr. Churchill, you are as drunk as a dog.† The Prime Minister returned, â€Å"Madam, I may be very drunk, but you are very ugly. But tomorrow,† he added, â€Å"I shall be sober† (Churchill, W). The use and abuse of alcohol is a centuries old vice that has circumnavigatedRead MoreAlcohol Consumption And Underage Drinking1561 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol consumption and underage drinking has been a major social problem and public health concern for centuries. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), â€Å"Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more than tobacco and illicit drugs, and is responsible for more than 4,300 annual deaths among underage youth (Fact Sheets - Underage Drinking). Alcohol h as always been part of our culture as well as a debatable topic in our society and the controversy