Legal Age of Drinking Should Be Eighteen - Essay Example

The Legal Age of Drinking Should be Eighteen Introduction Alcohol intake is a common practice in many countries of the world and laws to regulate its production and consumption vary from one country to another. The debate over whether or not the drinking age should be lowered has existed for many years today.The legal drinking age is 21 in the United States; however,in 1981 it was as low as eighteen. According to the American law, one is considered an adult at age 18 and every individual at this age is expected to abide by the laws of the country and participate fully towards the collective aims of the society. Although many believe the drinking age should not be lowered,eighteenis considered mature and educated enough to go to war, purchase cigarettes, and vote. In today’s society drinking underage is epidemic, especially unsupervised, not just in America, but around the globe. It is a fact that only four countries have legalized drinking age over 18. The US has the highest legalized drinking age in the world. Taking a closer look at the issues that surround underage drinking reveals that it has affected the lives of many celebrities’ kids and even President Bush 19 year old daughter was arrested for underage drinking. Here is where the issue lies; in America when one turns 18, s/he is regarded as becoming an adult and therefore capable of doing whatever s/he wants. Although an individual has to be 18 years of age to earn the status of being an adult; drinking becomes legal only when the same person is 21 years old. This discrepancy has no logical basis and for this reason the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18. Discussion At the age of 18, an individual can be drafted for war, and can vote for the president of the United States; drive a car registered in their own name; have bills on their own, which in my humble opinion are hugeresponsibilities. If an individual can carry this set of responsibilities, why not be able to drink legally at age 18? Additionally, we know that individuals consume alcohol for various reasons; peer pressure, celebration, anxiety, sadness, boredom, rebellion and insomnia are a very small list. It’s important to remember that Teens fall under the category of individuals. Even though it is illegal for young teens to purchase alcohol, they have alternate means of obtaining alcohol; from their parent’s own liquor cabinets, corrupt store clerks, or older siblings or friends who purchase it for them. Just based on these common facts that have been reported, it is truly not hard for teens to obtain alcohol. According to Wyoming (n.p.) drinking age in Australia is eighteen, and in UK is as low as sixteen in restaurants. These facts demonstrate that those teens/adults are perfectly fine, despite drinking at an early age. In fact, Dr. Ruth Engs; professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington, uses this example to propose the following: “……the drinking age be lowered to about 18 or 19 and permit those of legal age to consume in socially controlled environment such as restaurants and official school and university functions” (Solohub 25). When it comes to tolerance it is said that an 18 year old has less tolerance as compared to a 21 year old. This statement may have some validity to it, however in most cases; nothing can be said about a person’s tolerance until that person is exposed to alcohol. It has been proven that tolerance doesn’t come with age; tolerance come with realization of responsibility and there are many cases toprove that many people are more responsible at 15 than others are at 50. The American law creates a situation of confusion by implementing two different ages for drinking and adulthood. When we turn 18 in America we are regarded as being adults, but then what is the 21 age mark? It is like we get an adult trial version for three years without some freedoms but with all the consequences. For example a twenty-year old, wounded soldier from Iraq can vote, get married, and be tried as an adult, but he can’t even buy a drink! Apparently, we value the condition of his social life more than life itself. Hundreds if not thousands of soldiers have experienced the same scenario and have endured the suffering that originates from alcohol ageism. According to Decoteau (n.p.), “Why should you be able to purchase alcohol when you're eighteen? Yes, it's true that society does extend many rights and responsibilities to you as an eighteen-year-old. But nobody has ever been hurt by voting and nobody has ever gotten so messed up on cigarettes that they get into a head-on collision”.This illustrates that the concern in lowering the drinking age is placed in increased DUI`s and alcohol poisoning. Additionally, this shows thata person who is old enough to vote or purchase tobacco products and serve in the armed forces, should not be allowed to drink alcohol or purchase it. Although, the possibility of lowering the drinking age to eighteen still has concerns in our society, the pros in lowering the drinking age outweigh the cons. Initially, the drinking age should be lowered toeighteenbecause at this age of adulthood, one is allowed to join the armed forces, go to war, and hold a fire arm. These are all possible factors that can cause one to lose his or her life;yet an 18 year old can’t purchase alcohol because it is considered a danger. According to Persis (n.p.), “An eighteen-year-old is an adult. This status gives one the opportunity to vote, win the Lotto, buy tobacco products and fight for the United States in war. An eighteen-year-old is just as legally liable for his actions as a 23-year-old is. It seems silly to me that a person who can handle all these responsibilities can't handle a cocktail.” Likewise, the government and law makers should really reconsider the drinking age and realize the full understanding of the age one is considered an adult, which is eighteen, and lower the drinking age from 21. Furthermorein Alaska, “A bill was recently introduced that would allow active members of the military to drink at the age of eighteen, with the rationale that if they're old enough to fight and die for their country, they're old enough to have a beer” (Ogilvie n.p.) Based on this research, if one is allowed to join the armed forces at the age of eighteen, one shouldbe allowed to purchase alcohol beverages ateighteen. Also our law says that at the age of eighteen you are considered an adult. But surprisingly, you have to be 21 to purchase a drink. This situation appears to be void of logic and if drinking age is 21, the adulthood age should also be made 21 to allow the ‘18-years-old minors’ to continue enjoying another three years of their life, free from responsibilities and obligations. Furthermore, another reason for lowering the drinking age is related to cigarette smoking. The effects of smoking on health are more serious as compared to alcohol. But surprisingly, purchasing and smoking cigarettes is allow at the age of 18. According to Maine Department of Health and Human Services, “Tobacco can affect youth activities and athletic performance. Tobacco narrows blood vessels and puts a strain on the heart. It also leads to lack of oxygen and shortness of breath. Smokers run slower and can't run as far as nonsmokers”(Maine Department of Health and Human Services). In addition, if anything they should put a higher age limit on tobacco since that causes more mortalities than alcohol. Tobacco has caused a variety of diseases such as, lung cancer and cardiaccomplications. These are all life changing effects; even death can ensue. According to Maine Department of Health and Human Services, “Every day, another 1,500 kids become daily smokers, and one-third of them will die prematurely as a result of getting hooked. Even youth who don't smoke very often can suffer the adverse effects of addiction and1 out of every 3 young people who become regular smokers will die of a smoking related disease”.Consequently, it is logical to assert that if age limitation is to be imposed on recreational activities, it is smoking that is more detrimental to health and therefore individuals should be influenced through law to delay their smoking habit till the age of 21. Drinking should be exempted from such laws. According to John Gormley (n.p.), “If you're old enough to have sex with whomever you please, drive cars, smoke cigarettes, own guns and die for your country, vote for your president, a legal drink or two along the way shouldn't hurt”. In particular, there is a reason why the legal voting age is eighteen. According toMcGlothlin and Ren (n.p.), “Students know a lot about politics, government and world affairs by the time they are teenagers out of high school”. Therefore, the reason for allowing teenagers to vote at that age is because of how freshly they are educated about the government system. Keeping in view the fact that high school students are also taught and educated regarding the pros and cons of alcohol consumption in their health classes why can’t the drinking age be lowered to 18? In conclusion, the drinking age should be lowered to 18, and by lowering it, we can improve on the number of teen abusers. Moreover, the true adulthood age would be respected if the legalized drinking age is lowered to 18. Also, this gesture will give a positive message to the youth, since they will be valued for the ability to go to war and also to vote for the country. Lowering the drinking age to 18 can have a profound impact on the lives of teenagers, who are often forced to endure consequences of legislative action in case they are caught drinking. This is not only detrimental for the lives of common teenagers, but it also provides them an opportunity to interact with people that are crime oriented. Such interactions should be minimized to prevent the teenagers from adopting criminal behaviors in the future. Alcohol consumption increases significantly when a student gets to the college. As a college student myself, I know that a very large percentage of the campus population engages in illegal consumption on a weekly basis. Consequently, the young adults get in trouble with the law by receiving Minor in Possessions or having their fake ID confiscated. Lowering the drinking age can help to limit the problem, since most college students would be allowed to drink without the worries of getting caught. In my opinion, if they are old enough to live on their own and take responsibility for their school career, they should be responsible enough to drink. And, finally there are many reasons for the lowering of drinking age, to be taken into consideration by our government and lawmakers. Research in this regard would have a far greater impact and it would be worth the effort.According to Rogerson (n.p.) “We could decrease death in America at a rate of 1.4 in 100,000 people by lowering the legal drinking age”. Statistics indicates that death rate by alcohol per 100,000 people in America is 1.6, making it 49th in the world. The death rate by alcohol per 100,000 people in Italy is 0.2, making it 163rd in the world (Rogersonn.p.) When we analyze the major difference in alcohol consumption between America and Italy, it emerges that in the US it is illegal to buy alcohol under the age of 21, while Italians over the age of 16 are allowed to purchase fermented drinks, like beer and wine. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2010, drug overdoses caused more deaths than motor vehicle crashes among people aged 25 to 64 years. The CDC estimates that from 1999 to 2010, drug overdose death rates jumped 102 percent(Wing, n.p.). Another finding from the CDC shows that the first time use of illegal street drug, such as heroin, by young people increased from 90,000 users in 2006 to 156,000 in 2012 (Cary, n.p.). Additionally, the abuse of prescription drugs has also skyrocketed. A recent report cited by the Department of Justice says that between 1993 and 2005, the proportion of college students abusing opioids like Vicodin and OxyContin jumped 343 percent and 450 percent for tranquilizers like Xanax and Valium(Cary n.p.). All these are manifestations of the youth’s tendency to seek pleasure and recreation through substance use. Keeping in view the drastic outcomes that may ensue due to the use of the above mentioned drugs, it is logical to assert that if the youth is provided an alternate means of venting their frustrations, i.e. through legalizing alcohol at the age of 18, they are more likely to abstain from harmful drugs and limit themselves to alcohol, due to its widespread availability and being socially acceptable. Conclusion Based on the above discussion, it can be concluded that the age of 18 is a realistic cut-off limit to allow individuals take part in activities that are otherwise reserved for the adults. In this scenario, it is illogical to assume that raising the limit for drinking age to 21 years will provide any additional benefits to the individuals of this age. For this reason, the limit for the age of drinking should be lowered to 18, to allow the individuals of this age to participate in activities that are related to the adults. Works Cited Cary, M. Kate. “Time to Lower the Drinking Age” Us News. 7 May 2014 Web 20 May 2015. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“National Vital Statistics System mortality data”. 2015. Web. Available from URL: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm. Decoteau, Jared. "Should the Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18? No." Sun Sentinel: 12. 30 Oct.1996.ProQuest.Web. 27 Apr. 2015. Gormley, John. "It's Time to Lower Sask. Legal Drinking Age to 18." Star - Phoenix. 19 Dec. 2003. ProQuest.Web. 27 Apr. 2015. Maine Department of Health and Human Services."Health Effects of Tobacco." n.d. Web. . McGlothlin, Stephannie and Ren Pasco. "Should the Legal Voting Age Be Changed?" Tulsa World: 03 2008. ProQuest.Web. 27 Apr. 2015. Ogilvie, Jessica Pauline. “Pro/Con: Should Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18?.”Los Angeles Times. 30 May 2011. Web. 20 May 2015. Persis, Karen. "Should the Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18? Yes." Sun Sentinel: 12. 30 Oct. 1996. ProQuest.Web. 28 Apr. 2015. Rogerson, Karis. “Viewpoint: Why America should lower the legal drinking age” 17 Nov. 2014.Web. 20 May, 2015 Solohub, Roman T. Clear Thinking When Drinking: The Handbook for Responsible Alcohol Consumption. Acworth, Ga: Empennage Press, 2007. Print. Wing, Nick. “America, It's Time For An Intervention: Drug Overdoses Are Killing More People Than Cars, Guns” The Huffington Post. 30 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 May 2015. Wyoming, Harold. “Drinking Age Should Be Lowered ”n.d. Web. 20 May 2015. Read More