Is Lowering the Drinking Age a Good Thing? | Teen Ink

Is Lowering the Drinking Age a Good Thing?

December 1, 2009
By Anonymous

Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Tufts, America’s most prestige’s schools have come together to fix the binge-drinking problem on college campuses. Their solution? According to Darshak Sanghavi, the author of “Quicker Liquor” they should lower the drinking age. Yes, they think it will stop students binge-drinking. As many argue, at 18 you can fight in the military, vote, and buy cigarettes, so why can’t we drink? It’s a commonly asked question among many Americans. On the contrary, many believe that lowering the drinking age has nothing to do with the binge-drinking problem. It will only create more problems such as drunk driving and many being irresponsible about alcohol. The younger you start, the easier it is to become addicted. It’s all based on the school; as well as the social location of the person, and background.
As there are always going to be problems, consequences come with drinking. As many are aware of, drunk driving is one of those. Currently, your fourth offense, it’s a felony. There is something majorly wrong with this picture. As many European countries say: your first offense your done driving the rest of your life. This is how it should be. If you kill someone drunk driving, they will kill you. There is no tolerance what so ever. People are so eager to lower the drinking age but then other changes need to be made to the laws about drunk driving.
Yes, I believe that if you can put your life on the line to fight for our country and vote then you should be able to have alcohol. If there weren’t as many problems that go along with it and people were responsible about it then yes, it wouldn’t be a problem to have alcohol.
No matter how low the drinking age is, kids are going to fight the rules. It’s what kids like to do. Going against the rules makes kids feel rebellious that they can fight it. "We're not in a situation where we can stop it. The best we can do is try to contain it," Mark Beckner, the chief of police in Boulder, Colorado.
I’m not for or against the idea of lowering the drinking age but stricter laws need to be enforced. If these laws are put into place then many people will rethink the idea of drinking too much and make decisions that affect their life and the lives of everyone around them.


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This article has 18 comments.


on Feb. 7 2014 at 12:08 pm
HunterAnonymous SILVER, Florence, Wisconsin
8 articles 0 photos 11 comments
*freedom     

on Feb. 7 2014 at 12:06 pm
HunterAnonymous SILVER, Florence, Wisconsin
8 articles 0 photos 11 comments
When you turn 18, you are legally an adult. So why can't an adult have the fredom to chose what he wants to do to his or her body and brain. They are, at that age, old enough to make these decisions and make other LEGAL Self-Harmful choices (smoking). If they are old enough to where they are finally regarded as a LEGAL INDIVIDUAL in todays society, why can't they be allowed to INDIVIDUALLY make the decision wether or not they should drink.

on Jun. 10 2013 at 10:40 am
oxamandaleigh BRONZE, Hawley, Pennsylvania
1 article 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
keeeeep ya friends close and ya enemies closer.

I believe the drinking age should remain where it stands. 18 is way too young and 23 is too old. if the drinking age is lowered, yes i agree that binge drinking will become more of an issue. but i also belive that under age drinking will be a problem if it is raised to 23. I very much agree that it should be firmly enforced for the age that it is currently set at.

on Mar. 6 2012 at 5:20 pm
Ashley.Noel SILVER, Lugoff, South Carolina
7 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can't always wait for opportunity to knock; sometimes you have to knock the door off its hinges and pumble opportunity in the streets."
~ Lisa Landry, "Sister, Sister"

Sounds good! Make it all equal, then!

Snowed GOLD said...
on Mar. 4 2012 at 6:07 am
Snowed GOLD, Dublin, Other
14 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Tread softly because you tread on my dreams" - Yeats

By all means! That's how it works in Ireland.

on Mar. 3 2012 at 4:52 pm
Ashley.Noel SILVER, Lugoff, South Carolina
7 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can't always wait for opportunity to knock; sometimes you have to knock the door off its hinges and pumble opportunity in the streets."
~ Lisa Landry, "Sister, Sister"

If you want to change everything to 18, let's do it to driving too, then!

Snowed GOLD said...
on Mar. 3 2012 at 11:17 am
Snowed GOLD, Dublin, Other
14 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Tread softly because you tread on my dreams" - Yeats

Having a drinking age of 21 relative to the other age requirements is absurd. You won't be able to stop kids drinking privately but having it so obscenely high, again relatively, only encourages the rebellious spirit with which drinking often starts. Make it all 18!

on Jan. 19 2012 at 4:24 pm
Ashley.Noel SILVER, Lugoff, South Carolina
7 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can't always wait for opportunity to knock; sometimes you have to knock the door off its hinges and pumble opportunity in the streets."
~ Lisa Landry, "Sister, Sister"

I personally think that it should either be for firmly enforced or it should be made for people 23 and older because most people aren't done with college until 22 or 23. If it was heightened, than people wouldn't be risking their college education and money because they blew all their money and time drinking and going to parties. Like I said, either make it more enforced or change it to 23.

on Jan. 19 2012 at 4:22 pm
Ashley.Noel SILVER, Lugoff, South Carolina
7 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can't always wait for opportunity to knock; sometimes you have to knock the door off its hinges and pumble opportunity in the streets."
~ Lisa Landry, "Sister, Sister"

I see what you say, but it would also make more sense to make it so you can't drink, and even smoke, until 23 because most people are done with college at 23. It wouldn't be an issue at 21 if more people didn't break the law for most people because 21-year-olds typically will be more responsible than teens.

on Dec. 6 2011 at 9:48 am
People on't drink to feel rebellious, they drink to have a good time. I know several people that are "underage drinkers" and they don't get out o hand. I think lowering the drinking age would really help us a lot with our drunk driving situations. If we drop the drinking age I think we should make the death penalty the solution to drunk driving accidents. We already have too many of these so this law would control the adults as well.

on Jan. 15 2011 at 11:01 am
Dragonscribe BRONZE, West Lafayette, Indiana
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Favorite Quote:
"A Person's a Person no Matter how Small"
and
"A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet"
and
"God helps those who help themselves"

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY WORK!

on Jan. 15 2011 at 11:00 am
Dragonscribe BRONZE, West Lafayette, Indiana
4 articles 0 photos 303 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A Person's a Person no Matter how Small"
and
"A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet"
and
"God helps those who help themselves"

I think lowering the age is a bad idea. I understand how it might work - but I don't think it will. There are lots of people out there who drink under 21 but because is it against the law, they drink in moderation. If the age is lowered that conscience is gone. They don't have to feel bad about it - it's legal! I think it would be a terrible idea.

on Dec. 19 2010 at 10:34 pm
WriteAboutNow BRONZE, Commack, New York
3 articles 0 photos 1 comment
In my opinion, the drinking age should be lowered. In places like China and parts of Europe, where there is no drinking age at all, there is a lower level of alcoholism in teens. I think a major part of why there is teen drinking in the US is because of rebellion, so if the drinking age was lowered, I see no reason to assume that everyone would become alcoholics.

on Nov. 5 2010 at 6:59 pm
I like the idea of lowering the age of drinking because i am a responsible younger girl who enjoys the taste of alcohal. However, laws were made for a reason. Studies have shown that our heads arent fully developed until around the age of 21. Drinking will affect someone 21 and younger more in long term wise then someone who is older. So yes, when it would be nice to go out and grab a drink with your friends by 18, i am glad that the law is there to protect my physical health.

Blahblah said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 2:28 pm
"As many argue, at 18 you can fight in the military, vote, and buy cigarettes, so why can’t we drink?" This is a main reason why I believe it should be lowered.

qwerty said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 2:10 pm
"As many argue, at 18 you can fight in the military, vote, and buy cigarettes, so why can’t we drink?" This is sooo true! I don't understand why they can risk their life for America but dont have the right to drink alcohol.

on Aug. 9 2010 at 2:12 pm
frogsof2015 SILVER, Farmington, Minnesota
8 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
you got nothing to lose if you have nothing to begin with.

I totally agree with you. 

eric.paine said...
on Jan. 4 2010 at 1:27 pm
Most states in the nation adopted a minimum drinking age of 21 soon after federal passage of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, which required states to maintain a minimum drinking age of 21 in order to avoid a reduction in federal highway funds. The original intention of the law was to reduce the incidents of alcohol-related accidents among people under 21. But since passage of this legislation, and the raising of the drinking age in many states, the percentage of people who drink between the ages of 18 to 20 has skyrocketed. Many say the prohibitions have actually encouraged secretive binge drinking, more dangerous behavior, and less educational programming targeting this age group. Respected law enforcement officials and university presidents have recently called for changes in the federal law to permit states to lower the drinking age.
It's time for the nation to repeal these Prohibition-era laws and adopt a more intelligent, progressive, and educational approach to drinking among younger adults. These laws simply don't work, they aren't enforceable any longer, and if anything they are counterproductive. Literally millions of responsible young adults are already consuming alcohol and that's not going to change. What we need to do is stop wasting the taxpayers money chasing, charging and prosecuting responsible young adults who want to have a beer, and start putting the money where it ought to be, in promoting smart education about responsible drinking, and in pursuing far more serious criminals, including those at all ages who drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
--
Eric Paine
President & Founder
Drink At 18
www.drinkat18 .com