The Minimum Legal Drinking Age Should Remain 21 Years Essay

Even though alcohol has not been outlawed, it still poses a more significant threat to the development of many young individuals in the United States. Looking at various effects of alcohol among the American youths, the minimum drinking age should not be among the United States controversial debates of all times. The decision by the then president of the United States, Ronald Reagan to legalize the minimum drinking age of 21 years proved to be right. This is backed up by various factors as discussed below. The paper, therefore, argues out the reasons why the minimum drinking age should be twenty-one years in the United States.

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Being in college and the thought of turning 18 years old makes many young individuals crazy, and as they indulge in abuse of alcohol which has proven to claim many lives for those under the age of 21 years. Toomey, Rosenfeld & Wagener 260, put forward that Research indicates that around 1700 students from colleges are victims of alcohol-related problems such as suffocations, drowning, alcohol poisoning traffic accidents, and falls. Due to these reasons, raising the minimum age to 21 years would be of great help in lowering fatalities related to alcohol consumption in the United States. For instance, in 1984, there was an immediate reduction in traffic accidents by 13% in San Rafael in California when the law was introduced. This was so because drunken youths aged between 18 and 20 were the main casualties (Roan 253).

Alcohol is an enemy to better education that every parent in the United States dreams for their children as they undertake their studies in various colleges. When taken from a tender age, alcohol has brought about brain damaging making the person not to think straight. It tampers with the attention paid by the students while undertaking an important study. The American Medical Association in 2002 published a report while citing works from numerous studies that use of alcohol by adolescents brings about damages to their memory and learning capacities. (Rona 254) argues that alcohol intoxication in adolescents is also due to various health and social problems like smoking, physical fighting, sexual activities, and impaired driving.

Various proponents of a lower minimum legal drinking age claim that alcohol needs to be made accessible as early as possible to those who have attained 18 years and that education for college students need to be intensified as to how they should drink with moderation (Whelan 259). Other proponents argue that trying to demonize and making alcohol appears bad tends to be less effective compared to teaching young individuals regarding moderate drinking of alcohol (Suttaford 263). This is in contrast to the various studies that reveal that no matter how intense the education may be, many college students are unable to control their desire for alcohol any moment they taste it. The study indicates that many adolescents who engage in alcohol drinking while young, around 18 years, tend to indulge in drinking in their remaining lifetime. According to Toomey, Rosenfeld & Wagenaar, it is clear that making the minimum legal drinking age to 21 years reduces the number of those drinking below the age hence reducing chances of those who drink during the late stages of their lives.

Conclusion

In conclusion, even though high school and college students being aware of the adverse outcome associated with the consumption of alcohol they still find it difficult to control the urge. It is evident that no matter the caution we give them regarding alcohol they will never stop taking. The best option, therefore, involves raising the minimum drinking age to 21 years to save the young generation and the future one from negativity and alcoholism.

Works Cited

Roan, Shari. 'Tempest In A Bottle.' Los Angeles Times, 2008: 252-257. Print.

Stuttaford, Andrew. De-Demonizing Rum: What's Wrong With 'Underage' Drinking? National Review, 2001: 262-264. Print.

Toomey, Traci, Carolyn Rosenfeld, and Alexander Wagenaar. 'The Minimum Drinking Age: Facts and Fallacies.' Alcohol Health and Research World, 2015: 260-261. Print.

Whelan, Elizabeth. 'The Perils of Prohibition.' Minimum Legal Drinking Age, 1995: 257-259. Print.