PRO (FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT):
By Amanda Epstein
The big twenty one is highly anticipated by all American teens, marking the moment when they can discard fake IDs and finally consume alcohol legally. But this moment comes too late in life for some.
It is said that when a person turns 18, they become “legal.” An 18-yearold can vote, be tried as an adult, smoke cigarettes, file lawsuits, and move away from home legally. Only the right to drink alcohol is missing from this picture.
The law does not stop young people from drinking. It never has and it never will. Lowering the drinking age will not only take that burden off of those who wish to sip, but it will also take a burden off police.
Once a person turns 18 they can enroll in the army. It is an understatement to say that wars can have negative effects on soldiers. Picture nighttime attacks upon camps in Iraq: soldiers scattered about, thankful that they’ve lived through one more day. Picture young soldiers who have restlessly fought for their country; young soldiers who have put their lives in jeopardy; y ng soldiers who have had face to face encounters with death, and yet they cannot legally take a drink to unwind and forget, even for a second, the troubles of the world that haunt them even in daylight, if they are not yet 21.
It is unreasonable to allow one to face death on a day-to-day basis but not take a drink to soothe the pain and stress.
CON (DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME):
By Oscar Toller
“If I can vote and go to war, I should be able to drink!” This is a common phrase from young voices across the country. However,the changes one goes through in the three years of life between 18 and 21 are essential to learning the responsibility of consuming alcohol. This is why it would be dangerous to lower the drinking age to 18.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ever since the drinking age was raised to 21 in 1984, traffic fatalities among drivers 18 to 20 have fallen 13%. The amount of college students who consumed alcoholic beverages decreased from 82% in 1980 to only 67% in 2000, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. In addition, a study in 2006 by the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that teens who drink under the age of 21 are more likely to have an alcohol dependency than those who do not.
Drinking to get drunk is usually the main objective of young drinkers. Not only is this unattractive, but it poses a serious health risk. Over a long period of time, heavy drinkers can suffer from a series of liver diseases, not to mention damage to the heart, brain, and blood ystem. But in one night, playful binge drinking can lead to high risks of getting in a car accident, starting a fight, or even falling over and further damaging the body.
It is a simple matter of health and safety that the drinking age be left untouched.
21 Is a damn joke ! In my country you can drink when you turn 16 and we have way less DUI’s and alcohol intake.