The potential benefits of lowering the legal drinking age to 18

                There is a saying that states, “Rules are meant to be broken”, and that is exactly what many teens that drink alcohol today are doing.  To consume alcohol in the United States an individual must be 21 years old or older, but some people like college administrators and teenage students are trying to get the legal age cut down to 18 again. There are several reasons behind their stance including the chance that it may lower the binge drinking rate on college campus and the fact that many other countries in the world are already doing it. We will go more in-depth with these beliefs and see the benefits that lie within.  First, however, let’s get a little background history as to why the legal age is 21 today. 

                According to “The History of Drinking Laws” on Ezinearticles.com, in 1984 a law was passed saying “any state that allowed people to drink under the age of 21 would not receive their full highway revenue. This law was said to be put into effect after there was an increasing number of young people getting into driving accidents while inebriated.  Others thought it was started so the government could take away the individual states decision-making rights. Whatever the reason it was created, not everyone is abiding by the rules.

         On many college campuses there are underage students drinking on a weekly basis. They go to the liquor stores and bars, get the alcohol they desire, and binge drink. The lowering of the drinking age from 21 to 18 could correct this problem. As previously stated many teens break the rules because they exist. Many people will agree this is done partially to rebel against the government system or their parents. Many will also agree it is partially done for the thrill of doing something illegal. If the drinking age was lowered to 18, this intense desire for not only drinking but also obtaining alcohol would be somewhat neutralized. Nikki Richards, a student at the University of Hartford agreed that if the government lowered the drinking age, drinking alcohol would seem less radical. She also said, “If someone can die for their country at 18, then they should be able to have a beer at 18.” Since there are students like Nikki are voicing their strong opinions about this topic, school administrators have no choice but to hear them. Some of them are even agreeing.

                 Over 100 colleges, including the University of Hartford, UMass Amherst, and even Tufts University have leaders like that have signed the Amethyst Initiative, a petition in support of lowering the drinking age, so that students will stop drinking irresponsibly. According to AlcoholEDU, an online program about drinking education tells us that binge drinking, is the excessive consumption of alcohol. Binge drinking can lead to several problems like brain damage, trouble with decision-making and unwanted and/or unprotected sex. These problems caused by binge drinking could be avoided if the drinking age was lowered because young drinkers would know more about their own alcohol tolerance. Andrew Gregor said, “People usually get a ‘real’ job around the age of 21 and if someone starts drinking at that age, when they go ‘out for drinks’ after hours they will be drunk quick and embarrass themselves.”

            Another argument for lower the drinking age is the fact that many of the other countries in the world have a lower drinking age, if any at all. For some countries like Italy, it is traditional for families to drink wine from their vineyards together. According to the Student Travel section on About.com, unlike the U.S., you only have to be 16 to drink in Italy. There is the potential that lowering the drinking age to 18 in the U.S. may make young people think of themselves as equal to adults and foreigners. About.com writer says,

“If you're old enough to fight wars, drive cars and vote, you're old enough to buy alcohol in most countries -- there's a reason you'll be treated like an adult with adult smarts and privileges elsewhere in the world. The joys of a pint of ale in London or a glass of vino in Italy are well worth exercising the self control 21-and-unders are assumed to possess and expected to demonstrate elsewhere on the planet.”   - Kathleen Crislip

            Hopefully in the next few years, if we keep pushing the ideals mentioned here, we will see a change in the government policies regarding the drinking age. This course of action may be good for us, Americans, because it may bond our youth and elders in some way, it may put an end to binge drinking and it may cause other good things to happen. There is only one way to find out. Let’s lower the drinking age from 21 to 18! 

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