As you know, the legal drinking age in the United States is 21. The U.S. is one of 12 countries that has a minimum drinking age of 21. In many other countries the drinking age is 18 or 19. The article I read explained the many other activities that 18 year olds can participate in, but why not drinking? Things like smoking, driving, voting, and even enrollment in the military and/or college is legal by the time you are 18.
Personally, I think that lowering the drinking age could be good and bad. There have been studies preformed that show in countries that the drinking age is 18 or 19, the death rates from car accidents, etc., are no higher and are sometimes even lower than here in the U.S. with the minimum drinking age at 21. As the article says, the issue probably isn't the age of drunk drivers, however, it could be something like how drinking and driving is veiwed in a certain country. Many people under the age of 21 drink as it is, so doesn't it just make sense to lower it? I feel that if we lowered the drinking age there would be less young kids drinking irresponsibly in unsafe environments. This could keep us safer than having younger adults finding unsafe places to do illegal things. Lowering the drinking age could promote drinking more responsibly. On the other hand, there could be argument about whether or not the brain is developed enough to consume alcohol at the young age of 18 or 19. However, an argument could be made about smoking being just as bad for you as drinking alcohol.
Do you think that we should lower the drinking age? Why/Why not?
Do you think that the U.S. should have stricter laws on drinking and driving?
Replies
Great topic choice and good job overall Dalaney! I do think your summary is a little brief overall.
I don't see any reason for lowering it. I think it's fine where it stands at. I don't care what the statistics say drinking and driving accidents don't increase. I still think more accidents will in America. 18 years olds just graduated from school, they were just a teenager, so I don't think they are old enough to drink yet.
I think the drinking age should definetly be talked about and maybe changed but even then I think the drinking age is fine where it is. I don't really care what the drinking age is. If they do change it I wouldn't be affected, but other kids might. Drinking and driving is a problem and it can be addresed more.
I think that lowering the drinking age is something that should be thought about. I would support it. I think that if you are old enough to join the military, get your own house, and be considered an adult you are old enought to drink alcohol. I think that 18 is pretty reasonable considering so many european countries have the age set even lower.
I feel that when you graduate you are considered an adult and you live and pay all your bills on your own so you should be able to consume and purchase alcohol. I do think they need to be more strict on there drinking and driving laws. If you were to be driving while drunk you are not only putting yourself in danger but everyone else on the rode also.
I feel that many teens of the age 18 or 19 are already consuming alcohol. I feel when you graduate and go off on your own, you're an adult. In my opinion, it would be okay to lower the drinking age to 18 or 19. Yes, I do beleive there should be strict laws on drinking and driving. If one were to drive drunk and hit someone, they're taking someone's life as well as their own.
I think that the legal drinking age should stay the same because the law has been around for a while and most people know that you have to be 21. I think that the United States should have stricter laws on drinking and driving because that is a cause of many deaths.
I think the drinking age should stay the same because the current law already gets broken and im not sure if it would make much of a difference to lower it. If anything it would just make teen drinking worse and may lead to more health problems.
I don't think lowering the drinking age would make much of a difference, but I don't think it should be lowered. Most 18 year olds already drink even though its illegal. However, drinking can lead to many serious health problems and can cause accidents so I think it should stay at 21.
I think that lowering the legal drinking age to 18 is not a bad idea but if they did this I think they would need stricter laws for underage drinking. drinking and driving is a big problem in America and I do think that we need more strict laws to discourage people from drinking and driving.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 7 Next