Minimum Legal Drinking Age Essay

Robert Voas states teen pregnancy, sexual assaults, and crime rates have increased due to underage drinking. Alcohol consumption at a college age leads to 600,000 physical assaults and 70,000 sexual assaults yearly according to a study (464). Joyce Alcantara claims if the age were lowered back to eighteen then it would put younger teens at risk (468). People tend to have friends around their same age. So, if eighteen year olds were allowed to drink then their friends which are roughly around the age of sixteen or seventeen would likely have an alcoholic drink in their hand as well.

Alcohol could cause the perpetual brain damage in young people and affects the way their brains work. Alcohol can poison the brain due to it is a neurotoxin itself. The brain hasn 't finished developing at

The brain cells in the brain of a heavy drinker happens to not work as correctly as a kid that does not drink. Alcohol slows down the cerebral cortex and the way it works to get information from a person’s senses. Underage drinking also messes with the Frontal Lobes their important for planning, forming ideas, and making decisions. If alcohol was to damage part of the brain where the Hippocampus is located it could be very hard for the person to learn new

Before the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed it was legal for people of the age of eighteen to purchase and consume alcohol. The United States has the highest legal drinking age, 21, in the world. In most countries in Europe it is

The minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) was put in place to potentially save lives and protect people’s health. The legal drinking age in Manitoba, as of today, is 18 years of age. Look at the rest of the country, the majority of them have raised their drinking age to 19. Should the legal drinking age in Manitoba be raised? Hospital rates, motor vehicle related accidents while under the influence, and suicide-alcohol rates are the key points that seemed to have changed after the MLDA was put into place.

Both supporters and opponents of the MLDA of 21 have many arguments supporting their own sides and arguments to counter their opposition’s. Does a minimum drinking age take away people’s freedom? Or does it insure that they will have a chance to live out their lives? Both sides will always find arguments to counter their opposition so this may continue to go around in circles forever. But with 77% of people supporting a MLDA of 21, there isn’t much hope for opposers.

Responsibility is one of the keywords to remember when consuming alcohol. Anything could happen when you 're under the influence, death, rape, and many more life-altering occurrences. One huge potential life-altering thing that could happen to you is brain damage. Drinking at a younger age increases the risk of brain damage. This is the only potentially bad risk that comes with drinking, but if consumed responsibly it will be okay

One main point that is argued is that younger brains are more susceptible to alcohol consumption and by lowering the drinking age, it would be approving the damage that alcohol causes in the developing brain. Emotional development, organization, and planning are all affected by alcohol consumption. Though it’s true that kids will still likely drink, that doesn’t mean society needs to approve of that decision. Another argument that is used is that more people drinking could create more unsafe environments. When people have too much alcohol, their decision-making skills are extensively lowered.

One con of lowering the drinking age is that it may interfere with the development of an young individual’s brain. Especially the frontal lobes, emotional regulation, planning, and also organization. When a young adult consumes alcohol it increases the potential of having chronic issues, like greater vulnerability to addiction. It also plays a role in depression, violence, and reduced decision making ability (Ives2008).

The drinking age should be lowered, because brains are not fully developed yet, colleges should be able to regulate drinking, and this can solve problems with kids underage drinking. Despite the controversy, the drinking age should decrease for many logical reasons. The drinking age has been a debate between the ages 18 to the age of 21 for a while now. Over the years, studies have showed favors toward the age of 21.

Drugs such as alcohol have an effect on all users, regardless of their age; however, alcohol has an especially harmful effect on teens since their bodies are still developing. Studies have shown that alcohol has numerous negative effects on a teen’s body and mental health; for example, a study conducted by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention stated that “alcohol consumption affects the brain’s frontal lobes, which is essential for functions such as emotional regulations, planning, and organization” (“Age”). Teens already have high emotions and difficulties planning and organizing; alcohol will only enhance teens’ struggle. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention also found that alcohol consumption at a young age can potentially cause chronic problems such as memory loss, depression, suicidal thoughts, and poor decision making (“Age”). Teens have a difficult enough time making decisions and organizing their lives, but adding alcohol to the mix will only make matters worse; their bodies are still developing, and they are still learning to be adults.

Across the country, college students participate in an illegal activity known as underage drinking. The drinking age in America is an ongoing debate of whether it should be kept at 21, or reduced to 18. While some believe lowering the drinking age would make drinking for young kids safer, others presume the opposite. According to Alexis Aguirre, a journalist at the Texas State University Star, “The legal drinking age should be lowered to 18. Once 18, a person is legally considered an adult and should be able to drink.”

In her article “Alcohol can rewire the teenage brain,” author Tara Haelle supports that teenage drinking is a growing concern and accounts for 11 percent of all alcohol consumption in the United States alone. The drinking age of 21 is partly due to state and federal statutes but, also because one’s brain doesn’t stop developing until then. Exposure to alcohol in adolescent years can permanently alter brain chemistry. Drinking during this critical period of development may lead to permanent damage that can linger for the duration of a person’s life. Alcohol affects two crucial parts of the brain which are vulnerable when a teenager is developing.

3.0 Analysis of findings 3:1 Objective 1: To what degree does the consumption of alcohol affects adolescent’s behavior? 3.1.1 Social behavior Alcohol has become the most heavily abused substance within youths in America, particularly those in college, and it is on the rise (Foundations Recovery Network 2005). This misuse has been seen to have direct links to teens developing anti-social and behavioral problems in teens such as aggression and hostility (Steele & Southwick 1985). Underage drinking whilst the adolescent brain is still undergoing development has been seen to have harmful long lasting effects on individuals (Trudeau 2010). Studies show the effects alcohol has on student’s impact learning abilities and intellect later in life (Anderson 2011).

Underage drinking is a dangerous thing that is happening in many places where many underage teens are drinking. When teens drink alcohol they tend to drink more than an adult which causes them to have worse effects. There are many ways to prevent this like increasing the tax on alcohol and decreasing the amount of alcohol stores in the U.S. Teens should not drink underage and not know the consequences of doing it and if they don’t then it could ruin their life or even someone else’s. Teens should consider not to drink as it could increase their overall physical,mental, and spiritual health.