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Regina Palmer
Persuasive Essay
9/16/2005
6th hour
21 Isn’t So Lucky
In Italy, France, and Spain it's 16. In New Zealand it's 18. In the United
States it's 21, and in places such as China and Portugal there isn't one at all. At 18 an individual can go to war and die for the United States, vote, and buy cigarettes, but the individual can't buy alcohol. They trust us with their votes, yet they cannot treat us like full adults for another 3 years.
Some argue that the United States has the most careless drinkers with little
self-control when it comes to alcohol usage, and some may even say that this is because we were not exposed to alcohol as children like the Germans or French are. More and more people under the age of 21 that live in the United States are experiencing alcohol. Many argue that the legal age of drinking should be lowered to 18 instead of 21. The legal age should be lowered because the average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years for boys and 13 years for girls. The average age at which Americans begin regularly drinking is 15.9 years old. Most teens follow the traditions that have been around for a while which are to go out and get drunk on prom night and graduation night. So why is the legal age still 21 if many Americans are breaking it?
Some argue that the United States has the most careless drinkers with little
self-control when it comes to alcohol usage, and some may even say that this is because we were not exposed to alcohol as children like the Germans or French are. One of the main causes of the drinking age being set to 21 was teenagers were getting into car accidents after getting drunk but times have changed. During those times people weren't aware of the risk of drunk driving could have on their life, but with the interest groups that have been informing the public about drunk driving people now a-days are more aware of the risk you take when you are drinking and driving. The amount of alcohol related fatalities have decreased over the years due to the amount of awareness on drunk driving and more education on the effects of alcohol. In 2004 the United States had only 16,694 alcohol related deaths compared to the 26,173 alcohol related deaths in 1982. That just goes to show that drivers are starting to get smarter about drinking and driving.
If the age was lowered underage drinking would be safer. Individuals against the legal age of drinking being lowered say that alcohol harms your body. The truth is alcohol can harm a 17 year olds body just as bad as a 39 year olds. The danger of alcohol is real and doesn't go away when someone turns 21. Drinking is safer if it takes place in the open, where it can be supervised by police, security guards and even health-care workers. When the drinking age went up, the spigot wasn't turned off; it was simply moved underground--to homes or cars or frat-house basements--where no adult could keep an eye on things.
Now a-days people are more aware of the effect of drinking and
driving can have on themselves, and other people. Continuing on educating the public and people under the drinking age about the effects of alcohol is a great idea. Now that more people are aware of the effects of alcohol the drinking age should be lowered to 18 because at that age an individual is considered an adult. With teens being more educated in high school and college they will not make the mistake of driving drunk once aware of the consequences.
Works Cited
Hanson, David J. “Legal Drinking Age” 2005: online
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information November 2003: online
http://www.focusas.com/Alcohol.html
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration FARS data August 2004: online
http://madd.com/stats/0,1056,1298,00.html
Regina Palmer
Persuasive Essay
9/16/2005
6th hour
21 Isn’t So Lucky
In Italy, France, and Spain it's 16. In New Zealand it's 18. In the United
States it's 21, and in places such as China and Portugal there isn't one at all. At 18 an individual can go to war and die for the United States, vote, and buy cigarettes, but the individual can't buy alcohol. They trust us with their votes, yet they cannot treat us like full adults for another 3 years.
Some argue that the United States has the most careless drinkers with little
self-control when it comes to alcohol usage, and some may even say that this is because we were not exposed to alcohol as children like the Germans or French are. More and more people under the age of 21 that live in the United States are experiencing alcohol. Many argue that the legal age of drinking should be lowered to 18 instead of 21. The legal age should be lowered because the average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years for boys and 13 years for girls. The average age at which Americans begin regularly drinking is 15.9 years old. Most teens follow the traditions that have been around for a while which are to go out and get drunk on prom night and graduation night. So why is the legal age still 21 if many Americans are breaking it?
Some argue that the United States has the most careless drinkers with little
self-control when it comes to alcohol usage, and some may even say that this is because we were not exposed to alcohol as children like the Germans or French are. One of the main causes of the drinking age being set to 21 was teenagers were getting into car accidents after getting drunk but times have changed. During those times people weren't aware of the risk of drunk driving could have on their life, but with the interest groups that have been informing the public about drunk driving people now a-days are more aware of the risk you take when you are drinking and driving. The amount of alcohol related fatalities have decreased over the years due to the amount of awareness on drunk driving and more education on the effects of alcohol. In 2004 the United States had only 16,694 alcohol related deaths compared to the 26,173 alcohol related deaths in 1982. That just goes to show that drivers are starting to get smarter about drinking and driving.
If the age was lowered underage drinking would be safer. Individuals against the legal age of drinking being lowered say that alcohol harms your body. The truth is alcohol can harm a 17 year olds body just as bad as a 39 year olds. The danger of alcohol is real and doesn't go away when someone turns 21. Drinking is safer if it takes place in the open, where it can be supervised by police, security guards and even health-care workers. When the drinking age went up, the spigot wasn't turned off; it was simply moved underground--to homes or cars or frat-house basements--where no adult could keep an eye on things.
Now a-days people are more aware of the effect of drinking and
driving can have on themselves, and other people. Continuing on educating the public and people under the drinking age about the effects of alcohol is a great idea. Now that more people are aware of the effects of alcohol the drinking age should be lowered to 18 because at that age an individual is considered an adult. With teens being more educated in high school and college they will not make the mistake of driving drunk once aware of the consequences.
Works Cited
Hanson, David J. “Legal Drinking Age” 2005: online
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information November 2003: online
http://www.focusas.com/Alcohol.html
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration FARS data August 2004: online
http://madd.com/stats/0,1056,1298,00.html