Drinking Age Should Be Lowered | Teen Ink

Drinking Age Should Be Lowered

May 18, 2008
By Anonymous

People use alcohol for numerous reasons; peer pressure, celebration, anxiety, sadness, boredom, rebellion and insomnia are just a few. Teens fall under the category of “people”. The legal drinking age is currently twenty-one, but illegally drinking age is as low as zero. Why? Is the main question asked. I can assure you the under age drinking age percentage would drop if the age is lowered.

Few reasons for teens drinking are: peer pressure, enjoyment, etc. But the main reason for doing so is “breaking the law.” 87% of high school seniors have used alcohol. That means that a large quantity of teens under the age of seventeen to eighteen have used alcohol before. We all know why teens drink, I mean is common since. Just the feel that they get of breaking the law is huge. Being rebel and not following the rules is an important role of a teen’s life. Consequences are the one that change them, but we don’t want them to experience the consequences of being under the influence of alcohol because we know them and they are fatal. Dying in a car accident and killing others is a mess that we don’t want to clean.

Despite the fact that is illegal for young teens to purchase it, they are able to get it through their parent’s own liquor cabinets, unscrupulous store clerks, or older friends who purchase it for them. As we all see, is not hard for teens to obtain alcohol. Why not lower the drinking age then? I mean any way you put it, they are getting it.

We have all heard of the famous saying “we want you to join the military and protect your country.” Blah blah blah. Well, you are telling me that I can legally kill someone at the age of eighteen, while I sign up with the military and go to war but I can’t have a sip of alcohol. Due to this none senseless situation, age should be equaled. In other words, if voting and military sign up is eighteen, then drinking should also be eighteen. Besides at the age of eighteen you are legally an adult. Why can’t we drink then?

Drinking age in Australia is eighteen, and in UK is as low as sixteen in restaurants. Studies have showed that those teens/adults are perfectly fine. In fact, Dr. Ruth Engs; professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington, uses this examples to propose the following: “……the drinking age be lowered to about 18 or 19 and permit those of legal age to consume in socially controlled environment such as restaurants and official school and university functions” (direct quote from Dr. Engs).

Drinking age should be lowered, and I know that by lowering it we can drop the percentage of reckless teen alcohol abusers. It is worth trying it , and if everything goes the opposite then change the law once more (which is done lots of times, for dumb reasons) and raise the drinking age back to twenty-one. Changes are always good (most of the times), and I know this one in particular is an excellent one.


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This article has 740 comments.


on Jul. 26 2010 at 10:23 am
coolstudygirl GOLD, Vermilion, Ohio
16 articles 0 photos 38 comments
I am in high school right now and I know a lot of people that do not drink. So your "87% of high school seniors drunk alcohol is wrong."

Sonata16 GOLD said...
on Jul. 22 2010 at 10:21 am
Sonata16 GOLD, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
12 articles 0 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you." --Zora Neil Hurston

The drinking age is set at 21 because that is when the brain is fully developed and its growth cannot be damaged by alcohol. Therefore, we shouldn't lower it because we can't handle it.

inspir3d GOLD said...
on Jul. 16 2010 at 4:50 pm
inspir3d GOLD, Norcross, Georgia
11 articles 2 photos 73 comments

Favorite Quote:
We're all just looking for attention, to be discovered overnight. We're all frustrated by the popular ones that claim the limelight before they fall to pieces. So many of us are stuck under the radar--what makes me different? You decide!

Not to mention, can u imagine if there was no punishment for DUI? it kills people. and the judgement part of teenagers brains aren't completely developed, so we're more likely to make stupid decisions @ DUI.

inspir3d GOLD said...
on Jul. 16 2010 at 4:48 pm
inspir3d GOLD, Norcross, Georgia
11 articles 2 photos 73 comments

Favorite Quote:
We're all just looking for attention, to be discovered overnight. We're all frustrated by the popular ones that claim the limelight before they fall to pieces. So many of us are stuck under the radar--what makes me different? You decide!

You have a point that ppl think its cool to drink b/c it's illegal. But the problem with lowering the legal drinking age is that kids will still drink illegally, but start a lot younger, like before they're even teenagers. Personally i think the idea of little kids drinking beer is disgusting. And that's what will happen.

Mohan4644 said...
on Jul. 15 2010 at 7:41 pm
Mohan4644, Small Town USA, Massachusetts
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

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"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names." - John F. Kennedy

you say that it wouldnt matter if it were lowered because "they'll get it anyways." what about the good 0-20 year olds who dont illegally drink? that would just give them the right to...and anyways, its a dumb idea to lower it bcuz "they'll get it anways" cuz that would just influence them to drink even more, and we would overall just have more problems. but i get your point about the military and ciggaretes but still...

on Jul. 13 2010 at 6:17 pm
ReadWriteBreathe PLATINUM, Pocatello, Idaho
24 articles 4 photos 114 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You have to consider the possibility that God does not like you" Tyler Durden Fight Club

Yeah, hippiechick it doesn't make sense, if the drinking age is lowered to eight teen and the kid did crash and killed the family it would still be a burden.

on Jul. 8 2010 at 4:22 pm
HAWKEYESTATE4ever, Clive, Iowa
0 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." -William Shakespeare

And it wouldn't be a huge burden on a teen's shoulders if they were drinking illegally? Somehow that doesn't make sense.

on Jul. 8 2010 at 11:16 am
everthought BRONZE, Vancouver, Other
1 article 13 photos 69 comments

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"forever is the new now"
-anonymous

The legal drinking age in Canada is 19. I believe that even if the drinking age is lowered (anywhere in the world), it wouldn't matter because the majority of drinkers are 13-16 years old. Those people would still be underage regardless if the legal drinking age was 18, 19 or 21.

on Jul. 8 2010 at 10:53 am
autumntate2015 SILVER, Albertville, Alabama
9 articles 20 photos 45 comments

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"Success is a journey, not a destination." -Ben Sweetland

I agree, the legal drinking age deffiantely should not be lowered.

on Jul. 8 2010 at 8:38 am
lesliemarie BRONZE, George West, Texas
4 articles 0 photos 3 comments

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"You have to let something go in order to get something good back"

I don't think it should be lowered at all. I get your point. And whether it is lowered or not kids at ages 16,17,18, and so on are still going to drink and smoke and everything else. I know kids that are younger then 16 that do all this. I just think the increase of vehichle addicidents will just increase even more. But this was a great article.

on Jul. 7 2010 at 5:28 pm
Hippiechick10 SILVER, One Stoplight Town, Connecticut
7 articles 0 photos 83 comments

Favorite Quote:
Those who deny freedom to others , deserve it not for themselves. (Abe Lincoln)

I don't think the drinking age should be lowered. I understand your points, but imagine if you were 18, and just crashed into a family and killed them because you were drinking before and were having the after effects. That would be a HUGE burden on a teen's shoulders. You wrote this in a way that I wouldn't have approached the subject, but it is written great.

on Jun. 30 2010 at 9:32 pm
MCRlover2011 BRONZE, Kemp, Texas
4 articles 2 photos 85 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be yourself, don't take any one's (ugh they keep editing this T_T) shit and never let them take you alive!!!- Gerard Way

i agree totally, at 18 you can go buy a pack of smokes and join the military, so why can't you buy and drink some alcohol?

on Jun. 24 2010 at 12:00 am
MoonlitRaven BRONZE, Nanaimo, Other
2 articles 1 photo 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life is seen only through lenes, it's to only your perspective that you can tell." Josh Gray

lol, well what the drinking age is this guy will drink anways :S

on Jun. 16 2010 at 9:18 pm
AnimePianist BRONZE, South Burlington, Vermont
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

While yes, I do agree with you Katie, they all have the equivalent of one drink. If you have on drink of beer, it is the same as having one drink of wine. The serving size for alcohol goes like this.

Serving Sizes: Wine: 5 oz. Beer: 12 oz. Liquor: 1.5 oz. and Wine Coolers: 12 oz.  


Yoyo96 said...
on Jun. 16 2010 at 5:13 pm
Yoyo96, Lake Station, Indiana
0 articles 1 photo 30 comments

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"Don't frown. You never know who is falling in love with your smile."
"When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there"

Haha, i got that same feelin from this article. but i didnt dare comment on it :X

kennedy1366 said...
on Jun. 16 2010 at 3:45 pm
kennedy1366, Plano, Texas
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
when all else fails, go to a Paraty!

Great point, I agree. at age 18 you are a legal adult, you can do basically everything move out, graduate, have your home etc. You can live by yourself and pay rent or morgage but you cant simply have alchol. My father is a politician, i will refer you to him, he could get you some serious connection, if that is alright with you

on Jun. 16 2010 at 2:31 pm
ThatClarinetPerson SILVER, Tequesta, Florida
8 articles 0 photos 226 comments

Favorite Quote:
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~Marvin the Paranoid Android (from the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy series)
Statistical analysis suggests that i am probably in tune with someone
(hahahahaha! I love this cause i'm never ever ever in tune >o

totally agree :)

on Jun. 16 2010 at 2:28 pm
ThatClarinetPerson SILVER, Tequesta, Florida
8 articles 0 photos 226 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life. Don't talk to me about life."
~Marvin the Paranoid Android (from the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy series)
Statistical analysis suggests that i am probably in tune with someone
(hahahahaha! I love this cause i'm never ever ever in tune >o

The reason the legal drinking age is 21, in the US anyway, is because the brain is still developing into the mid 20's.

nono!! said...
on Jun. 15 2010 at 12:04 pm

if it can lower to 18, why not 17, 16. in the end, you can drink,smoke at the birth

 


on Jun. 8 2010 at 2:03 pm
destinylubsyo, Ponca City, Oklahoma
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

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always take what life offers and never turn it down and dont regreat any thing!!

they should lower it because teens at age 13 are allready smokin and drinking