Would changing the drinking age be beneficial to the US.This has been a huge topic debated in the US for a while. There are very good reasons for changing it and to keep it the same. Some say that when you are 18 you are able to make your own decisions and being able to drink should be one of them. On the other hand, you should be more mature to be able to drink responsibly. A big topic that comes up with this is drunk driving deaths. Would this decrease the amount of deaths? If this were to change, it would be a drastic change in the lives of teens but in a positive or a negative way?
It is known that “Although drinking by persons under the age of 21 is illegal, people aged 12 to 20 years drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States.”(cdc.gov) Some of you may find this shocking! But what really are you supposed to expect when teens turn 18 and can make their own decisions. In fact, it was revealed that “78 percent of U.S. teens had drank alcohol, and 47 percent of the group said they'd …show more content…
This is because drinking by these youth is seen as an enticing "forbidden fruit," a "badge of rebellion against authority" and a symbol of "adulthood." Teens see this as being rebellious so they want to do it more. If the rules changed they won’t have as much of a drive to do it because it’s rebellious. Also “Turning 18 entails receiving the rights and responsibilities of adulthood to vote, smoke cigarettes, serve on juries, get married, sign contracts, be prosecuted as adults, and join the military - which includes risking one's life.”(procon.org) but you can’t drink. If you are willing to risk your life for your country you should be able to have a drink. At that age you earn so many new responsibilities and adding a new one would really change the way the US thinks of drinking and could be a positive change to the
It is known that “Although drinking by persons under the age of 21 is illegal, people aged 12 to 20 years drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States.”(cdc.gov) Some of you may find this shocking! But what really are you supposed to expect when teens turn 18 and can make their own decisions. In fact, it was revealed that “78 percent of U.S. teens had drank alcohol, and 47 percent of the group said they'd …show more content…
This is because drinking by these youth is seen as an enticing "forbidden fruit," a "badge of rebellion against authority" and a symbol of "adulthood." Teens see this as being rebellious so they want to do it more. If the rules changed they won’t have as much of a drive to do it because it’s rebellious. Also “Turning 18 entails receiving the rights and responsibilities of adulthood to vote, smoke cigarettes, serve on juries, get married, sign contracts, be prosecuted as adults, and join the military - which includes risking one's life.”(procon.org) but you can’t drink. If you are willing to risk your life for your country you should be able to have a drink. At that age you earn so many new responsibilities and adding a new one would really change the way the US thinks of drinking and could be a positive change to the