An estimated five thousand people under twenty-one years old die each year as a result of injuries caused by underage drinking, including 1,900 injuries from motor vehicle crashes (Underage Alcohol). In addition, the earlier a person begins alcohol use, the greater the chances are of that person becoming an alcoholic, suffering from withdrawal symptoms, and harming the brain during its development (Underage Drinking). The drinking age is set to twenty-one because research shows that young people react differently to alcohol. A person’s brain does not stop developing until his early- to mid-twenties (Myths). Also, alcohol use by those under twenty-one is related to numerous health problems and many other injuries, such as alcohol poisoning and suicide (Why). From the statements shown above, it is clear that lowering the drinking age would cause
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For example, some people argue that lowering the drinking age would make alcohol less desirable to teenagers. What people fail to realize is that if alcohol is no longer illegal, more teens will have access to it, therefore producing more problems like the aforementioned arguments. In fact, states that previously lowered the drinking age to eighteen experienced problems with people younger than eighteen were starting to drink more frequently (Myths). Also, there are arguments claiming that a person should be allowed to drink at eighteen because that is the age which a person can vote and join the army. It is most often thought of as the age of adulthood to many people in the United States; unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. Because a person’s brain usually doesn’t stop developing until well into their mid-twenties, lowering the drinking age could lead to a stint in development. Subjugating teenagers to the twenty-one year old minimum drinking age ensures that brain development is properly occurring without outside
For example, some people argue that lowering the drinking age would make alcohol less desirable to teenagers. What people fail to realize is that if alcohol is no longer illegal, more teens will have access to it, therefore producing more problems like the aforementioned arguments. In fact, states that previously lowered the drinking age to eighteen experienced problems with people younger than eighteen were starting to drink more frequently (Myths). Also, there are arguments claiming that a person should be allowed to drink at eighteen because that is the age which a person can vote and join the army. It is most often thought of as the age of adulthood to many people in the United States; unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. Because a person’s brain usually doesn’t stop developing until well into their mid-twenties, lowering the drinking age could lead to a stint in development. Subjugating teenagers to the twenty-one year old minimum drinking age ensures that brain development is properly occurring without outside