Save the Youth
In the United States, alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of death amongst the youths and young adults that accounts for an estimated 75,000 or more deaths every year (Wechsler & Nelson). The number of deaths would have been much greater, but with the legal drinking age set at twenty-one, deaths have been reduced. Although many studies confirm that the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is effective in reducing underage drinking and the consequences from alcohol drinking, some argue that the MLDA is ineffective and has driven young adults to drink more in less supervised and controlled environments. The current legal drinking age of twenty-one is the most effective effort to reduce alcohol consumption; therefore, …show more content…
The Vietnam War brought upon the issue that eighteen-year-old males were being drafted for war, but were not allowed to vote or consume alcohol, so with that matter, many states reduced their MLDA to eighteen, nineteen, or twenty. In the 1970s and early 1980s the new legal drinking ages was becoming an issue and traffic crashes significantly increased among teenagers after the MLDA was lowered (“IV”). Groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocated for the MLDA of twenty-one in all the states and wanted Congress to act on this proposal quickly. On July 17, 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which stated that states that have not raised their legal drinking age to twenty-one, will lose their federal highway funding. By 1987, all fifty states had made their national MLDA to the age of twenty-one (“Choose”). In recent years, many groups — especially college presidents — have challenged the MLDA. In 2006, Choose Responsibility, a non-profit organization, started campaigning for a lower legal drinking age. Then in 2008, over a 100 chancellors and university presidents created a group called the Amethyst Initiative to change the current legal drinking age since they regarded the MLDA of twenty-one as an ineffective law (“Age”). Those who support …show more content…
In Europe, teens are allowed to purchase and consume alcohol at the age of eighteen. Many believed Europe consumes less and have fewer alcohol-related problems than the U.S. does, but that is not the case. In fact, in most European countries, the youths have a higher rate of intoxication and also more likely to have been intoxicated before the age of thirteen compared to the United States (Grube). European youths may have lower rates of traffic accidents, but that is because Europeans drive less compared to the U.S., have more access to public transportation, have more expensive vehicles, and have higher legal driving ages (“Effects”). One cannot just compare international rates of alcohol-related problems without evaluating the factors that contribute to the problem. The idea that Europeans do not have alcohol-related problems is a
In the United States, alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of death amongst the youths and young adults that accounts for an estimated 75,000 or more deaths every year (Wechsler & Nelson). The number of deaths would have been much greater, but with the legal drinking age set at twenty-one, deaths have been reduced. Although many studies confirm that the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is effective in reducing underage drinking and the consequences from alcohol drinking, some argue that the MLDA is ineffective and has driven young adults to drink more in less supervised and controlled environments. The current legal drinking age of twenty-one is the most effective effort to reduce alcohol consumption; therefore, …show more content…
The Vietnam War brought upon the issue that eighteen-year-old males were being drafted for war, but were not allowed to vote or consume alcohol, so with that matter, many states reduced their MLDA to eighteen, nineteen, or twenty. In the 1970s and early 1980s the new legal drinking ages was becoming an issue and traffic crashes significantly increased among teenagers after the MLDA was lowered (“IV”). Groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocated for the MLDA of twenty-one in all the states and wanted Congress to act on this proposal quickly. On July 17, 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which stated that states that have not raised their legal drinking age to twenty-one, will lose their federal highway funding. By 1987, all fifty states had made their national MLDA to the age of twenty-one (“Choose”). In recent years, many groups — especially college presidents — have challenged the MLDA. In 2006, Choose Responsibility, a non-profit organization, started campaigning for a lower legal drinking age. Then in 2008, over a 100 chancellors and university presidents created a group called the Amethyst Initiative to change the current legal drinking age since they regarded the MLDA of twenty-one as an ineffective law (“Age”). Those who support …show more content…
In Europe, teens are allowed to purchase and consume alcohol at the age of eighteen. Many believed Europe consumes less and have fewer alcohol-related problems than the U.S. does, but that is not the case. In fact, in most European countries, the youths have a higher rate of intoxication and also more likely to have been intoxicated before the age of thirteen compared to the United States (Grube). European youths may have lower rates of traffic accidents, but that is because Europeans drive less compared to the U.S., have more access to public transportation, have more expensive vehicles, and have higher legal driving ages (“Effects”). One cannot just compare international rates of alcohol-related problems without evaluating the factors that contribute to the problem. The idea that Europeans do not have alcohol-related problems is a