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Alcohol Drinking Age
Should the alcohol drinking age be lowered from 21 to 18? Yes or no? Why?
A) has to be 3 – 4 pages long
B) It has to be double space and one-inch margins on all sides
C) It has to be typed in Times New Roman Font (12)
D) Written in MLA format and it must contain a separate Works Cited page. Needs to have at least 4 citations from 4 different reputable sources.
E) No Wikipedia is allowed.
F) You must provide statistical and/or specific current or historical events or facts to augment your thesis.
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Alcohol Drinking Age
The Case for Maintaining the Alcohol Drinking Age at 21
The legal drinking age in the United States, set at 21 under the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, has been a subject of debate for decades. Proponents of lowering the drinking age to 18 argue that it aligns with the age of majority, grants young adults autonomy, and reduces the allure of forbidden behavior. However, maintaining the drinking age at 21 is justified by compelling evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing alcohol-related harm, particularly among young adults. Lowering the drinking age to 18 would increase traffic fatalities, exacerbate underage binge drinking, and undermine public health efforts, as supported by statistical data, historical outcomes, and health research.
The primary argument for keeping the drinking age at 21 is its proven impact on reducing alcohol-related traffic fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the 1984 legislation, which tied federal highway funding to a minimum drinking age of 21, led to a significant decline in drunk-driving deaths among young people. From 1982 to 1998, alcohol-related traffic fatalities among drivers under 21 dropped by 47%, saving approximately 1,000 lives annually (NHTSA). A 2019 study by Fell et al. further confirms that states with stricter drinking age enforcement saw sustained reductions in crash fatalities among 18–20-year-olds. Lowering the drinking age to 18 would likely reverse these gains, as younger individuals, with less developed impulse control, are more prone to risky behaviors like drunk driving. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making, is not fully developed until the mid-20s, making 18-year-olds more susceptible to alcohol’s impairing effects (Arain et al. 109).
Beyond traffic safety, maintaining the drinking age at 21 mitigates the risks of binge drinking and its associated consequences among young adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks in one sitting, is prevalent among 18–20-year-olds, with 26% of this group engaging in the behavior despite current restrictions. Lowering the drinking age would likely increase access to alcohol, exacerbating binge drinking rates. A 2017 study by DeJong and Blanchette found that countries with lower drinking ages, such as Germany (16 for beer and wine), have higher rates of…