Lowering the Drinking Age

Lowering the 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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Lowering the Drinking Age

1. Should the legal alcohol drinking age be lowered from 21 to 18?,

2. Why should or shouldn’t the drinking age be changed?,

3. What statistics or historical events support your position?,

4. What reputable sources can back your claims?,

5. How does this issue affect society public health and youth responsibility?

Comprehensive General Response:

Thesis:
No, the legal drinking age should not be lowered from 21 to 18. While 18 is the age of legal adulthood in many areas of life, alcohol consumption presents unique risks to adolescent brain development, public safety, and social responsibility that justify keeping the drinking age at 21.

Argument 1: Health and Brain Development
Scientific studies have shown that the human brain continues to develop well into the mid-20s. Alcohol consumption during adolescence can interfere with the development of the prefrontal cortex—the region responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and judgment. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), underage drinking is linked to increased risks of memory problems, academic struggles, and long-term dependency.

Argument 2: Public Safety and Drunk Driving
After the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 raised the legal drinking age to 21, the U.S. saw a significant decrease in alcohol-related traffic fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drunk-driving deaths among people aged 16–20 dropped by 61% between 1982 and 1998. Lowering the age could reverse that progress and lead to more dangerous roads, particularly for teens who are inexperienced drivers.

Argument 3: Social and Educational Impacts
College campuses already face challenges with binge drinking, and lowering the legal age may worsen the issue. A 2019 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that alcohol is a factor in many cases of campus sexual assault, injury, and academic failure. Legal access at 18 could lead to increased alcohol availability and peer pressure in high schools as well, since many seniors are already 18.

Argument 4: International Comparisons and Context
Some argue that countries with lower drinking ages don’t face the same issues. However, European nations like Germany and France are also struggling with youth alcohol abuse. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Europe has some of the highest rates of alcohol-related problems among young people, even where the legal age is lower. Culture, education, and enforcement—not just legal age—impact outcomes.

Lowering the Drinking Ag

Conclusion:
Keeping the drinking age at 21 is not about denying adulthood but about protecting young people during a critical period of growth and development. The statistics clearly show a correlation between higher drinking ages and reduced alcohol-related harms. Until there are better systems of education and regulation in place, the drinking age should remain at 21.

Works Cited (MLA format placeholder — you must update with actual sources and page numbers):

1. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Underage Drinking. www.niaaa.nih.gov.

2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic Safety Facts: Alcohol-Impaired Driving. www.nhtsa.gov.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Youth. www.cdc.gov.

4. World Health Organization. Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health. www.who.int.