Old Enough to Die for this Country, Old Enough to Drink in it? Evan Hanggi Pg:1

What is “Drinking age”? It’s the age that all teenagers despise, yet, can’t wait till they reach. It’s when you are considered cool and it is legal for you to drink and party. Currently, the drinking age in the United States is set at 21. It previously had been set at 18 until July 17, 1984 when the Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed. This caused states to lose ten percent of their highway funds unless they raised the state drinking age to 21. Shortly after this act was passed every state raised the drinking age to 21 where it has remained since. Recently, there has been much debate on whether the drinking age should be lowered to a point where it would join the majority of other countries. For example, “Only 7 countries including the United States have a drinking age of 21”which shows that the United States is by far in the minority whereas “19 countries have no drinking age at all”, “17 have a drinking age of either 16 or 17”, “101 have a drinking age of 18”, and “5 have drinking age between 19 and 20” (Hanson 2014). There are many arguments from both sides which including MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving) who believe the drinking age should remain put while Amethyst Initiative which is comprised of over 100 college presidents who believe the current drinking age causes “underground” and unsafe binge drinking. With the current drinking age, anyone under age can be arrested or be given a ticket or an MIP. There has been a lot of debate on lowering that age to 18 with arguments like “if you can die for this country you should be able to drink in it” and that “the real danger is in binge drinking is a direct result of the abnormally high dinking age in the United States”. While some people who are opposed to lowering the drinking age there are many who support it. Some of the more notable supporters of lowering the drinking age are “College presidents from about 100 of the best-known U.S. universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws actually encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.” (Pope 2014). This article from USA today is not only a sizable chunk on colleges, some of which are very well known and prestigious, but is also a credible. Boulder police officer suggested that some law enforcement members are also for lowering the drinking age: "This law has been an abysmal failure … it hasn't reduced or eliminated drinking. It has simply driven it underground, behind closed doors, into the most risky and least manageable of settings … So you're basically telling us that you simply can't enforce the law. They are drinking and you cannot enforce it," Stahl remarked

"Well, we do enforce it," Chief Beckner replied "Well, we do enforce it," Chief Beckner replied. "But what we're seeing is it's not being effective." (“The Debate on…”). Both the police and the college presidents from the Amethyst Initiative agree that the current drinking age causes unsafe binge drinking. According to a study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “2 in 3 high school students who drink do so to the point of intoxication, that is, they binge drink (defined as having five or more drinks in a row).”(“Fact Sheet…”). Which only confirms the police’s and college president’s theories of dangerous binge drinking. “While Kentucky, Wisconsin and South Carolina are considering laws that would lower the legal drinking age for members of the military only, Missouri, South Dakota, Vermont and Minnesota are each debating some variation on a law that would lower the legal drinking age for all residents.”("Seven States Consider Lowering Drinking Age.") The fact that there are several states considering lowering their drinking age is good for the argument of lowering the drinking age. Another option that was suggested in an article from the Atlantic Monthly is a compromise of the two where “… [we] license 18-year –olds-adults in the eyes of the law-to drink, provided they’ve completed high school, attended an alcohol-education course(that consists of more than temperance lectures and scare tactics), and keep a clean record. They might even mandate alcohol education at a young age. And they might also adapt a zero-tolerance laws for drunk drivers of all ages, and require ignition interlocks on their cars.” (McCardell 2009). This compromise would lower the drinking age which is supported by the college presidents but is also acceptable for MADD because it is being done in a safe way. The facts prove that the Unites States is one of the last countries to lower the drinking age to 18 or to remove it completely. There are many good arguments to be made for lowering the drinking age. First, in many European countries where people are introduced to dinking at a much younger age there is much less binge drinking which has been shown to be the danger to underage drinkers. Second, if you are allowed to fight and die for your country and vote for the person who runs it, you should be able to enjoy a beer and not be concerned about who’s watching and if you are going to get in trouble or not. Third, as the above paragraphs proved, the real issue with underage drinking is that the majority of it is binge drinking which has been driven underground. The college presidents suggested that if there was no drinking age there might be more people that drink, but they would all be doing it in a safer way.

Finally, a compromise can be made Finally, a compromise can be made. If we could implement a system that is similar to ones in Europe where drinking is no longer fun, it’s just an aspect of life that you do normally. Another option would be to implement mandatory drinking classes which would educate everyone on the risks of drinking and how to drink safely. The last compromise that would satisfy MADD, would be to install Breathalyzer in all cars which would prevent hundreds if not thousands of automobile accidents and deaths that occur in them. The truth of it is that the drinking age is set at 21 and without more substantial evidence and many more supporters like you any changes are unlikely. Bibliography "Fact Sheets - Age 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Dec. 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. "GET INVOLVED." MADD -Why 21. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Hanson, David J. "Minimum Legal Drinking Ages around the World." Minimum Legal Drinking Ages around the World. David J Hanson, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. McCardell, John. "Teach Drinking." Atlantic Monthly (10727825) 304.1 (2009): 64. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Nelson, Toben F. "Commentary: Drinking Age of 21 Saves Lives." CNN. Cable News Network, 29 Sept. 2009. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Pope, Justin. "Education." College Presidents Want Lower Drinking Age. USA Today, 18 Aug. 2008. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. "Seven States Consider Lowering Drinking Age." Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly 20.16 (2008): 8. Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. "The Debate On Lowering The Drinking Age." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 19 Feb. 2009. Web. 24 Feb. 2014