The drinking age has been the topic of many a recent debate. The youth of America feels that it is prepared, for the most part, to take on the responsibility of alcohol. However, the current government is not inclined to give them that right.
Let’s consider, for a moment, the consequences of a lowered drinking age. After the bill goes into effect, everyone above the new age will immediately go out to bars and binge drink. Therefore, an increase in drunk driving, aggravated assault and car accidents will occur. And, of course, the underage drinking levels will be re-adjusted for the new levels. For example, in 2001, 45% of all high school seniors had used alcohol within 30 days of the poll, and 50% had been drunk in the same period of time, this up a percent from 2000. 40% of all 10th graders had been drunk within 30 days of the poll. And 19% of all 8th graders had been drunk within 30 days of the poll. These numbers, in theory, should shift down a few grades during a shift in drinking age, excepting those students above the new drinking age. This trend, however, should taper off before it hits 5th grade, because very few students at or below that level even realize what alcohol is, besides “something for grown-ups”.
After a period of time, I’m not exactly sure how long, the crime rates and accidents should decrease. The new drinkers will realize that once it’s legal, drinking starts to lose it’s “cool”ness, and just like every person who turns 21, drunkenness will decrease. The underage drinking should, in theory again, even begin to decline, as they see their older idols stop drinking as much, or die in car accidents. Either way, the younger population should begin to regard drinking just as it is regarded in almost every foreign country; commonplace and nothing to get excited about.
As a matter of fact, if you take a trip overseas and look at countries with lower drinking ages, you will see firsthand that a lowered drinking age does not harm the youth of today. In Ireland, I walked into a pub and saw the same thing I see in every bar in America. Even with the lowered drinking age, the younger drinkers are not perpetually sitting at the bar chugging pints. In France, wine is commonplace for children, and there is little public drunkenness or teen drunk drivers. In all of these countries, people have learned that, just like those above 21 in America, alcohol is good in moderation.
There is no constitutional item declaring that the drinking age should be 21, but maybe there should be legislation passed to have the minimum drinking age everywhere in the country 18. This age is the accepted age of consent, the point in the child’s life that he is supposed to be able to think for himself. Then why is he allowed to vote, smoke little plants that will eventually kill him, and die for his country, when he is not allowed to drink alcohol, which will, at most, kill a few brain cells. Doesn’t anyone else see something wrong with this?
If anyone would like to share their ideas on the subject, please feel free. Also, for more information, or to join a movement for a lower drinking age, visit www.youthrights.org.
