Why should the drinking age be lowered?
Proponents of lowering the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) from 21 argue that it has not stopped teen drinking, and has instead pushed underage binge drinking into private and less controlled environments, leading to more health and life-endangering behavior by teens.
Why the drinking age should not be lowered to 18?
Proponents of lowering the drinking age to 18 routinely surface with arguments that have become all too familiar. The drinking age shouldn’t be lowered because of three very real risks: drunk driving, alcohol poisoning, and violent and/or destructive behavior.
Why is it bad to drink at 16?
Young people are at greater risk of alcohol-related harm than adults. As the brain keeps developing into the mid-twenties, drinking alcohol as a teenager can greatly increase the risk of damage to the developing brain. It can also lead to problems with alcohol later in life.
Do 16 year olds drink?
Drinking patterns vary by age and gender In 2019, almost 2 out of 100 adolescents ages 12 to 13 reported drinking alcohol in the past month and fewer than 1 in 100 engaged in binge drinking. Among respondents ages 16 to 17, fewer than 1 in 5 reported drinking and about 1 in 10 reported binge drinking.
Can you drink at 17 in Puerto Rico?
Fact #1: Puerto Rico’s drinking age is 18. Drinking culture in Puerto Rico is more relaxed and not as strict as the United States.
Why lowering the drinking age to 18 is a bad idea?
Evidence also suggests that a lower drinking age leads to higher levels of binge drinking later in life among men. Any move toward increasing alcohol availability to young adults must consider its adverse effects, including traffic fatalities, unplanned pregnancy and crime.
Should the alcoholic drinking age be increased or decreased?
Lowering the drinking age would also reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents among underage drinkers. Many underage drinkers will not seek medical attention, no matter how severe injuries may be, because they fear the legal consequences of their actions.
Do you think the drinking age should be lowered to 18?
Using other countries that have lower drinking ages as a standard, allowing alcohol consumption at the age of 18 would create higher rates of binge drinking and intoxication in the 18-20 age demographic. Kids younger than 13 also begin drinking at higher rates in areas where the drinking age is lower. Should the drinking age be lowered below 21?
What’s the legal drinking age in the United States?
18 is the age of adulthood in the United States, and adults should have the right to make their own decisions about alcohol consumption.
Which is the most dangerous age to drink?
One of the most dangerous times for drinking in the United States is between the age of 18 – 20. At the age of 18, people gain all of their legal adult rights… except the right to drink. By allowing even a supervised drinking ability for those in this age bracket, it could reduce or eliminate risky drinking behaviors that can lead to bad decisions.
What are the pros and cons of raising the drinking age?
A survey for the Center for Alcohol Policy found that 86% of Americans support the legal drinking age being set at 21. Numerous state and national surveys dating from the 1970s (when states were raising the legal drinking age) through the present have shown overwhelming public support for MLDA 21.
What are the pros and cons of lowering the drinking age?
Pros and cons of lowering the drinking age 1. Turning 18 entails receiving the rights and responsibilities of adulthood to vote, serve on juries, get married, sign… 2. When adolescents are not taught to drink in moderation, they end up binge drinking. 3. Traffic fatalities in the 1980s decreased
What are the benefits of lowering the drinking age?
Lowering the drinking age in the United States to eighteen will help young adults be more responsible, and in addition it would make colleges a safer environment and it would lower the amount of binge drinking. Lowering the drinking age to eighteen will help teenagers act more responsible.
Will lowering the drinking age to 18 be a problem?
List of Cons of Lowering the Drinking Age. 1. Health repercussions. An MLDA of 18 is widely considered medically irresponsible . Alcohol consumption at an early age can result in various health problems, what with the substance interfering with a young adult’s brain development.
Should the U.S. lower the drinking age?
The U.S. should not lower the drinking age to 18 because a teenager’s brain isn’t fully developed. Alcohol kills brain cells that cannot be replaced. If you lower the drinking age to 18, then you are killing brain cells that didn’t develop yet.
