Millet 1

Claire-Elise Millet

Jorgensen

English 1010

7/13/17

Underage Rough Draft

In the 21st century, Americans are surrounded by laws, confining, restricting, protecting,

and guiding citizens through the American Dream. The United States has laws that are set in

place and are expected to be followed. Laws are not always obeyed. Since 1988, in the United

States consuming, possessing, and purchasing alcohol continues to be illegal for those under the

age of 21. The law that prohibits underage drinking, isn't effective in preventing illegal drinking.

Individuals ages 18-20 are drinking illegally. There are problems associated with underage adults

drinking. There are ways to help these underage adults be safer. The drinking age in the United

States should be lowered to 18 because it would help lessen negative effects associated with

underage individuals already drinking.

You may be wondering, why is the legal drinking age 21? In July of 1984 President

Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Act (sciences). It mandated the law of no

consumption, purchasing, or carrying of alcohol if you are under the age of 21 years. If the states

did not comply they risked losing a certain percentage (millions) of their federal highway

funding (trex). 15 states have already made some exceptions, such as lawful employment,

religious activities, and consent by a parent, guardian, or spouse.(Consumer). Some states have

changed their laws away from the federal, regardless of losing federal funding or tax incentives.

Laws have developed, and been corrected throughout history. The prohibition that banned

producing, importing, transporting, or selling of alcohol was only in place from 1920 until 1933
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(brit). It gave way for illegal activity such as clubs and bootlegging the illegal production and

selling of liquor and criminals of the time to prosper. Even now some argue that coming down

with harder legal enforcement would stop illegal consumption of alcohol. The prohibition, that is

no longer in act shows us, strong legal action does not always prove effective or in the countries

best interest. Some assume more laws bring awareness to underage drinkers and prevent issues.

They wont. Making drinking illegal backfired in creating health issues and a disrespect for the

law. As of now underage citizens are still drinking illegally. To make what is happening safer the

federal drinking age should be changed to 18 years old.

Adult individuals drink over the limit, drink underage and drive drunk. Drinking happens.

Not all cases are caught, punished harshly, or end in a harming accident. Alcohol amongst youth

in the United States is the most commonly used and abused drug(disease), even with the

precautionary measures thatve been set to prevent the misuse and abuse of alcohol. The MLDA

(minimum legal drinking age) 21 and older underage drinkers should never be an idea, but we do

not live in a utopian world with everyone a law abiding citizen. Individuals break laws. Some

believe that underage drinking foreshadows problems later in life if it is abused. Problems that

are happening now could be prevented. Underage adults drink whether the law says they can or

cannot. 18- 20 year olds experienced a 56% increase in binge drinking between the years of

1993-2001 (services). Bing drinking and unsafe alcohol use is associated with injuries like car

crashes, falls, burns, downing and even with firearms injuries, sexual assault, and domestic

abuse.

The United States government is here to protect the citizens and their property, not to

legislate what the citizens consume in their free time. Those that are forced to keep their drinking

more hidden, due to the MLDA are at more risk due to the lack of communication and
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regulation. On average, underage drinkers consume more drinks per drinking occasion than the

average legal drinker (services). For the safety of underage adult drinkers, the opportunity to

learn in public, and be supervised at social settings would help them learn firsthand how to best

consume alcohol. 18 year olds in the United States are mature enough to vote for nation and

state wide officials, purchase and use tobacco products in 46 of the 50 states, legally consent

with older individuals to have sex, apply for loans, get married without parent consent and can

sign up for the military if you are a woman or men who are simply required to register to the

selective service system. 18 year old adults set up their lives, before they can go to a bar or a pub

for a single glass of beer or wine. Who is the law to say that someone is mature to drink?

In the United States 18 years old is the age of adulthood, adult should make their own

decisions. The federal government is overstepping its constitutional bounds. Thomas Jefferson in

1791 said the underlying idea of the federal constitution was that some few powers should be

granted to the central government and the rest should be retained by the states (Glenn). The

choice has been taken from the states by threatened loss of funding and missing out on helpful

tax incentives, imposing federal MLDA legislature on its citizens. Following the 26th

Amendment, which lowered the legal voting age from 21 to 18 years, 30 states lowered their

MLDA to 18, 19, and 20; by 1982, only 14 states still had an MLDA of 21. (procon). Showing

that when the states had a free choice without any repercussion the age of 21 was rarely justified.

Ironically President Reagan once said the governments first duty is to protect the people, not

their run lives. The government is trying to control the lives of the citizens. The best thing for

the citizens health is giving the power back to them at a state range.

You may say that if its the United States way then that means its the best way. Even

with the MLDA at 21 the United States is the nation with one of the highest binge drinking rates
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worldwide (country). In Europe more people tend to enjoy drinking without binge drinking as it

is an important part of social interactions. Europeans consume more alcohol than people on other

continents, but they do not tend to drink excessively. In many European countries its legal for

teens older than 16 to enjoy alcohol compared to the United States MLDA of 21. The United

States would benefit from looking at European countries where alcohol is a substance to be

enjoyed rather than abused in excess.

Undeniably alcohol damages the human body. Alcohol damages the central nervous

system and momentarily alter parts of the brain in anyone at any age. It damages the liver most

severely, the body's natural filtration system. The brain is not fully developed until the age of 25.

Citizens of the United States should be given the choice at 18 just like they are with laying in

tanning beds, starting credit and buying and smoking cigarettes.

If communication is improved and the drinking age is lowered less problems will arise.

Alcohol use can be more publicly regulated and be supervised for a safer experience in

environments of public and private interactions. Just like drinking habits worsened in the 1920s,

now bad habits like alcoholism and binge drinking are a concern. Underage adult drinkers should

be able to act free, open, and safe under the law. There are many problems associated with

drinking, but a way to help those underage is to lower the drinking age. Lowering the age to

allow open and legal safety conversations. Those opposed to changing laws, due to their belief

that the laws in place should never be questioned are naive. Drinking alcohol is bad for everyone

regardless of age. Those adults under the MLDA, should have access to safety. Underage

drinking happens. Keeping the underage adult population safe, regulated to the law, and open to

communication by lowering the MLDA is the key to a healthy future.

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Work Cited

Alcohol and Public Health Fact sheets: Underage Drinking. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention. US Department of Health and Human Services. 20 Oct. 2016. Web. 17 July

2017.

Alcohol Laws by State. Consumer Information. Sept. 2013. Web. 11 July 2017.

Beck, Glenn, and Andrew Neapolito. Federal Government Over Stepping Its Constitutional

Bounds. Fox News. 15 May 2009. Web. 19 June 2017

Disney, PhD, JD MPH, Lynn D., Hsiang-ye Yi, PHD, and Robin A LaVallee, MPP. The Effects

of Internal Possession Laws on Underage Drinking Among High School Students: A 12-

State Analysis American Journal of Public Health 18 Apr. 2013. Print. 17 July 2017.

Loewentheil, Hannah. Can You Guess Where in the World People are Binge Drining the

Most? Mic. 2017. Web. 27 July 2017.

Minimum Drinking Age Congressional Digest 1 Mar. 2015. Print. 17 July 2017.

Minimum Legal Drinking Age. Procon.org 10 Mar. 2016. Web. 11 July 2014.

Prohibition. Britannica.com. The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2014. Web. 13

July 2017.

Trex, Ethan. Why is the Drinking Age 21? Mental Floss. 25 Aug. 2008. Web. 11 July 2017.