So, if young adults are going to be drinking in spite of the law, the money used to enforce the law should then be used towards something more useful. The legal drinking age should be 18 392 words 2 pages. Minimum legal drinking age mlda laws provide an example of how scientific research can support effective public policies. The lower minimum legal drinking age was followed by increases in the sale and consumption of alcohol and in alcoholinvolved traffic fatalities, particularly among young adults aged 1820 years. They called themselves mothers against drunk driving, and they described what numbers alone could not. From 1970 through 1975, nearly all states lowered their legal ages of adulthood, thirty of which included their legal drinking ages, typically from 21 to 18. In countries like turkey, croatia and bulgaria the legal drinking age is as low as 12 years. Rogerian argument is a conflict solving technique based on finding common ground instead of polarizing debate.
A number of bills were created, and on december 22, 1978, a house sponsored bill took effect, raising the legal drinking age to 19. The national highway traffic safety administration estimates more than 25,000 lives have been saved since the 21 yearold drinking age law became uniform among states in the 1980s. This is a debate about whether or not should the national drinking age should remain at the age of twenty one or if it should be lowered to the age of eighteen. I found multiple sources for both sides of this argument. Though the legal drinking age varies from country to country but it is stressed by mlda in the usa that as many as possible under 21 people should be restricted to purchase alcohol openly as 18 year olds do. Lowering us drinking age from 21 to 18 debatepedia. The minimum legal drinking age of 21 21 mlda should. Essay about the drinking age should stay at 21 outline.
Jenna bushs two arrests in less than a month, for consuming alcohol and trying to purchase alcohol with a fake identification card, placed the drinking age debate in the national media, with the old argument that if an 18yearold is old enough to vote, sign contracts, join the armed forces, and get married, he or she should be old enough to drink a beer. The purpose of this paper is to examine both sides of the debate revolving around the issue of reducing the minimum legal drinking age law. The legal drinking age in our nation, which is dictated on a statebystate basis, has a varied history. At the repeal of prohibition, the legal drinking age was accepted nationwide as 21, but when the voting age dropped from 21 to 18 in the early 1970s, many states followed suit by lowering the drinking age as well. The settlement of age limits is characterized by debates in which economical and. The primary argument made in the initiatives statement in favor of repealing the 21. With this topic having many concerns, like health, having the minimum alcohol consumption lowered to the age of eighteen would give a sense of adulthood that should, so to speak, follow. Teenage drunk driving should be addressed by the government. The enactment of the national minimum drinking age act of 1984 prompted states to raise their legal age for purchase or public possession of alcohol to 21 or risk losing millions in federal highway funds. Max nelson stated that beer is the third most popular drink in the. The legal drinking age should be 18 677 words 123 help me. The right of citizens of the united states, who are 18 years old or older, to vote shall not be denied by the united states or any state on account of age.
However, as most of us know, either through observation or experience, in reality, this law is only on paper. The minimum legal drinking age mlda is widely believed to save lives by reducing traffic. This is not the first time drinking alcoholic beverages has been regulated. The debate is over higher drinking age saves lives. However, prior to the enactment of the national minimum drinking age act of 1984, the legal age when alcohol could be purchased varied from state to state. However, exhibit b illustrates how the debate was quieted in 1984 during the regan presidency. The minimum drinking age in the united states is 21, while in many other western countries, it is 18. Most bars and pubs would let in 16 yearolds, if the drinking age was lowered. There has always been a conflict on the drinking age limit.
Perhaps we can find a common ground to keep the age the same by requiring a drinking id that will apply strikes on disorderly and over intoxicated incidents, such as fights in. In 1987 the decision was made to raise the drinking age from 18 to 21. Persuasive essay drinking age kaylie doman portfolio. To convince the audience that it would be a smart decision to lower the drinking age to 18 years old. Tips for writing an argumentative essay on drinking age. There is a growing body of research on the issue of minimum legal drinking age mlda and compelling arguments are tried to be put forward by both proponents and opponents of lowering mlda. Persuasive speech on lowering the drinking age essay 704.
The set limit of minimum legal drinking age can be lowered to 16 years. I will discuss 1 the current legal drinking age, 2 the effect that this drinking age has upon american social norms, and 3 the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. Lowering the drinking age would take away the thrill of breaking the law for the minors. Over the years the controversial question, should the drinking age be lowered back down to 18 is constantly being tossed around. Everyone knows that it is illegal to consume alcohol until the age of 21. On the other hand, the li quor dealers and civil rights lobbyists continued to sup port the isyearold drinking age. Many states in the past have continuously lowered their mlda to 18, 19, or 20. Madd was started after a thirteen yearold girl was killed by drunk 46 yearold driver.
Depending on the state, the minimum drinking age was between the range of 18 to 21yearolds. November 23, 2003 the national highway traffic safety administration estimates that raising the drink age to 21 has reduced traffic fatalities involving 18 to 20yearold drivers by percent and has saved an estimated 19,121 lives since 1975. What are the arguments against the 21 yearold drinking age. Drinking age history, effectiveness, and ongoing debate t raci l. Further, the federal uniform drinking age act, which pressured all states to adopt an mlda of 21, is regarded as having contributed enormously to this lifesaving effect. Legal drinking age varies around the world, and there are strong opinions on both sides of the debate. However, the national minimum legal drinking age act of 1984 required that every states mlda must be set to 21 years of age. The debate on lowering the drinking age to 18 has been going on for quite some time now in the united states. The legal drinking age of 21 has been a topic of discussion since it came out. One argument for lowering the mlda from 21 is that 19and 20yearolds. The effects of stepwise minimum legal drinking age legislation on. You can order a custom essay on lowering the legal drinking age now. Topics, capital punishment raskolnikov essay pdf, 2011 persuasive speech about should students have an exposition brief research paper olympics homework jackson homework download and binge drinking age pdf download free persuasive essay example pdf personal essay on. Examination of the criticisms of the minimum legal drinking age 21.
The executive summary contains the key findings of the eyes on ages tender. Arya aminrazavi lowering the drinking age to 18 specific purpose. Nhtsa estimates that the current mlda will continue to save 1,000 lives each year. Alcohol use by underage youth is detrimental national household survey of drug abuse 3. This would make alcohol consumption more of a normalized thing for the underage. Minimum legal drinking age mlda laws specify the legal age when an individual can purchase alcoholic beverages. Abstract the minimum legal drinking age mlda is widely believed to save lives by reducing traffic fatalities among underage drivers. Between 1970 and 1976, 30 states lowered their minimum legal drinking age mlda from 21 to 18, 19, or 20. Will increasing alcohol availability by lowering the. Rogerian argument drinking age 1 rogerian argument is a. Just by a consensus here in class it is clear that the law enforcing the 21 year old drinking age is not effective. Lowering the drinking age would reduce tragedies and secrets essay 2 words 6 pages. To argue in favor of lowering the minimum legal drinking age in the united states. The legal drinking age is outdated and should be lowered john j.
This is why there is an ongoing debate on determining the optimal single mlda. By lowering the drinking age to 18, why is the drinking age even 21, and the 18 year old kids will be able to drink in safer and more moderately environments. The minimum legal drinking age and public health ncbi. Eyes on ages a research on alcohol age limit policies in european. Read this psychology essay and over 89,000 other research documents. The minimum legal drinking age debate since 2008, 6 college chancellors and presidents have signed the amethyst initiative, asking that the united states reconsider the minimum legal drinking age21 mlda21 laws that have been in place in all 50 states since 1984. We then place the current movement to reduce the mlda to age 18 within that context and provide a summary of the.
When the drinking age was changed to twentyone, the alcohol for the underage was considered a taboo. The most important exception to this summary is dee 1999, who uses. The variable mlda an acronym derived from minimum legal drinking age is the proportion of 18 to 20 yearolds that can legally drink beer in state s in time t, and the coefficient on this variable is our best estimate of the impact on mortality rates of lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18. Madd, with the help of the united states congress created the national minimum drinking age act. This guide will deal with both propositions of value and propositions of policy. Legally, in america, a person below the age of 21 is not allowed to buy, consume or possess any alcoholic substances.
Twenty of twentynine studies conducted between 1981. Two teams, one affirmative, one negative, each with two or three people. Writing tips for an argumentative essay on drinking age. Read this miscellaneous research paper and over 89,000 other research documents. That was the power of a group of activists who emerged in the early 1980s. The drinking laws in wisconsin and the debate on lowering the drinking age. This would make alcohol consumption more of a normalized. The minimum drinking age has been debated ever since the early 1970s when there was no national drinking age. Why women drink raising the drinking age to 21 hasnt reduced drinking its merely driven it. The debate is over higher drinking age saves lives in countries with lower drinking ages, rates of heavy alcohol use are higher, research says. Many people are in agreement with this legal limitation. The cognitive development aspect of children coming to play causing diverse views on maturity of a person both in reasoning and psychological wellbeing. The nonprofit advocates lowering the drinking age to 18 and licensing alcohol use for.
This has led to different countries having a minimum legal drinking age mlda. Binge drinking in the united states has led to many serious health and social consequences and. Minimum legal drinking age mlda laws specify the legal age when an individual can purchase or publicly consume alcoholic beverages. However, exhibit b illustrates how the debate was quieted in. The physical layout of a debate for a debate to occur the following is required. Even if the drinking age was lowered, there would still be a division in the marketplace because most twentysomethings do want to drink and socialise with sixteen year olds. Research shows, however, that when the drinking age is 21, those younger than 21. Regardless of what the drinking age is set at, this age group is going to drink. Abstract background the minimum legal drinking age mlda in the united states u.
Drinking age debate should the drinking age be lowered to 18 years old, when one is considered an adult, and. It is difficult to deny that the 21 yearold drinking age law is effective in reducing underage drinking and its many associated problems. Drinking age debate should legal drinking age drop from 21 to 18. Persuasive essay on drinking age best essay aid from.
Vermont legislative research shop university of vermont. Europeans are initiating the debate on the most appropriate age for legal access to alcohol. By a show of hands who here has drank alcohol before. Lowering legal drinking age the minimum legal drinking age mlda has been an ongoing debate over the years. Coors head, seeking senate, calls for lower drinking age news summary. The drinking age was moved from 18 to 21 when madd, mothers against drunk driving started to gain popularity. In summary, the genderspecific heterogeneity analyses reveal that the main results at. Bringing a connect between the legal drinking age and adolescent use of drugs, you will see that when a boy or a girl below 18 begins to take alcohol in pubs and at home, he or she automatically feels that why cant i take drugs. The reason most states lowered the drinking age was because they felt it was wrong to send 18 year olds to war, but not let them drink. The overwhelming weight of logic, common sense and irrefutable evidence clearly establishes that under no circumstances should the drinking age be lowered to 18. European building capacity manual mulder et al, 2010 for integral local alcohol. For madd, the legal drinking age is not up for debate. Minimum legal drinking age debate essay example topics.
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