Some can consider alcohol as a psychoactive substance, but some can't. A lot of cases occur due to people drinking alcohol. Most countries have set the age limit at 21 years. However in countries like China, Australia, and Russia, the age limit is at 18. Some call for countries to lower the drinking age. But considering that alcohol can lead to unpredictable behavior and to negative social consequences, countries have not lowered the age limit.

One thing that comes to mind about drinking, is driving. In the United States, when a teenager receives his driving license, they also get a car to drive. An average of 17,000 people die due to drunk driving. ‘In 2010 the highest drunk driving rates were found amongst those ages 21 to 25 (23.4%)’ (Nagin). If people were officially allowed to consume alcohol from 18 years old, the death cases would increase even more. 100 of the 102 analyses  in a 2002 meta-study of the legal drinking age and traffic accidents found higher legal drinking ages associated with lower rates of traffic accidents.

Drinking can result to permanent brain damage, serious mental health problems and alcoholism. ‘Consuming alcohol on a regular basis can negatively affect the development of an individual’s brain’s frontal lobes, which are responsible for emotional regulation, as well as for planning and organization’ (ProCon.org).  Binge drinking can cause things like memory loss, blackouts, and anxiety. Alcohol also causes high blood pressure which can lead to a heart attack or a stroke.

Underage drinking also causes growth and endocrine effects. In both males and females, puberty is a period associated with marked hormonal changes, including increases in the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone. These hormones increase production in other hormones and growth factors, which are necessary for normal organ development. Drinking alcohol during this period of rapid growth and development may upset  the critical hormonal balance necessary for normal development of organs, muscles, and bones. Some people even debate about having the drinking age increased since 21 years isn’t enough. People think that 21 is still a young age for someone to drink alcohol.
 

Lots of teens are actually breaking the law and purchasing alcohol even though they are under the age limit This doesn’t only show disrespect to the law but it also damages their health. ‘Statistics show that about 44% of teenagers attending 4-year colleges are involved in binge drinking and about 30,000 college students require medical treatment each year to deal with alcohol poisoning.’ Alcohol poisoning can cause confusion, hypothermia, pale skin, abnormal breathing, very slow breathing, and vomiting. Or in a more serious note, a heart attack may occur.

 

Lowering the drinking age can be a very big mistake for countries. Drunk driving is a cause that is very common with teenagers. There are too many cases of accidents to think about, and lowering the drinking age can increase those cases. Your  mental health can also be affected.  Drinking can lead to memory loss, blackouts, anxiety, and brain damage. In some cases alcohol can lead to a heart attack.  Underage drinking can cause tennagers going though puberty to upset the critical development balance. Teens can also get alcohol poisoning which is very bad for their health.