In the United States at the age of eighteen you are legally allowed to buy tobacco, vote, get married, enlist in the military, and work in a bar. However, in most states, you cannot legally have a beer with your friends or drink champagne at your family reunion. The age of eighteen is the legal age of adulthood in the United states and adults should have the right to make their own decisions about alcohol consumption. Despite its maturity elements and large government programs,the drinking age (MLDA 21) should be lowered to eighteen because it boosts the economy, reduces binge drinking among adolescents, and directs law enforcement to more necessary issues.

Lowering the drinking age (MLDA) to eighteen would allow people to drink alcohol in the public instead of drinking at parties and kick backs. But there are a few negative aspects to this. The NIAAA(National Institute On Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) quotes “ Approx. 20 percent of 8th graders and 50 percent of 12th graders have consumed an alcoholic beverage within the past 30 days.” The NIAAA continues with binge drinking amongst theses adolescence, creating negative connotation with alcohol and underage drinking which does exist. Furthering their studies they say that the current drinking age of twenty one saves one thousand people each year from automobile accidents. These statistics are accurate, but they lack a significant amount of detail involving adolescence drivers. Out of all automobile accidents involving alcohol, only 11% involve people under the age of twenty one (NHTSA/FARS, 2013) .

There is an astounding fifty seven thousand 911 calls per day in the United States (Nena.org). Out of all alcohol-related 911 calls, only 7% involve people under the age of twenty one (Fabiano). Is it a higher priority to arrest an 18 year old trying to buy alcohol rather than pursuing a cocaine deal or a robbery? Sure, imagine a scenario where an underage person consumes alcohol, then runs ill-fated somehow and ends up killing himself. The imagery of underage drinking has made itself appear more drastic than it actually is. This proves that law enforcement should be directed towards situations with greater paramount. Additionally, reducing the minimum drinking age to eighteen would substantially benefit our economy. When the legal age is eighteen, more people will consume alcohol from legal shops, bars and restaurants. This will contribute to the revenue of the country as the tax revenue will increase from these sales.

There is a saying that teenagers in general really think they are invincible and they don’t grasp the concept of death. This statement really hits hard when it comes to alcohol. In fact, over 75% of people 18-20 years old are known to break the law to consume alcohol just for the sake of the thrill (Drugfree.org). So, the motive behind the restriction of age just makes no sense at all. Reducing MLDA to eighteen would lead to a decline in binge drinking. Studies have shown that reducing the MLDA would slightly increase overall alcohol consumption, but, reducing the MLDA would also decrease binge drinking which is far more serious than overall consumption. The side effects of binge drinking are very extensive. The severe aspects are the alcohol poisoning effect on the brain which, in many cases, can have adverse effects on memory function or cause stroke.

The topic of drinking age has been discussed for over three decades. Indeed it is a controversial subject with people who support it and people who are against it, but no major movement has been made that has been impactful towards lowering the minimum drinking age. The drinking age must be lowered because it will help our economy substantially, direct our much needed law enforcement towards real crime, and support our nation's issue of binge drinking. The individual needs to take insight to this issue and support it for it's benefits and cause. Movements are already undergo such as Forcechange.com, where you can petition a letter to the United States senate. But, let us give right to the young American soldier who gets back from war and has a drink with his friends, or the young married couple who wants champagne for their wedding.

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25 May 2014.