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Should the Legal Drinking Age Be 18?

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Contributed by: Adam Schloss on 11/28/2007

Should the Legal Drinking Age Be 18?
By: Adam Schloss

Blow out the candles your 18th birthday has finally arrived and you have finally become an adult in today's society standards. Now at this turning point in your life you are mature enough to vote, serve on a jury, and even place your life on the line in combat for the United States of America. But despite being entrusted with these highest responsibilities of citizenship, you may not purchase or consume alcohol until you turn 21. That is why there as been an alarming push for the drinking age to be changed from 21 to 18. With most brand new adults being in college during both of these ages the outlets to possess alcohol has become very simple. That's why it is not surprising that the majority of young people in America began drinking before they were legally allowed.
One big supporter of lowering the drinking age to 18 is John McCardell, the former president of Middlebury College in Vermont. McCardell now leads a nonprofit organization called Choose Responsibility. McCardell argues, "That young people should be given alcohol education, much like driver's education, and then rewarded with a drinking license, for which they become eligible at 18." When walking around Moorpark College in between classes I asked a few students there take on whether the legal drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18? Chad Reese, age 22 said "that would be awesome." He later went on to state that, "I think of it this way if they could install a military draft at anytime, I feel like I should be able to drink at the same age also." Another student named Chad McCurdy, age 20 responded to the question very similar. "The drinking age should be 18, I mean I am almost 21 but still if we are considered an adult at 18 why not instill us with every right" said McCurdy. Recently safety groups launched a group called "Support 21" which will prove that fatalities have decreased since the drinking age was changed to 21. In a recent interview with ABC News Glynn Birch the national president of Mother's Against Drunk Driving said, "Science speaks for itself, the 21 law saves lives on the road and keeps countless youth from starting to drink at early ages." A few stats noted on the MADD website were alcohol-related fatalities are the leading cause with teens averaging around 5,000 lives a year. Also Support 21 cited that countries that lowered there drinking age to 18 saw a ten percent increase in fatalities. This topic has its pros and cons and seems like it will always be up for debate. Drinking has become something that is now taking over everywhere and who knows whether lowering the drinking age will help or hurt where we stand today.

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Adam Schloss

Thousand Oaks , CA

Adam Schloss has posted 1 story and 0 comments since joining on 11/28/2007. Adam Schloss 's average story rating is 0.

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