Lowering Legal Drinking Age12 min read
On January 26, 2017, Representative Jared Polis of Colorado introduced a bill in the United States House of Representatives that would lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 18. The bill, called the “Lowering the Minimum Age for the Legal Consumption of Alcohol Act”, has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
If passed, the bill would amend the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, which requires all 50 states to set the legal drinking age at 21. Polis’ bill would allow states to decide for themselves whether to lower the drinking age to 18.
Supporters of the bill argue that it would help reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities, as well as reduce rates of binge drinking among young people. They also argue that the current drinking age is unrealistic and that it encourages underage drinking by forcing it underground.
Opponents of the bill argue that it would lead to more alcohol-related traffic fatalities, as well as increased rates of alcohol abuse and addiction among young people. They also argue that the current drinking age is necessary to protect young people from the dangers of alcohol.
So far, the bill has not been given a vote and it is unlikely to pass the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. However, the debate over the legal drinking age is likely to continue in the United States.
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Why the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18?
In the United States, the legal drinking age is 21. However, many people believe that the age should be lowered to 18. There are many reasons why the age should be lowered, including that most other countries have a lower drinking age, that drinking can be a positive social experience, and that adults can handle alcohol better than teenagers.
Most other countries have a lower drinking age than the United States. For example, in England and Wales, the drinking age is 18, in France it is 16, and in Spain it is 18. Therefore, if the United States wants to remain competitive on the global stage, it should lower its drinking age.
Drinking can be a positive social experience. For example, it can help people forge closer relationships with friends and family. Additionally, adults can handle alcohol better than teenagers. Studies have shown that adults have a higher tolerance for alcohol than teenagers, and that adults are less likely to engage in risky behavior when they are drunk.
How can we lower the drinking age?
How can we lower the drinking age?
There are a few ways that we can lower the drinking age in the United States. One way would be to change the Constitution. Another way would be to pass a bill in Congress. A third way would be to have the President sign an executive order.
One way to lower the drinking age would be to change the Constitution. We could do this by passing a bill in Congress. The bill would have to be approved by two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Once the bill is approved, it would go to the states for ratification. Three-fourths of the states would have to ratify the bill in order for it to become law.
Another way to lower the drinking age would be to pass a bill in Congress. The bill would have to be approved by a majority of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Once the bill is approved, it would go to the President for his signature. If the President signs the bill, it becomes law.
A third way to lower the drinking age would be for the President to sign an executive order. This would be the easiest way to lower the drinking age, but it would also be the least effective way. An executive order can only be used to change federal law. It cannot be used to change state or local law.
There are a few reasons why we might want to lower the drinking age. One reason is that it would reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road. Another reason is that it would reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents. A third reason is that it would reduce the number of people who are arrested for drinking and driving.
There are a few problems with lowering the drinking age. One problem is that it would increase the number of drunk drivers on the road. Another problem is that it would increase the number of alcohol-related accidents. A third problem is that it would increase the number of people who are arrested for drinking and driving.
Despite the problems, there are a few reasons why we might want to lower the drinking age. One reason is that it would reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road. Another reason is that it would reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents. A third reason is that it would reduce the number of people who are arrested for drinking and driving.
We will never know if lowering the drinking age is a good or bad idea unless we try it. There are a few ways to lower the drinking age, and each way has its own set of pros and cons. We should experiment with different ways to lower the drinking age and see which one works best.
Should the drinking age be lowered to 18 articles?
In 1984, the U.S. passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which federally mandated that all states raise their drinking age from 18 to 21. This was in response to a string of drunk driving fatalities among young people. However, over the past few years, there has been a growing movement to lower the drinking age back to 18. Advocates for the change argue that it would reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents and deaths, as well as reduce the number of college students who engage in binge drinking. opponents of the change argue that it would lead to more drunk driving fatalities and increased alcohol abuse among young people.
In a study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, researchers analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. They found that the risk of drunk driving fatalities among 18 to 20 year olds was reduced by 19% when the drinking age was raised to 21. The study also found that the risk of alcohol-related fatalities among 21 to 24 year olds was reduced by 11%.
Another study, published in the journal Pediatrics, looked at the drinking habits of college students. The study found that the percentage of college students who engaged in binge drinking (defined as drinking five or more drinks in a row) decreased from 43% to 32% after the drinking age was raised to 21.
Opponents of lowering the drinking age argue that it would lead to more drunk driving fatalities. They point to the fact that the risk of drunk driving fatalities is highest among 18 to 20 year olds. However, the data from the two studies cited above suggest that the risk of drunk driving fatalities is actually reduced when the drinking age is raised to 21.
Opponents of lowering the drinking age also argue that it would lead to increased alcohol abuse among young people. However, the data from the Pediatrics study cited above suggests that the percentage of college students who engage in binge drinking decreases when the drinking age is raised to 21.
In conclusion, the data from the two studies cited above suggests that the risk of drunk driving fatalities and alcohol-related fatalities is reduced when the drinking age is raised to 21. However, the data is not conclusive, and more research is needed to determine the long-term effects of raising the drinking age.
Why should the legal drinking age be lowered to 16?
There is a lot of debate surrounding the legal drinking age in the United States. Some people believe that it should be lowered to 16, while others believe that it should be raised to 21. There are pros and cons to both arguments, but in this article, we will be focusing on the argument for lowering the drinking age to 16.
One of the main reasons why people believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered to 16 is that it would help reduce the number of drunk driving accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol was a factor in 31% of all fatal crashes among 15-20 year olds in 2013. This is compared to just 10% of fatal crashes among 21-24 year olds.
Lowering the drinking age to 16 would also help reduce the number of underage drinkers. A study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that the percentage of adolescents who reported drinking alcohol in the past month declined from 50% in 1980 to 25% in 2014. This is most likely due to the fact that the legal drinking age is 21.
Critics of lowering the drinking age argue that it would lead to more alcohol-related problems, such as alcohol poisoning and increased crime rates. However, there is no evidence that supports this claim. In fact, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the rate of alcohol-related deaths among 16-20 year olds was actually lower in states that had a drinking age of 21 than in states that had a drinking age of 18.
Ultimately, it is up to the individual states to decide what the legal drinking age should be. However, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that lowering the drinking age to 16 would lead to decreased rates of drunk driving accidents and underage drinking.
Why lowering the drinking age is safer?
In 1984, the U.S. Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which required all states to raise their drinking age to 21. The idea was that by raising the drinking age, it would reduce alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
For a while, it seemed to work. But in recent years, there’s been a growing movement to lower the drinking age back to 18. Advocates of this movement argue that the 21-year-old drinking age is actually making the roads more dangerous, not less. Here’s why they think that:
1. The 21-year-old drinking age is encouraging underage drinking.
One of the main arguments in favor of lowering the drinking age is that it leads to more underage drinking. And that’s because it’s illegal for 18- to 20-year-olds to drink, so they’re more likely to do it behind closed doors. In fact, a 2012 study found that the 21-year-old drinking age has led to more binge drinking among young people.
2. It’s actually easier for minors to get alcohol than cigarettes.
Another argument in favor of lowering the drinking age is that it’s easier for minors to get alcohol than cigarettes. That’s because you have to be 18 to buy cigarettes, but you can buy alcohol at age 21. So it’s easier for minors to get their hands on alcohol than it is for them to get cigarettes.
3. The 21-year-old drinking age is actually making the roads more dangerous.
Advocates of lowering the drinking age argue that the 21-year-old drinking age is making the roads more dangerous, not less. And there’s some evidence to back that up. A 2006 study found that the 21-year-old drinking age has led to an increase in alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
So, what do you think? Should the drinking age be lowered to 18? Or should it stay at 21?
Why is the drinking age so high?
Many countries around the world have a drinking age of 18 or lower. So why is the drinking age in the United States so high, at 21?
One reason is that young people often don’t handle alcohol responsibly. They may drink too much, which can lead to health problems and dangerous behavior.
Another reason is that alcohol can interfere with the development of the brain. Young people are still growing and maturing, and alcohol can affect their judgment and decision-making skills.
Studies have also shown that alcohol can interfere with learning and memory. So it’s important to wait until the brain is fully mature before drinking alcohol.
The drinking age is 21 in the United States because the government believes that it’s important to protect young people from the dangers of alcohol until they are fully grown and able to make responsible decisions.
Why is the US drinking age so high?
The drinking age in the United States is 21, which is higher than in many other countries. There are a number of reasons for this, including concerns about alcohol abuse and its effects on young people.
One of the main arguments for raising the drinking age is that young people are not sufficiently mature to handle alcohol responsibly. The legal drinking age is 18 in many European countries, but studies have shown that young people in those countries are more likely to engage in binge drinking than those in the United States.
Another argument in favor of a higher drinking age is that it helps to prevent alcohol-related accidents and deaths. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol is a factor in more than 40% of all deaths among young people aged 15-24.
A final reason for the high drinking age in the United States is the prevalence of alcohol abuse among young people. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than one-third of all college students in the United States binge drink.
Despite these arguments, there are also some disadvantages to raising the drinking age. One is that it can lead to social isolation and alienation among young people. Another is that it can encourage young people to drink illegally, which can lead to dangerous and risky behavior.
Ultimately, the decision about whether or not to raise the drinking age is up to individual states. Some states have considered lowering the drinking age, but so far no state has made a change.