...Should the legal drinking age be reduced to 18 years of age? When a citizen of the United States reaches the age of 18, they receive all their rights of a legal adult, from voting too marriage. They receive all of them, however, except for the right to legally purchase and consume alcohol. In this essay I will discuss why the drinking age of 21 should be lowered to 18 due to country wide disobedience of the law, How most developed countries already have their legal drinking age reduced to 18, and how it is counterproductive to society to give people some of their rights at 18 but not all of them. I choose these due to most parents and their kids drinking before 21 regardless the law is in place, how places like Europe have their drinking age set to 18, and how kids do not fully feel like an adult and use drinking as a way to be irresponsible, when they should see drinking alcohol as one of their rights....
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...Should the Drinking Age be Lowered to 18? In the United States of America, one is lawfully considered an adult on their 18th birthday. With adulthood comes choices, responsibility, and privileges that they did not possess as a minor. At the age of 18, a person can enlist in the army and die for this country, vote for the future president or other government officials, and be charged as an adult, potentially leading to them going to prison, jail, or facing the death penalty. However, an 18 year old can not purchase or legally consume alcohol in America. Although, some think 18 year olds do not have the physical or mental capacity for alcohol, the national drinking age should be lowered to 18 because teens 18 and older are able to make critical decisions. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed over 30 years ago. This act raised the drinking age from 18 to 21. This act has been poorly enforced in America. 10.8 million underage Americans drink(“Minimum Legal Drinking Age”). The higher drinking age causes teens to drink in unsafe settings. These unsafe, unsupervised drinking situations can lead to spiked drinks, injury, and sexual assault. The drinking age does little to stop...
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...Should the drinking age be lowered to 18? 18 year olds have the right to vote, serve in the military, and get married. Therefore, it seems strange for it to be illegal for them to drink alcohol. By letting 18 year olds drink and be able to purchase alcohol it makes it less of a big deal, less control and restriction makes it less appealing and theres no thrill. That will make them drink more socially and responsibly. 18 is the age where you legally become an adult therefore you should be able to legally drink alcohol. It's the question underage kids have been asking for years: I can fight and die for this country but I can't enjoy an alcoholic beverage? ""18 is the age of adulthood in the US, and adults should have the right to make their own decisions about alcohol consumption."" says (Hayley). The alcoholic drinking age should be lowered to age eighteen because at that age you are responsible, mature, and it will help send the right message. Although many people agree that the age to consume alcohol should be lowered, many others argued for the opposite side of things. People believe that if children are able to drink alcohol legally they will want to start doing illicit drugs because they will try to find a thrill in something else since they won't find it in alcohol anymore. But that is merely an assumption...
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...current legal drinking age of the United States is 21. Should it be lowered to 18? The current legal drinking age of the United States is 21. Should it be lowered to 18? I think the current legal age in the United States is 21 and I find it absurd, but in my view i think it should be 18 because if you look at it I’m old enough to go to war but not old enough to drink. If you look at it I am dying for my country at the age of 18 but yet I can’t buy a drink? In my opinion it is absurd. The controversy between drinking and going to war is well known around the United States. Many people will agree with me that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Other people will disagree with my agreement they will say it’s better at the age of 21 because that’s when more people are more responsible. I think that is some bull because any person can be responsible some can be but others...
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...Should Abortion be Legal? PHI 103 Should Abortion be legal? Part I: Thesis As we approach a presidential election, a hot topic has been abortion. The candidates have announced their stance of either being pro-choice or pro-life. Many people have based their choices on who they will vote for based on this stance, especially women. The United States of America was founded by those fleeing from religious persecution. In an article from the News Mail Bundaberg, the writer wrote that they did not “believe abortion should be used as a lazy form of contraception, but nor do I believe women's bodies should be legislated. Some say abortion is "playing God", but then so is all medicine” (unknown, 2010) Legalizing abortion guarantees that women receive the basic right to choose what happens with their own reproductive systems. Part II: Argument The right to choose is a big deciding factor in agreeing that abortion should be legal. There are certain instances in which a woman should be able to choose if they would like to continue with their pregnancy. For example, if a woman was raped and became pregnant, they should be able to choose whether or not they would like to have that child. Otherwise, they will end up with a child that they have to take care of that will be a constant reminder of that rape. Another instance is incest. If a woman is pregnant and the fetus is fathered by a family member, that woman should have a right to choose if they would like to have that child or...
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...The drinking age should be lowered in the US By ashley_white11, Auburn, NY More by this author Email me when ashley_white11 contributes work The drinking age should be lowered in the US Image Credit: John W., Evergreen, CO The author's comments: Quotes This was my English essay and I was told to publish it on here. Quotes The drinking age should be lowered back to the age of 18. I feel that for many reasons including that people are adults at that age and should be able to make their own decisions. Setting the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) to 21 is unconstitutional and setting the drinking age to 21 sent the wrong message to teens in the US. The drinking age should be lowered to 18 years old because people are considered adults at that age. When you are 18 you receive the rights and responsibilities of adulthood. When you are that age you can vote, drive a vehicle, get married and even join the military. So why not be able to consume alcohol? When you are 18 you should be able to make your own decisions about alcohol consumption. This includes taking the responsibilities of life or death. Another reason is that when the US lowered the drinking age it sent the wrong message about alcohol consumption to people under the age of 21. In this case it seemed like they raised the drinking age to 21 because people where more mature at 21 years old than they are at 18. So teens want to consume alcohol to appear more mature. If the drinking age were lowered it would...
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...Drinking binges are generally occurring among college aged people. Binge drinking also known as episodic drinking is defined as “drinking alcoholic beverages with the primary intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. “Some binge drinkers may also consume a consistent amount of alcohol over a long period of time, also leading to intoxication. Binge drinking can also be described as four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men per sitting. “Binge drinking is a kind of purposeful drinking style, and somewhat overlaps with social drinking since it is often done in groups.” Due to long-term effects of alcohol misuse binge drinking is considered to be a major public health issue. “As college students arrive on campus, it’s a time of new experiences, new friendships, and making memories that will last forever.” Binge drinking is more common in males, during young adulthood. Most binge drinkers do not know any of the risks associated with binge drinking. “Heavy regular binge drinking is associated with negative effects on neurologic, cardiac, gastrointestinal, hematologic, psychiatric, immune and musculoskeletal organ systems.” Up to one third of college aged people binge drink, six percent result in having an alcohol related substance use disorder. Binge drinking in college aged people is commonly associated to unprotected sex, car accidents, unplanned pregnancy, contraction of diseases, suicide and other types of...
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...Persuasive Essay I can’t wait until you turn 21 and then you can buy us alcohol!” something I’m sure many of you have said to an older friend or sibling. Well, many of you may not know this but I was surprised when I learned that the law in IL only states that the possession and purchase of alcohol for those who are underage is illegal. ProCons.org informs us that exceptions do exist on a state-by-state basis for consumption at home, under adult supervision, for medical necessity, and other reasons. So this brings about a very controversial question that I have. Why can’t we lower the drinking age? Yes, there are risks, but there are also many facts that bring the pros of this recreation to light. (First, let me say, that I am definitely not delusional in saying this would be a perfect plan, but even though there are risks they do not outweigh the good) Before we go into the pros and cons of this situation I think you should all know the reason as to why the drinking age is 21 anyway. Well, according to a blog from a reputable source called the mental floss, we ended up with a national minimum age of 21 because of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. This law doesn't prohibit drinking per se; it merely requires states to outlaw purchase and public possession by people under 21. So, that being said, the first risk everyone seems to touch upon is that drinking under the age of 21 can interfere with brain development. I have learned from previous classes that...
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...Should we change the drinking age? There has been many questions on the drinking age in the United States. Why should we be able to vote and not be able to drink?, Why should we fight for our country but we cant have a drink?. Some people believe that the age we drink 21 suddenly means that we are mature enough to handle the responsibility of drinking safely. In this short essay I will give my opinions on why the drinking age should be changed or why it should not. Underage drinking is a major problem in todays time. There are countless of accidents and deaths because of underage drinking. Some are due to car accidents, suicide and even simple accidents caused from the drunken state of mind of an inexperienced young adult. I believe that underage drinking is often a reality do to the fact that it is exciting. It is the idea that it is bad that makes tennagers want to drink. I personally can say that I drank underage because it was an answer to boredom caused by a small town and not very many options. I believe that if the drinking age was lowered from 21 to 18 that for one it would cut down on the criminal side. instead of people stealing alcohol or finding a buyer they could buy it themselves. It also would be more fitting for society. I think it is embarassing that we allow a 18 year old person to die fighting for thier country, to vote for a president, and to be a responsible, working, contributing citizen, but not allow...
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...Assignment 1.1: Conflicting Viewpoints Essay - Part I Prewriting Antonio Smith Professor Erin DiCesare PHI 210 Critical Thinking April 20, 2015 Drinking Age Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to 18 years old? I think that the drinking age should be lowered to 18 years old. There are some interesting subjects that oppose my thinking that can be argued to be true. First, lowering the drinking age would be medically irresponsible. Second, lowering the drinking age would give high school and middle school students easier access to alcohol. Third, lowering MLDA 21 to 18 will irresponsibly allow a greater segment of the population to drink alcohol in bars and nightclubs. It would be medically irresponsible to lower the age limit from 21 to 18 years old to legally drink or purchase alcohol. There are studies that show alcohol consumption can interfere with the growth and development of a young adult brain’s frontal lobes. The frontal lobes are essential for functions such as emotional regulation, planning, and organization. The potential for chronic problems such as greater vulnerability to addiction, dangerous risk-taking behavior, reduced decision-making ability, memory loss, depression, violence, and suicide is greater when drinking at an early age. [1][2][3][4] What’s interesting about this view is that the brain is still growing and effected by early drinking. If I was to look from this angle I would understand that younger people already have a hard time planning...
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...Annotated Bibliography for Underage Drinking Heather Myers DeVry University Annotated Bibliography for Underage Drinking The author stares that, “39% of current 8th graders, 58% of 10th graders, 72% of 12th graders, and 85% of college students have tried alcohol” (Bowersox 2013). Now think in eighth grade the teen is only fourteen years old! That is seven years under the state designated drinking age of twenty-one years. Why is the community allowing teens to drink under the age of twenty-one? Maybe because they think it makes them “cool” parents. This shouldn’t happen there are many reasons on why adults should become less lenient and should not allow their children, friends or family to drink underage the legal drinking age. Our community should be aware of the effects that alcohol has on teens, families, school, and communities. Our young generation does not need alcoholic beverages because those years leading up to the 21st birthday are years to cherish that don’t involve alcohol. After the 21st birthday adults have their whole entire lives to go out and drink minimally without damaging their bodies. Bowersox, J. (2013, March 29). NIH Fact Sheets - Underage Drinking. Retrieved September 22, 2014. This source is categorized in past, present and future facts. It shows different facts about underage drinking in the United States. For example, in the year 1960 to 1970 the legal drinking age in the U.S. was only 18 years old. Later, it was raised to 21 years. This kind...
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...writing my essay reasons on why I feel we should keep the drinking age at 21. I know that many people believe that the drinking age should be lowered to 18, and I will be talking about one of those strong points through out my essay. Many people argue that if a young person is able to support his country and go to war than that person should be able to drink legally. I do understand where the reasoning on why most young people believe that serving our country gives them the right to be able to drink alcohol. I am a veteran and understand that it takes a lot of personal courage for someone to join the military and serve our country in a combat zone and risk their lives every day. So yes it is fair to say that these young people should be able to drink, but there are so many other reasons that prevent the government from lowering the drinking age. There are so many other reasons on why the drinking age should be kept at 21, and I will go into more depth on what those reasons are and provide evidence to support my reasons. Research has shown that teenagers have started to use alcohol as early as the tenth grade, which means that they are more likely to encounter a lot of the issues that come along with drinking alcohol at an even earlier age. Teenagers are not ready and mentally prepared to face a lot of the issues that come along with drinking alcohol, such as being more aggressive and violent. There are multiple negative effects that come along with underage drinking such as...
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...English Mr. DiGioia 12/17/15 3rd Period Drinking Age In all of the articles and political cartoon there are many examples of ethos, pathos and logos. However, some of them are more effective than others. Each of these documents discuss the drinking age in the united states and why it should be either be lowered to 18 or stay at 21. The first source is the least effective out of the three because it does not explain what age the drinking age should be at. On the other hand, the third source, “Lower the Drinking Age Back to 18” is a very affective article because of the facts that it has and the experience that he had growing up in a world were colleges taught you how to drink responsibly In the first source you see a cartoon. This Cartoon shows the drinking age at 21 and what the drinking age would look like at 18 years old. However, both of these cartoons look exactly alike. The repetition of the same image with different captions emphasizes in what happens if the drinking age changes … nothing. Ethos is created because there are less females than males and statistically speaking more men drink binge drink. The symbolism in the shorts "OSU" and a fraternity are all zeugmas for drinking. This cartoon also establishes pathos by showing the emotion each person has in there face. All of the “adults” in this cartoon are very happy and look like they are ready to have fun. On the other hand, it does not show the repercussions of drinking irresponsibly. To improve this cartoon, I...
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...Different governments have age limits for legal consumption of alcohol. In most western states, it is illegal for individuals below 18 years of age to consume alcohol. Other countries have an age limit of 15 years (Miller, 2010). All governments have reasons for setting this age requirements for alcohol consumption. For example, some argue that raising the legal age limit may not have an impact on society if people do not have the will to stop irresponsible drinking. Others argue that raising the legal age limit would allow individuals to drink when they are mature and responsible (Kolander, 2011). This would reduce chances of irresponsible drinking. This essay aims at discussing the legal age for alcohol consumption and whether it should be raised. According to reports from several police departments, most youth consume alcohol when they have not met the age limit. This implies that raising the age limit is effective albeit dutiful parenting (Miller, 2010). The need to raise the age limit, therefore, becomes crucial in curbing the negative effects caused by alcohol consumption. However, altering the age limit does not provide a conclusive solution to challenges of alcohol consumption. Governments can also create awareness in schools through program initiatives that educate children on the negative impacts of alcohol. Religious and social groups can collaborate with the governments on this aspect so as to make it effective. Secondly, raising the age limit for consumption of alcohol...
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...CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the study “Drinking is the cause and the solution is drinking”. Teenager’s starts to sneak out, party all night and drinks excessively. The youth today is convinced that drinking liquor is part of being a teenager. They believe that to have a sense of adventure drinking liquor is one way to have fun, an exciting but dangerous way of seeking for adventure. The generation today is not fully aware of what danger these vices could do to them. They tend to overlook the fun and excitement it could bring instead of the Statement of the Problem To find out the disadvantages of drinking liquor as perceived by the Fourth Year male high school students of the College of the Holy Spirit (CHS). Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions: What is the profile of the 4th year male students of C in terms of the following? Age Annual Family Income Academic Performance How many of the fourth year student experienced to drink liquor? What are their reasons in drinking liquor? How often the fourth year male students of C drink? How much did they spend in drinking liquor? Did their parents aware that they are drinking? What are disadvantages they foresee in drinking liquor? Scope and Limitation This study is conducted to determine the disadvantage of drinking liquor as perceived by the Fourth Year male high students of CHS. This study is limited only to the 4th year male students of the High School Department of CHS...
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