Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18 Research Paper - 1

Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18 - Research Paper Example Smith (2008) pointed out that â€Å"teenagers have not developed the cognitive, social, and psychological mechanisms that are needed to make thoughtful and logical decisions about alcohol use† (Smith). In other words, people below the age of 21 may not be able to take sound decisions in their life and therefore they should not be allowed to drink. At the same time, many people argue that if an 18 year person is wise enough to elect political leaders, then he should be allowed to take drink at the age of 18. At 20 years old, an American can drive a car, buy cigarettes and pornography, vote for the next leader of the free world, and even die for his or her country by enlisting in the military. But that same person cannot order a beer with friends while watching the game at a sports bar. Because of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, some Americans can put themselves in front of terrorists with machine guns, but not a Heineken† (Blanche). In short, legal drink ag e is a controversial topic in America at present because of the various dimensions attached to this topic. So many arguments were cited in favour and against the lowering of drink age in America. In my opinion, drink age should not be lowered under any circumstances since lowering of drink age can generate so many social, physical and mental problems not only to the drinker but also to the family and society in which he belongs. Seaman Barrett (2005) in his article "How Bingeing Became the New College Sport" argued in favour of lowering drink age from 21 to 18 in America. He has cited many reasons for his argument. â€Å"Pregaming is a common thing in American college campuses which came into existence in the 1990’s. It usually involves sitting in a dorm room or an off-campus apartment and drinking as much hard liquor as possible before heading out for the evening's parties† (Seaman). Parker (2007) also supported the arguments of Seaman. In his opinion, â€Å"because of the ban, instead of drinking in bars or restaurants where there is supervision, it's happening in dorms and dark corners† (Parker). One of the major arguments cited in favour of lowering of drink age to 18 is that non-availability of drinks through legal channels may force the teenagers to get it from illegal sources. Supporters of these arguments are of the view that drinks from illegal sources could be more dangerous and poisonous than the drinks from legal channels. â€Å"Over 80% of adults believe that it is easy for people under the age of 18 to access alcohol in pubs and off-licenses† (Morrissey). It is a fact that antisocial elements can exploit these teenagers for various purposes. However, in my opinion, these arguments are illogical. It is the duty of the government to take necessary actions to punish those who supply liquor illegally. It is meaningless to lower the drink age instead of prohibiting illegal liquor supply. Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking; this includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, 300 from suicide, as well as hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drowning†(Alcohol Alert). Teenagers during their developmental stages many not be able to take sound decisions. They are not matured enough to take wise decisions for their