An Examination of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act
Alexis Gant, Mabel Torres, Cristian Jon Abarintos
The National Minimum Drinking Age Act’s primary aim was to decrease the traffic fatalities of drunk drivers (Gonchar, 2015). There is some supporting correlation between the Act and drinking fatalities; however, some of these numbers can also be attributed to advanced car safety technologies and stricter DUI regulations. Research supports that laws against underage drinking are so strict that they cause minors to drink unsupervised, which is worse than legally drinking with limits (Gonchar, 2015). Keeping the age minimum at 21 makes teenagers binge drink, and break even more laws while trying to keep it a secret, rather than if it was allowed with an adult responsibly. (Pro’s and Con’s, 2016). In foreign countries, such as Greece and Italy, laws allow the consumption of alcohol at the age of 18. There is no evidence showing any harmful effects on their behavior or intellect (Ogilvie, 2011). If a teen is allowed to drink and be supervised, they would have a lower risk of getting into any trouble.
CONCLUSIONS:
This research shows that the 1984 United States National Minimum Drinking Age Act has prevented minors from becoming what some would call “true adults” in order to attempt to decrease the amount of drunk drivers. However, since the act was enforced, vehicle safety technology has advanced, making driving a vehicle safer. Some may argue that 18-year-old individuals are not mature enough to make responsible drinking decisions; however, these 18-year-olds are considered mature enough to enlist in the U.S. military. Furthermore, eighteen year-old American adults are unable to make the decision to drink alcohol, yet they are expected to make major life decisions, such as career choice, marriage, and finances. Like most adult responsibilities, young adults can learn to responsibly consume alcohol
DISCUSSION:
This research discusses age regulation in regards to alcohol consumption around the world, and how lowering the American drinking age would not have any significant negative impact on society. However, the research did not address the differences between the reasons for separate regulations of tobacco and alcohol despite many medical concerns aligned with tobacco consumption. This research is also potentially biased due to the researchers’ ages. In order to improve the research, we could conduct a national survey in regards to age groups and alcohol related accidents.
REFERENCES:
Assessing the effectiveness of minimum legal drinking age and zero tolerance laws in the United States. (2002, March 8). Retrieved July 05, 2016, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457502000386
Higgins, E. (n.d.). Why is Turning 21 Such A Big Deal. Odyssey Beta. Retrieved 2016, from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/turning-21-big-deal
Gonchar, M. (2015). Is lowering the drinking age a good idea? New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2015, from http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/should-the-drinking-age-be-lowered/?_r=0
Ogilvie, J. P. (2016). Is lowering the drinking age a good idea? Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 5, 2016, from http://articles.latimes.com/print/2011/may/30/health/la-he-drinking-age-20110530
Pro’s and con’s. (2016). Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered from 21 to a Younger Age? The leading source for Pros & cons of controversial issues. Retrieved March 3, 2016, from http://drinkingage.procon.org/