The most widespread argument made by opponents of lowering the drinking age is that at age 18, teenagers lack the ability to make wise decisions about alcohol. Research has concluded that the human brain does not fully develop until a person is in their early 20s. This may be true, but what about the other decisions that teenagers are making at the age of 18, such as signing up for the military or choosing a college? Do these decisions not require the same, if not more, mental capacity as deciding whether or not to drink?
I believe that signing up for the military requires an increased level of mental capacity when compared to making the decision about consuming alcohol. In the military, soldiers have the ability to shoot a person and kill them. This means that at the age of 18, a person has the ability to take another person’s life! If an individual of the age of 18 can make the decision to kill a person, they should definitely be able to make the decision of partaking in the consumption of alcohol.
Similarly, choosing a college requires a higher level of mental capacity than choosing to have an alcoholic drink or two. The college that a teenager chooses now at the age of 18, affects the future of their lives. Alcohol, when consumed in moderation, affects only a night or two of a person’s life. It is much more difficult to choose a college than it is to choose to drink or not to drink.
On the whole, it appears that the drinking age of 21 is sending mixed messages to young adults. Are teenagers supposed to believe that signing up for the military and choosing a college is inferior to that of making the decision to drink alcohol or not?
I agree with this post. I am 18 and I feel that I make daily decisions that can affect my life so why is it that the government feels as though I cannot make the decision to drink responsibly? Of course there are going to be those persons who do not make the wrong decision that are under 21, but there are also people that make bad drinking decisions who are over 21. This is an unavoidable truth!
ReplyDeleteMy point exactly, so why is the law limiting the consumption alcohol to us individuals that are younger than 21? I know that I am much more responsible and mature than some of the people that are older than 21. There seems to be no good reason to be such a high number on the age limit for alcohol. Either way, there will be wrong decisions made by at least a few individuals in the presence of alcohol. Having the age set at 21 does not solve this unavoidable truth.
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