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PDF - Argumentative 112
PDF - Argumentative 112
November 4, 2019
There are many different aspects to take into consideration when discussing the
minimum legal drinking age. Many citizens believe it should be lowered to eighteen, while
other believe it should remain twenty-one. It is a legal issue that has been debated on for many
years and will probably continue to be a topic of question for many years to come. However,
the consequences of lowering the MLDA outweigh the benefits in the end.
This is proved in the article “The Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Public Health”.
injuries, commission of crime, criminal victimization, risky sexual behavior, and reduced
The minimum legal drinking age has not been set outside of the eighteen to twenty-one age
range since the 1930’s (Carpenter and Dobkin). There has always been a general agreed upon
range that was deemed appropriate. In the 1970s, 39 states lowered their minimum legal
drinking age to ages ranging from eighteen to twenty. These drinking age reductions were
researchers at the time (Carpenter and Dobkin). This increase in traffic incidents and fatalities
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shows the dangers of lowering the minimum legal drinking age and how serious the outcomes
About 40 percent of college students report binge drinking (Degutis). The article
"Choose Accountability: Keep the Legal U.S. Drinking Age at 21." states:
Raising the minimum legal drinking age has had an impact on lives beyond college
campuses: Laws making it illegal for someone under age 21 to purchase or possess
alcohol have led to an 11 percent drop in alcohol-related traffic deaths among youth.
From 1988 to 1995, alcohol- related traffic fatalities for youth ages 15 to 20 fell by 47
This article also provides compelling evidence showing alcohol related damage to the
developing brain. This shows how damaging alcohol can be for a young adult to consume.
Alcohol especially effects the part of the brain that controls memory and learning (Degutis). The
mind is always expanding and growing. Alcohol can have negative effects on the brain and
cause a disruption in the developing mind. It impairs memory and can have long-term effects
Some say that the current minimum drinking age is the cause of binge drinking on
college campuses (Kapsidelis). In the article "Changing the Drinking Age? : Some People Say
Lowering the Legal Drinking Age would Reduce Binge Drinking. Others Say that Idea is
Ludicrous.", it is stated that the precursor to binge drinking is underage drinking. Binge drinking
occurs on many university campuses across the U.S. There are also many people challenging
this law because the “adult” side of it. Citizens argue that at the age of eighteen "You can fight
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in the war, but you can't drink," and "You can serve on a jury at age 18. . . . You can make life-
and-death decisions. . . . but you can't buy a beer." (Kapsidelis). People argue that if you are
considered an adult at eighteen, you should be allowed to drink alcohol and make that decision
to be responsible like an adult. However, with age comes a certain level of maturity and you
Lowering the MLDA has caused an increase in traffic accidents. The article "The Age-21
Minimum Legal Drinking Age: A Case Study Linking Past and Current Debates: (Alcoholism and
Drug Addiction)." by Toomey, Traci L., Toben F. Nelson, and Kathleen M. Lenk discusses the
history of the minimum legal drinking age. It shows the different laws that have been
implemented throughout the years and the effects and consequences that came from it. The
article states, “However, as a result of studies showing that these lower MLDAs were associated
with increases in traffic crashes, state-level movements began in the later 1970s to return
MLDAs to age 21.” (Toomey, Nelson, and Lenk). This not only makes the roads unsafe for
those driving, but anyone near the roads at the time., such as people walking, riding bicycles,
etc.
Studies have shown a vast variety of consequences related to drinking. In the article,
“Will Increasing Alcohol Availability by Lowering the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Decrease
Drinking and Related Consequences among Youths?" By Wechsler, Henry, PhD., and Toben F.
Nelson ScD, The article compares the benefits and consequences of the minimum legal drinking
age being 18 or 21. It provides evidence to support their argument and delves into the facts
surrounding the controversy. It also goes on to inform us of different prevention methods for
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underage drinking and the importance of such prevention. It also connects the use of alcohol
Alcohol use is associated with a wide range of adverse health and social consequences,
infection, violence, vandalism, crime, overdose, other substance use, and high-risk
behavior, resulting in a heavy burden of social and health costs (Wechsler and Nelson).
The article goes on to talk about when the minimum legal drinking age was lowered in the past
and the consequences that came along with it. “The lower minimum legal drinking age was
followed by increases in the sale and consumption of alcohol and in alcohol-involved traffic
fatalities, particularly among young adults aged 18–20 years” (Wechsler and Nelson). The
article keeps a neutral tone throughout the entire discussion and gives the reader the facts to
decide how they feel on their own. “Of the 79 quality studies that examined the relationship
between the minimum legal drinking age and traffic crashes, 58% found fewer crashes
associated with a higher minimum legal drinking age, whereas no study found fewer crashes
associated with a lower minimum legal drinking age.” (Wechsler and Nelson). This shows no
Overall, there were many different experiments and studies conducted to see whether
the minimum legal drinking age is better off as eighteen or twenty-one. In the end, there was
an abundance of evidence supporting both sides of the argument. There are going to be pros
and cons no matter which age is the minimum legal drinking age, however the benefits
Works Cited
Carpenter, Christopher, and Carlos Dobkin. "The Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Public
Health." The Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 25, no. 2, 2011, pp. 133-156.
ProQuest,
https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/8699
08766?accountid=10163, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/jep.25.2.133
Degutis, Linda, DrPH. "Choose Accountability: Keep the Legal U.S. Drinking Age at 21." The
https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1984
55640?accountid=10163.
Kapsidelis, Karin. "Changing the Drinking Age?: Some People Say Lowering the Legal Drinking
Age would Reduce Binge Drinking. Others Say that Idea is Ludicrous." McClatchy -
https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/4635
35912?accountid=10163.
Rasul, Jawaid W., et al. "Heavy Episodic Drinking on College Campuses: Does Changing the Legal
Drinking Age make a Difference?" Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, vol. 72, no. 1,
https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/8530
57526?accountid=10163, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2011.72.15.
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Toomey, Traci L., Toben F. Nelson, and Kathleen M. Lenk. "The Age-21 Minimum Legal Drinking
Age: A Case Study Linking Past and Current Debates: (Alcoholism and Drug Addiction)."
https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1995
78923?accountid=10163, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02742.x.
Wechsler, Henry, PhD., and Toben F. Nelson ScD. "Will Increasing Alcohol Availability by
Lowering the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Decrease Drinking and Related
Consequences among Youths?" American Journal of Public Health, vol. 100, no. 6, 2010,
https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/3475
33689?accountid=10163.