An issue has been brewing recently from officials among over 100 national universities- lowering the drinking age to 18.
The presidents and school officials proposing this idea believe that by lowering the drinking age, the abundance of binge drinking will significantly decrease.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving believes this action would have the opposite result of what the universities are hoping for.
They argue this would lead to even greater opportunities for drunk driving, resulting in more car accidents and death.
Many supporters of lowering the drinking age tie the idea to the 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, which lowered the voting age to 18 due to youth activism during the Vietnam War and argued that if you could enlist and die for your country, you should be able to vote for its leaders.
Is it right to relate the consumption of alcohol to actively participating in your country’s politics?
Life comes with milestones; getting your driver’s license at 16, voting, enlisting, and going to college at 18.
How can we ethically relate earlier legal rights to consuming alcohol to our other rights as a U.S. citizen?
As I come closer to turning 18, any fascination with alcohol or getting drunk quietly loses its appeal.
Through high school, opportunities present themselves that let you see the results of drinking. It is rare that someone is proud of her/ his actions and decisions made while under the influence.
By lowering the drinking age to 18, opportunities to lose ourselves to alcohol wo-uld increase significantly; coincidentally, it is at a time that we are preparing to shape the rest of our lives.
Despite the appealing nature that lowering the drinking age to 18 may have for younger citizens, it’s imperative that we consider the consequences of what that action could mean: more car accidents and deaths related to alcohol consumption,higher risks of fatal alcohol poisoning, and a higher chance of developing alcohol dependency.
Our generation will eventually make up the leadership of our country, we must start taking responsibility now to redeem our country’s place in the world.