If you have looked through you're newspaper these past few days in the local police blotters, might have noticed a common theme, underage drinking. Time and time again kids are getting caught drinking alcohol by police, why? Why is underage drinking such a big problem in our society? Everyone knows that it is illegal to consume alcohol until the age of twenty-one. Many people are in agreement with this legal restriction. Some also say that it needs to be raised. Why is twenty-one the "magical" age that makes one intelligent and mature enough to consume alcohol? Surely, some adults abuse alcohol, and some teenagers would be perfectly able to drink responsibly. Many have asked the question, should the drinking age be lowered from age twenty-one to age eighteen? Or should the national drinking age remain at age twenty-one? Some people might also say that such actions must be stopped, while others have the opinion that these activities have always taken place, and they will never be solved.

Before 1982 there was no national conformity in the laws dealing with alcohol consumption legal age. Each state had different laws and regulations set on the drinking age. In the mid-1980's finally there was a set federal law about drinking only because of pressure set the drinking age from Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD). This gave conformity throughout the nation with a national drinking law.

Today there are many arguments put forth to justify attempts to lower the drinking age. One of the most prevalent arguments for the drinking age heard is, "if were old enough to be sent to war and die we are old enough to drink alcohol" (Jackson). This argument has an underlined fallacy. When an eighteen-year-old youth is drafted into the military he is subjected to many months of rigorous training and preparation for his duties as a solider. Not only is he intensively trained, he is provided constant leadership. This is exactly the opposite of what happens when a youth reaches the legal age to drink. The youth is not trained or prepared to take on the burden of responsible drinking. Rather than provided leadership he is subjected to peer pressure encouraging him to act irresponsibly. The draft age and drinking age argument does not provide a convincing basis for a change in the law.

A second argument often heard supporting a reduction in lowering the drinking age "eighteen to twenty year old are going to drink anyway so lower the drinking age." (Donald) Many students in middle school seem to be trying alcohol at such a young age, they have no values or norms, and they just want to try something new. (Leslie) While it is obvious that many teen-agers are breaking the law today, this is not advocating a change in the law. It has been argued that laws do not impact or change behavior, but there is strong circumstantial evidence that drinking-driving laws do make a difference. Laws are a statement of the views of society, and the increase of penalties, given the clear message that drinking and driving is viewed as a crime against society.

Many supporters of a lowering of the legal alcohol age contend that eighteen or nineteen are mature enough to deal with alcohol. This argument is not supported by the facts. "Over 40% of all the 16-to-20 year olds who died in 1994 were killed in car crashes. And about half of those were alcohol-related. That's around 2,222 of your classmates, soccer rivals, prom queens, and friends who died because somebody chose to drink and drive" (MADD). Statistics such as these support the contention that teen-agers are not ready to deal with consumption of alcohol, and the responsibilities that go with it.

Also, when kids start consuming alcohol, their chance of becoming alcoholics has greatly increased. They soon have a chronic, progressive disease that is called alcoholism, in which they lose control over their drinking habits and can drastically shorten their life span.

Overall, underage drinking is a problem and needs to be resolved. Although some kids might be able to accept the responsibility of drinking, some still are a lost cause. The main point comes down to be whether each individual underage is responsible to consume alcohol. If the major population of underage drinking can accept the responsibility of drinking then they should be able to.