Essay, Research Paper: A Heightened Drinking Age

I believe a heightened drinking age would definately not stop underage drinking. Mainly due to the fact that it is considered acceptable in our society already. Drinking, unlike drugs, is considered acceptable in today’s society. It is even considered a right of passage when a person first begins drinking. I have witnessed this myself. It is considered humorous, when a person is “drunk,” rather than disturbing. This action can often lead to alcoholism when the person is finally legal to drink.
Since alcohol was first discovered it has been a key part in every society. Just about every country even has their own national alcoholic beverage. I do not think any law can have any influence on a society where alcohol is so ingrained within itself. For instance, the prohibition imposed during the twenties in the U.S. Although alcohol was illegal it still remained in use. Probably because society viewed it as acceptable.
A drinking age of twenty one would not curb underage drinking it would make it more rampant. If you consider most teens will start drinking at the age of sixteen, and then add 18, 19, and 20 year olds into the mix. A heightened drinking age would also use up valuable police resources enforcing the law. If a higher drinking age was put in place it would increase theft and bootlegging. You also have to examine society as the cause to underage drinking. Children see their parents drinking, their are commercials on television even some cartoons for children have drinking references in them. National pride is now even associated with drinking. For instance the other day i even saw a cooking show that was sponsored by the M.L.C.C.
The solution to under aged alcohol abuse is to educate young adults in how to drink responsibly. Current alcohol education in high school and college is set to discourage drinking instead of educating people to drink responsibily. The problem isn’t that alcohol is too readily available to teens its the general attitude of escaping from reality. If alcohol wasn’t available there will always be something else. Maybe instead of disiplining an under-aged drinker we should look at the source of the problem. There is also a drug problem in this country maybe instead of pushing stiffer laws at the problem we should be solving it. Just like the death penalty in the United States hasn’t lowered the murder rate, neither will a drinking age of 21.
Drinking Editorial
I believe a heightened drinking age would definately not stop underage drinking. Mainly due to the fact that it is considered acceptable in our society already. Drinking, unlike drugs, is considered acceptable in today’s society. It is even considered a right of passage when a person first begins drinking. I have witnessed this myself. It is considered humorous, when a person is “drunk,” rather than disturbing. This action can often lead to alcoholism when the person is finally legal to drink.
Since alcohol was first discovered it has been a key part in every society. Just about every country even has their own national alcoholic beverage. I do not think any law can have any influence on a society where alcohol is so ingrained within itself. For instance, the prohibition imposed during the twenties in the U.S. Although alcohol was illegal it still remained in use. Probably because society viewed it as acceptable.
A drinking age of twenty one would not curb underage drinking it would make it more rampant. If you consider most teens will start drinking at the age of sixteen, and then add 18, 19, and 20 year olds into the mix. A heightened drinking age would also use up valuable police resources enforcing the law. If a higher drinking age was put in place it would increase theft and bootlegging. You also have to examine society as the cause to underage drinking. Children see their parents drinking, their are commercials on television even some cartoons for children have drinking references in them. National pride is now even associated with drinking. For instance the other day i even saw a cooking show that was sponsored by the M.L.C.C.
The solution to under aged alcohol abuse is to educate young adults in how to drink responsibly. Current alcohol education in high school and college is set to discourage drinking instead of educating people to drink responsibily. The problem isn’t that alcohol is too readily available to teens its the general attitude of escaping from reality. If alcohol wasn’t available there will always be something else. Maybe instead of disiplining an under-aged drinker we should look at the source of the problem. There is also a drug problem in this country maybe instead of pushing stiffer laws at the problem we should be solving it. Just like the death penalty in the United States hasn’t lowered the murder rate, neither will a drinking age of 21.



Bibliography


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