Some research

Reid Blaine

Ms. Martina Mckoy

English II        

November 15, 2011

The criteria that claim that the drinking age should be lowered to 18?

            Under what criteria should the drinking age be lowered to eighteen? This question has boggled my mind for many years.  When an individual turns eighteen, he is legally an adult and is recognized as such.  By the time we are eighteen we have a myriad of responsibilities that are a part of adulthood.  We can join the military and die for our country before we are old enough to have a drink.  I have conducted some research on people’s opinions on this matter and some agree with my views and some do not.  But, the purpose is to see if there is a criterion that meets my views and if so, what it is. 

            In the first article I viewed the opinion of US representative Jack Kingston.  Although Kingston and I would disagree on most topics we can agree on one thing; soldiers of all ages have a right to drink.  At least beer or wine should be granted to the ones that lay down their lives for us.  Although it sounds reasonable, not everyone agreed with the bill proposed.  Allowing alcohol in an area filled with firearms does have its setbacks.  But we have to remember the firearms are locked up and not just lying around.  Our soldiers are taught responsibility but it still can be a potential hazard.  Nonetheless, if someone is old enough to fight and kill for a country they should at least be allowed beer or wine.

            My next research article was a document on the controversy of this topic.  It gave both sides of the argument.  It also brought up that there are college and university presidents are in support of advocacy groups for lowering the drinking age to eighteen.  But it also states that they signed it because they think it will help students aged from 18-20 make more responsible decisions in the future.  It can help because if people learn their lesson when they are young it helps them in the future.  Hopefully, reduce binge drinking.  But, unfortunately, alcohol consumption leads to more than 75,000 deaths a year.  If we can teach responsibility at a younger age it can reduce events like these.  College students tend to engage in drinking with nonstudent peers.  If we can allow a more suited environment where students can drink, then the decisions they make in the future will be more positive.

            It makes sense to lower the drinking age.  But, then again, it has its dangers.  There is no progress without mistakes though.  People will still drive drunk regardless of what age they are.  The current age is set to lower these sad events but there is no stopping it.  When an individual is eighteen they can fight and die for their country, vote, and (by the time they are sixteen) drive.  Would lowering the drinking age really make a negative difference?