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Lowering the Legal Drinking Age to 18: Yea or Nay?
They can vote, serve in the military and marry. Should 18-year-olds be allowed to drink?
March 17, 2011 /Transportation and Trucking PR News/ -- The debate over lowering the legal drinking age in the United States to 18 is not new. But while most Americans are opposed to changing the law, there are compelling arguments on both sides of the issue - and both of them cite to possibly lowering the number of people arrested for DWI.
Arguments in Favor of Lowering the Legal Drinking Age
The age of 18 is a transitional point in life. An 18-year-old can vote, marry, enlist in the military and buy cigarettes. To some, it's absurd that an 18-year-old can vote politicians into office and fight wars for the country but cannot legally buy and consume alcohol.
Like it or not, alcohol is part of the fabric of American culture. People drink at parties, weddings and work functions. And medical research suggests that moderate consumption of alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes and possibly diabetes.
Prohibiting the use of alcohol under the age of 21 serves to drive underage drinkers into uncontrolled environments, where binge drinking is very likely, and the activity itself is seen as edgy or risky. Lowering the drinking age to 18 could remove the thrill of drinking outside the law.
The reality is that young people are going to consume alcohol regardless of the legal age limit. Allowing them to drink in controlled social settings with older adults would provide them with role models for moderate social drinking.
And by making alcohol less of a "big deal," while promoting moderate consumption, DWI arrests and accidents related to drunk driving might decrease.
Arguments Against Lowering the Legal Drinking Age
According to the World Health Organization, 2.5 million people worldwide die from alcohol abuse each year. Of those, 320,000 are between the ages of 15 and 29. That represents nine percent of all deaths within that age range.
In the United States, 85,000 deaths each year are related to alcohol. By allowing more people to legally consume alcohol, it seems logical that the number of alcohol-related deaths would only increase.
Alcohol is a legalized drug that clouds judgment and reduces inhibitions, making it a common factor in automobile accidents, violent crimes (including child abuse) and the spread of sexually transmitted disease.
With such serious potential consequences, legal alcohol consumption should be restricted to people with some adult life experience that can use wisdom in their alcohol use. Allowing 18-year-olds (just out of high school) with no previous adult life experience to add alcohol to their newfound freedom can only result in trouble.
In most states, the legal driving age is 16. By 21, the average driver has approximately five years of driving experience. Allowing 18-year-olds to consume alcohol puts more potentially intoxicated drivers with less driving experience on our roads. That would surely lead to a higher number of alcohol-related accidents and deaths, which claim just as many innocent lives as drunk drivers.
While medical research does show some health benefits from moderate alcohol consumption, evidence suggests that only older adults already at risk for heart disease may benefit. In fact, some believe alcohol may actually hurt more than help younger adults.
Binge drinking is a cultural phenomenon that will not be cured by changing the law. The argument that people under 21 binge drink for the thrill of rebelling against the law is without merit. Countless people over 21 binge drink as well.
The culture of binge drinking is not bound by age. College life is rife with alcohol abuse. Allowing more college students to drink legally will not change that, but will only serve to make them feel justified in their dangerous behaviors.
Consequences of College Drinking and DWI
Underage DWI has serious consequences.
Depending on a number of factors, a DWI conviction can be a misdemeanor or a felony offense. Any such criminal conviction can negatively affect your employment and education status.
A DWI conviction may result in probation, fines and jail time. Your driver's license can be suspended or revoked and your insurance premiums may be higher for years to come. The consequences for truck drivers and others can be particularly harsh, including loss of the commercial driver's license, as well as other impacts of DWI on a professional career.
Driving under the influence of alcohol can have long-term consequences (especially if you are under the legal drinking age) and should be avoided at all costs. However, if you find yourself facing alcohol-related charges, contact a DWI attorney to discuss your rights and options.
Article provided by Tom Anelli, The DWI Guy
Visit us at www.anellilaw.com
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Press Release Contact Information:
Tom Anelli, Esq.
Criminal Defense Attorney
Tom Anelli, The DWI Guy
441 S. Salina St, Ste 201
Syracuse, New York 13202
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