Lowering the Legal Drinking Age Guiding Question: Should the legal drinking age be lowered to eighteen? Thesis: ​
The legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen because it will ultimately decrease “underground” drinking in teens, reduce alcohol related accidents, and provide a chance for education on drinking habits. I.
What are the main factors that cause underage drinking and underage drinking habits? Parents, education, fear of law, and student peers are all contributors to the underage drinking epidemic and teen drinking habits. A. The fear of the law, or “getting busted,” causes underage drinking habits to be driven into dangerous locations where teens suspect they won’t be found. 1. The law is the main factor in “pre gaming,” also known as “pre loading” of minors. Teens get drunk before going out in unsafe and hidden places to hide from law enforcement (​
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Drinking Age Debate​
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). 2. “The current age limit has created a culture of hidden drinking and disprespect for law” (Minton 23). 3. Parents are contributors to underground teen drinking habits. More and more parents are allowing their children to drink at home or go to parties with alcohol, according to a SADD study (Wallace). 4. According to the Institute of Medicine National Research Council, “One in six teens binge drinks, yet only one in 100 parents believe that his or her teen binge drinks” (“Statistics”). 5. In some cases, lack of enforcement leads to underage drinking. For example, researchers discovered that college campuses who lowered the legal drinking age and reported more binge drinking were actually obtaining these results from barely enforcing the law (Huffman 61). B. Peer pressure and the desire to fit in, especially on college campuses, causes underage student to drink without limits to “prove themselves.” 1. Fraternities and sororities on college campuses have extreme “tests” that pledges must pass in order to be admitted. Most of these “tests” involve binge drinking (“Drinking Age Debate”). 2. The story of Gordie Bailey is a prime example. A freshman at the University of Colorado Boulder, Bailey had an extreme underage drinking encounter for his frat initiation. He consumed so much alcohol and by the time they returned to the frat, Gordie was passed out and died about 9 hours later (Drinking Age Debate). 3. Gordie’s parents believe that if the drinking age was lower, the other students in the fraternity would've called for help sooner because they would not get in trouble for drinking as well and having alcohol at the house (Drinking Age Debate). 4. Following Gordie’s story, some colleges have an Amnesty Policy enacted. This policy states that if you are underage and intoxicated, but call 911 for the safety of someone around you, you will be pardoned (SSDP). C. “Misperception” in underage students about alcohol consumption leads to serious underage drinking. 1. Teenagers who are exposed to drinking before the age of 14 have a greater risk of alcohol addiction and “misperception” of what alcohol can do to them when used incorrectly (Roan 54). 2. The “misperception effect” is the idea that college students who are underage mistake their high drinking levels as “normal” and that students can change their ways of drinking depending on their surroundings. By this, I mean that they can adjust from “social drinking” to binge drinking quickly (Huffman 60). 3. Misperception by college students of their views on “normal drinkig habits” leads to binge drinking of underage students (Huffman 60). ​
. II. Where is it legal to drink under the age of twenty­one? What are the statistics of accidents caused by drinking in these countries? Other stats? The legal drinking age of the U.S. being eighteen would not have a negative effect on accident rates, education, or how often newly legal students drink when looking at stats from around the world. A. The legal drinking age in a country does not have an effect on the ​
likeliness​
of teens getting intoxicated. 1. A 2003 study proved that teens living in countries with a lower drinking age than the U.S., like fifteen or sixteen, or considerably less likely to get drunk more often compared with U.S. teens (Roan 56). 2. A study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered that the amount of students eighteen and older that binge drink has risen since the new age. Therefore, the age limit isn’t effecting actions (Roan 55). B. The higher drinking age in the United States does not make students any better in the classroom or have any less problems, compared to other countries. 1. Even with a lower drinking age, European countries have less problems concerning alcohol and teens than the United States (Minton 21). 2. Statistically, high school students living in countries with lower drinking ages do better on standardized tests than U.S. students. This shows that drinking age doesn’t necessarily affect test scores (Balko 25). C. In other countries, where the legal age is lower, they have reports of decline in alcohol related fatalities over the years. A higher drinking age doesn’t equal less accidents. 1. Between 1975 and 1990, fatalities caused by alcohol decreased by 57% in Germany, with their legal drinking age being sixteen (Minton 22). 2. Cause for this was “law enforcement, education, and technological advancement” in automobiles, their drinking age being low didn’t sky rocket fatalities (Minton 22). 3. There is no legal age in Italy, but still, they have less teen­ related alcohol issues and accidents than teens here (Minton 22). 4. Following this, the manner in which American teens are introduced to alcohol directly affects their usage and understanding of its effects. ​
III. Is the legal drinking age inconsistent with other “adult” privileges given at eighteen? Why twenty­one? “Legal age 21 is inconsistent with our notions of what it means to be an adult” (SSDP). A. The legal drinking age was risen in 1984 and there is a lot that needs to change in order to lower it to eighteen. 1. The age was raised to twenty­one mainly to reduce highway fatalities and teenage drunk drivers (Drinking Age Debate). 2. In 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act lowered the minimum drinking age to twenty­one. By 1988, every U.S. state had made their drinking age twenty­one (Minton 20). 3. In order for change, the repeal of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act would need to happen, and a law would have to be enacted allowing states to decide their own drinking age with no penalty (SSDP). However, I don't believe each state should have their own age, it should be eighteen nationwide. B. John McCardell, president of Middlebury a College and a professor at a number of other universities, founded the organizations “Choose Responsibility” and the “Amethyst Initiative.” McCardell has strong views in favor of lowering the age and believes it's inconsistent with our idea of adulthood. 1. McCardell notes that eighteen is the age that we are considered adults for most things. For example, “firing a weapon and putting your life o the line in battle” (qtd. in Drinking Age Debate). 2. When asked about the inconsistency, McCardell asked “Why don't we trust these young adults to make the same kind of responsible decisions about alcohol that we believe them capable of making in the jury booth, in the voting booth, and on the battlefield?” (qtd in. Drinking Age Debate). C. It makes sense that those fighting for our country should have the privilege of having a drink at the bar, whether under age or not. 1. Bob Lynn, Alaska State Representative and Vietnam veteran, believes that service men and women that are underage should not be turned down at the bar. “If you get shot at, you can have a shot” (Reynolds). 2. This is fair, at eighteen, men and women can go overseas and fight for their country, but they are denied a drink. His quote supports the “Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Drink” campaign. 3. “It makes little sense that America considers an eighteen year old mature enough to marry, sign a contract, vote, and to fight and die for his country, but not mature enough to decide whether or not to have a beer” (Balko 27). IV. How will lowering the legal drinking age increase or decrease binge drinking and accidents caused by underage drinking on and outside college campuses? Supporters of the legal drinking age believe that lowering it will cause more teen binge drinking and drunk drivers. Those in favor of lowering the age believe that bringing it down to eighteen will allow for alcohol education and a decrease in binge drinking in teens. A. Age twenty­one supporters strongly suggest that lowering the age will ultimately end in teenage drunk driving, resulting in an increase in alcohol related highway fatalities. 1. Some research proves that when teens have more access to alcohol, more problems springing from alcohol arise; for example, drunk driving (Huffman 61). 2. Underage teens drinking can lead to many “threats,” including drunk driving (Wallace). While this can be true, if the drinking age was eighteen and those of that age could drink, they would feel comfortable calling for a ride because there wouldn’t be consequences. 3. Although these supporters say drunk driving would increase even more than it’s “already high rate,” it’s been proven by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that drunk driving is most common among twenty­one to twenty­five year olds, who are legal (Statistics). 4. The higher rate in drunk drivers of people that are of age proves that just because you are considered old enough to drink by law does not mean that you are responsible enough. Age doesn’t determine responsibility level. 5. Chuck Hurley, an executive director at Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), belives that lowering the age to eighteen would lead to more funerals (Drinking Age Debate). B. Supporters of the legal age being eighteen show statistics proving that lowering the age would decrease binge drinking and make college campuses safer. 1. Supporters reference statistics of lower percentages in teenagers drinking underage after the new age went into effect as an experiment on a campus (Balko 25). 2. Mark Beckner, the police chief in Boulder, Colorado believes that the enforcement of this law is ineffective (Drinking Age Debate). 3. John McCardell agrees with Beckner, stating that “the law has created a dangerous culture of irresponsible and reckless behavior” (rpt. in Drinking Age Debate). 4. Following this, Beckner says that police in Colorado have gone to underage drinking parties and wrote up every underage person in the house, however, all that did was “push the drinking further underground” (rpt. in Drinking Age Debate). 5. Beckner believes that the overall advantage to lowering the age is that they would not be “trying to enfore a law thats unenforcable.” He goes on to say that “the abuse of alcohol, overconsumption, and DUI driving is where we need to keep our focus” (rpt. in Drinking Age Debate). C. Almost all college presidents believe that lowering the age on college campuses would benefit the students and their safety. 1. Barrett Seamen, former editor of Time Magizine, notes that after going to colleges all over the U.S., he “did not meet any presidents or deans who felt the twenty­one year age minimum helps their efforts to curb the abuse of alchol on campuses” (qtd. in Balko 25). 2. Over 130 college presidents have agreed to lower the age to eighteen. The high drinking age reduces drinking in bars and restuarants. Instead, college students just continue to drink in dorms or at secret parties with no supervision (Reynolds). 3. If the age was eighteen, students would go out and drink, where they can be supervised and monitored. 4. “Some support lowering the drinking age to eighteen in order to decrease binge drinking on college campuses and encourage responsible drinking behaviors” (ProQuest Staff). 5. Most college and high school students drink to feel dangerous or rebellious by breaking the law. Even though others believe that this isn’t what compels minots to drink, it’s a large part of it. Therefore, lowering the drinking age would potentially decrease college binge drinking. D. Underage students are unaware of what alcohol has the potential to do to their bodies. They are exposed to alcohol before their parents or gudiance counselors have the chance to educate them on how it works. Lowering the age would allow parents to teach their how to drink responsibly before they are at college with a lost opportunity. 1. Teens who start drinking before they are of age do so underground and unsafely. Thus, their parents and other family members aren’y given the chance to teach them safe drinking habits (SSDP). 2. According to John McCardell, “Colleges should be given the chance to educate students, who in all other respects are adults, in the appropriate use of alcohol within campus boundaries and out in the open” (rpt. in Minton 22). 3. Waiting for young adults to have their first experience with alcohol without adult supervision or away from home is not a good way to introduce drinking (Balko 26). E. Alcohol related driving fatalities aren’t solely due to teen drivers, and its decline since the age was risen is not a direct cause of the new law. 1. The conclusion of a study done at the University of Notre Dame claims that U.S. teens can drive many years before they can drink. Thus, they are less aware of what alcohol does to their bodies and they “overestimate” their driving ability (Minton 22). 2. There have been statistics that show since the age was raise, traffic incidents have declined (Roan 57). Although these statistics exist, not all of those deaths are due to drunk drivers. Also, car improvements have been made over the years. 3. The decrease in fatalities by car accident isn’t just because the legal age was raised to twenty­one. “Higher safety standards, law enforcement, airbags, and safety belts” are also contributors to this decline (Minton 22). As you comment on your research when you put it in your paper, react in a way that lean towards the point of your thesis. Outline is well structured and sound.