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Willis Fieldsend
English 250
Section VE
April 2, 2012
The Drinking Age in the United States
Underage drinking happens everywhere and affects everyone. Teenagers under the age of
twenty-one knowingly drink alcohol and have no problem facing the repercussions of getting caught. A
trick to not getting caught, as some people would believe, is consuming high amounts of alcohol before
going out it public, a street term called “binge drinking”. The dilemma we face today is the lack of
education in high school and even middle schools, where the problem effects the most vulnerable of
people-people who are often times drinking for the first time and over-consuming alcohol. One
solution would be to lower the drinking age to nineteen years of age to eliminate the ever increasing
fatalities due to alcohol overdose, but also making alcohol education a requirement for high school
students to stress the dangers and repercussions of drinking and driving, and also supplying to
minors.
Drinking Age Today
As we are all well aware the minimum drinking age today stands firm at twenty-one. In 1985
the minimum drinking age increased from nineteen to its current day age to combat traffic fatalities
with alcohol involved. In fact, according to MADD, (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) “the law continues
to prevent tragedies, decreasing traffic fatalities by 16 percent and keeping young people safer from
many risks” (MADD). In 2009 alone, “there were 10,839 traffic fatalities involving a driver with a BAC
(blood alcohol concentration) of .08 or higher, which accounted for 32% of total traffic fatalities for the
year (MADD). Many people for the current drinking age say this number would nearly triple if the
drinking age was lower then twenty-one. Repercussions for driving while impaired by alcohol vary
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from age. All fifty states enforce a zero-tolerance policy for individuals under the age of twenty-one,
who are picked up for impaired driving, resulting in a loss of license. People over the minimum
drinking age are charged with an OWI (operating while intoxicated) for the first offense and a second
offense results in a loss of license. Still the problem today is that the drinking age isn’t working.
Teenagers still drink high amounts of alcohol without worrying about stiff punishments.
Another benefit to a higher minimum drinking age is the effect alcohol can have on a
developing body, and most importantly the developing mind. “Teens are simultaneously undergoing
physical changes, peer pressure, and new situations and urges, allowing them to consume alcohol can
make them more vulnerable to drug and substance abuse, unplanned and unprotected sex, depression,
violence, and other social ills” (ProCon). “The earlier a person begins alcohol use, the greater the
chances are of that person becoming an alcoholic later in life, suffering negative physical withdrawal
symptoms and harming his/her brain during its development” (ProCon). One of the leading
organizations backing the minimum drinking age of twenty-one is MADD. “From its humble beginning
30 years ago, MADD has evolved into one of the most widly-supported, well-liked non-profit
organizations in America” (MADD). Still, today drunk driving fatalities have a very negative impact on
society, and while many young people eagerly await the day they turn twenty-one, is that age showing
any progress in combating fatalities that involve the abuse of alcohol?
Changing the Drinking Age
One of the biggest proponents of lowering the drinking age today is the wide range of freedoms
an eighteen year old falls into. Once someone turns eighteen his/her world opens up to the military,
marriage, voting, and most importantly to be prosecuted as an adult. At age eighteen you are
considered an “adult” by society but not able to drink an “adult” beverage. Another proponent to
changing the drinking age is the fact that it is nearly impossible to enforce. “Prohibiting teens from
drinking in bars, restaurants, and public locations has the effect of forcing them to drink in
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unsupervised places such as fraternity houses or house parties. When teens get hurt from alcoholrelated injuries or accidents, they are sometimes afraid of seeking medical help for fear of legal
consequences. Lowering the drinking age will allow teens to drink alcohol in regulated environments
with supervision” (ProCon). In fact, according to a “60 Minutes” interview, the police chief of Boulder,
Colorado has come out publically in support of lowering the drinking age because the increase in
“extreme drinking”.
Extreme drinking, or often other times referred too as “binge drinking” has become a major
problem today. Since the drinking age is twenty-one and young people now experiment with alcohol
more then ever, alcohol poisoning is on the rise. People choose to drink massive amounts of alcohol
before going out because drinking in public would get them in trouble. Additionally, according to a
study done by Duke University, “There isn't much difference between 18- to 20-year-olds (who cannot
drink legally) and 21- to 24-year-olds. Both groups have about 16 homicides per 100,000 and 30
vehicle deaths per 100,000” (Duke). Also one of the leading contributors to lowering the drinking
happens to be the president of Duke University, as well as over 100 college presidents who signed a
petition to lower the drinking age in the fall of 2010.
Since underage drinking is unable to be enforced, yet teenagers are drinking themselves to
death, the solution could come in the form of education. Lowering the drinking age combats
underground binge drinking and now puts more eyes on individuals consuming alcohol, while the
education of the alcohol abuse would combat any rise in traffic fatalities involving alcohol as long as
people on educated on the repercussions and the dangers. A mandatory class for high school students
would be a starting point while lowering the drinking age to 19 would keep alcohol in college towns
rather then in the hallways of high school students. Repercussions would become more severe since
the drinking age is lowered since safety is still everyone’s #1 concern.
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In conclusion, underage drinking has gone completely underground, and while police officers,
parents, and lawmakers know it, we still have young people dying. The right approach to anything at
the start is education. Stiff education on a topic makes it so people don’t forget it. One solution would
be to lower the drinking age to nineteen years of age to eliminate the ever increasing fatalities due to
alcohol overdose, but also making alcohol education a requirement for high school students to stress
the dangers and repercussions of drinking and driving, and also supplying to minors. Still this is still a
problem that needs to be addressed hopefully sooner, rather then later.
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Work Cited
Slade, Jamese. “Pros and Cons of the Legal Drinking Age”. Duke University Reserch. Duke University, 19
May 2010. Web. http://research.duke.edu/blog/2010/05/pros-and-cons-legal-drinking-age
“The Debate on Lowering the Drinking Age.” 60 Minutes. CBS. March 1, 2010. Television.
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18560_162-4813571.html
“Drinking Age Pro Con.” ProCon. 13 March 2012. Web. 31 March 2012. http://drinkingage.procon.org/
“Why 21? Addressing Underage Drinking”. Mothers Against Drunk Driving. 2011. Web. 31 March 2012.
http://www.madd.org/underage-drinking/why21/
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Excellent
Good
Fair
Needs
Work
Context
X
Position: thoughtful, perceptive definition of central question;
scope is sufficiently narrow
Purpose: approach overall clarifies mediation purpose
X
Substance
X
Development: sufficient summary and insight about topic;
paragraphs focused and yet fully developed
Sources: appropriate for topic, pertinent in placement, and
accurately cited in text; all quotations introduced correctly
X
Organization
X
Thesis: a thesis, early or late, that clearly states both sides of
question and its mediation
Introduction and Conclusion: overview of organization given
at the beginning; conclusion sums up key points
Relationship: relationship of ideas clear; coherent; transitional
devices used to guide reader
Unity: all paragraphs contribute to thesis; paragraphs
structured around controlling ideas; no tangents
Sequence: mediation emerges in a logical order; organization
for essay is clear & effective
X
X
X
X
Style
X
Style: clear and concise writing; no confusing or awkward
writing
Sentence structure: sentences varied; subordination and
coordination used effectively
Vocabulary: precise, vivid and appropriate word choice
X
X
X
Conventions & Correctness
 free from sentence-level errors
 free from word-level errors
Delivery
Visuals: any visuals used are integrated effectively with titles
and captions
Works Cited: typed Works Cited page attached to each final
draft that correctly cites sources
Formatting: 1” margins, Times or Times New Roman 12 point
font; MLA header; page numbers on pages; double-spaced
X
X
X
A letdown after your last paper, this one uses
its research ineffectively. The best data & quotation you dig up
supports leaving the drinking age where it is. Late in the paper, when
you make assertions about the benefits of lowering the age, there’s no
effective support: no data, no authorities cited, & in fact the logic
you’ve developed is almost all on the contrary side. A related problem
is the faulty ¶ing here & there, flaws in unity. Then there are the many
smaller problems, from verb agreement to empty wordiness. C+ or 77.
__X___Workshopped. / Overall Comments: