Lowering the Drinking Age of the U.S

A Forbidden Fruit In the United States of America citizens are subjected to many laws, some definitely necessary, while others are not well founded. One law which is not well founded is the law that prevents anyone younger than twenty one from drinking. This law clearly states that you must be twenty-one years old in order to consume or purchase any alcoholic beverages. The citizens of the United States are considered to be legal adults at the age of eighteen. Despite many responsibilities, why is it illegal for an eighteen year old to drink? How is it that the U.S. government can trust eighteen years old to vote and decide who can run the country, possess the ability to join the military and fight for their country, buy cigarettes, get emancipated from their parents, purchase and own a shotgun and rifle and yet these same eighteen year olds are still not allowed to drink? The United States has the highest legal drinking age in the world and many U.S. citizens do not agree with the current legal age of twenty-one years (Rehab 1). The legal drinking age around the world differs. Most countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Germany and much more allow people to drink at the ages between sixteen and eighteen years old. Others like Haiti, Jamaica, Albania and much more do not reinforce their drinking laws. Adolescents around the world consume alcohol, and most of them are aware of its effect. The problem that often occurs is that many minors who consume alcohol do it in an irresponsible manner. This is because drinking is seen by these youth as a tempting “forbidden fruit”. People always want what they are not supposed to have. When you reach the mature age of eighteen, drinking should not be a cause of dispute. According to Dr, Ruth Engs, professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington, lowering the drinking age would not solve the problem of underage drinking, but would be an important step in the right direction (Engs 1). Therefore, the

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