Persuasive Essay On Lowering The Drinking Age

While some individuals believe introducing alcohol to underage kids while at home reduces the risk of binge drinking, as well as a reduction in the number of regular drinkers, I feel the United States law makers should not be more lenient of underage drinkers nor lower the legal drinking age. Reasoning is due to teens not handling alcohol responsibly, and thus would be more likely to harm or kill themselves or others. Underage drinking is illegal in the United States; it is dangerous, and may lead to alcohol abuse. Respectfully, as a teen turns 18 and enters adulthood, he or she becomes responsible for their own actions, can get married, has the legal right to vote, and enlist in any military branch, but should not be allowed to drink. This debate has many pros and cons as well as raising many questions. No, the United States should not be more lenient or lower the legal drinking age,
History shows in the roaring 1930’s all U.S. states had a set legal age for drinking or purchasing alcoholic beverages which was 21. In a publication by J. Carroll found in the Gallup, Inc. illustrates in the 1970’s numerous U.S. states legislation decided to lower the drinking age from 21 to “18, 19, or 20” (Carroll, 2007). This lowered drinking age only lasted approximately 14 years; then in 1984 Congress elected to raise the legal drinking age back to 21. This change would affect states who did not follow through their funding, “states would be subjected to a decrease in federal funding for highways if they state did not enforce the minimum age of 21 for purchasing/possessing alcohol” (Carroll, 2007). This was due to the increased fatality and accident percentages among teens during this time. When it comes to talks of drinking and age,