Writer Name It

[Name of the Writer]

Ms. Decker

English 1301

[Date]

Drinking age should be raised

Introduction

There have been a lot of debates for the past few years on the drinking age. Different sociological, psychological and medical researchers have shed light on this debate as per justification from their field. Several arguments are made to change drinking age. Some think that drinking age should remain the same while many assert that drinking age should be raised. All these suggestions are proposed with reasoning, taking into account the necessity of logic that can facilitate a productive decision. According to a medical research, it is brought to attention that young adults reach physical maturity when they are 21 years old, while researchers finding the effect of drugs on young adults and teens affirm that physical maturity, especially of brain and nervous system, does not occur until an individual is 25 years old (Rosenthal, et al). In continuation of this research along with an exegetical approach to society and health, it is affirmed that drinking age should be raised because drugs can cast a highly negative effect on the social moral and ethical growth of teenagers.

Discussion

According to the research that was published in Wall Street Journal, it is asserted that from the perspective of neuroscientists, the human brain is not fully developed until the age of 25, taking into account that it can exhibit some negative effect on the mind of the consumer. As a result of drinking, brain develops some abnormalities that are a threat to life. If drinking age is lowered such as 18-20 years or it is kept constant i.e. 18 years, then alcohol would be readily available to the teenagers. As a result of drinking, the teenagers might get engaged in some accidents as proved by research in the United States that showed that a large number of car crash accidents are alcohol-related and mostly occur in teenagers who are 15 to 17 years old (Rosenthal, et al).

In accordance with the research that was conducted by Core Institute, it is observed that almost 73% of the college students drink, although sometimes, still the overall ratio shows that 74 alcoholic beverages are consumed in a single week. Moreover, about 1/3 of the students have missed their classes because of the temptation to drink and 1/5 of the students have failed in the exam because either they are drunk or they are out with a friend to drink (Chalfin, et al). Another research by (Chalfin, et al), highlighted that people who can’t live without alcohol are found to be addicted to alcohol when they were 18 to 24 years old (Rosenthal, et al). Among them, 1/3 of the people assert that despite several efforts, they cannot stop themselves from consuming alcohol. Sociological studies have highlighted that lowering drinking age can empower and give way to a lot of social dilemmas and unethical behaviors such as crime rates. It is proven that a teenager become an addict more quickly as compared to an adult. (Rosenthal, et al). In order to fulfill addiction, a teenager will commit crimes and the only crime in their reach is "robbing, theft, and smuggling on a minor level". These teenagers when grown will obviously grow up into major criminals who will find more peace and ease in using illegal ways to get their desires fulfilled rather than strive to work hard and earn money. Moreover, addicts are afraid of the social conduct that can deprive them of their flexibilities (Chalfin, et al).

There are several evidence found in the research of (Rosenthal, et al), these evidence justify that youngsters and teenagers who consume alcohol are more towards suicidal attempts and they face impaired cognitive functions that will automatically hamper and influence the ability of the child to reach educational capacity. In accordance with collective research conducted in different countries, it is revealed that increasing alcohol drinking age will help to reduce the problems that are related to alcohol consumption or drinking (Rosenthal, et al). This evidence is traced by analyzing the situation and the ratio of teenagers who are addict or adults who cannot live without drinking in New Zealand and Australia with lowered drinking age (Chalfin, et al). It was concluded that lowering of drinking age resulted in an increased ratio of traffic accidents along with other harms in young people. According to the research by (Rosenthal, et al), it is asserted that increasing drinking age has resulted in saving 900 lives every year, because of fewer alcohol-related fatalities in the underage drivers (Rosenthal, et al).

Although all these evidences are sufficient to assert that the drinking age should be increased still there are some arguments that are proposed. Many researchers are of the view that increasing drinking age will make students use unfair means to get alcohol and it is more dangerous (Chalfin, et al). It is observed that this argument lacks logic because increasing drinking age means there would be a check and balance on buying and selling of alcohol and this initiative will let few use unfair means while many can be saved from life-threatening risks. It is also argued that increasing drinking age will make teenagers develop a rebellious attitude which is defied by the notion that increasing drinking age is capable of saving the lives of students not only socially but also mentally by keeping them away from addiction. It is also important to note that raising drinking age will reduce the number of addicts because youngsters are addicted to drugs when they are exposed to it with freedom (Chalfin, et al). Some limitations and restrictions will not only reduce the number of addicts but it will also help to control the rate of accidents that can save the life of a youngster. Although many of the researchers still believe that maturity comes at 18 years and maturity gives the right to decide fair and wrong, however, the point of analysis is, maturity in the age of 18 does not allow an individual to decide life and death, when actions are equally devastating for the people around. It is evident that a criminal group will also attract others with negative mind, roadside accident can injure someone who has nothing to do with the accident and all these facts are threatful for the progress and status of the country in the long run because youth is the future deciders of the country (Chalfin, et al).

Conclusion

Drinking age is one of the most discussed topics, without any solid conclusion. Still, it is asserted that the drinking age should be raised because it can save a lot of youngsters from mental diseases, societal crimes, health issues and accidents that can affect their life. Moreover, raising drinking age can help save future of the country in the long run because addicts in youth do more harm than good to a country. Also, such violent accidents can deprive the United States of the talent that can help it to make up a mark in the world. In a nutshell, lowering drinking age is more like dragging youth and teenagers to the caves of death and destruction because there is no future of a country in which youth is addicted to alcohol. Also, drinking has both long term and short-term disadvantages that can even deprive a teenager of his life. All these assertions and arguments assert that the drinking age should be raised so that not all but many lives can be saved from getting a victim to social crimes and a narrowed approach of life that leads to death.

Works Cited

Chalfin, A., Hansen, B., & Ryley, R. (2019). The Minimum Legal Drinking Age and Crime Victimization (No. w26051). National Bureau of Economic Research.

Rosenthal, Martha S. Drugs: Mind, Body, and Society. Oxford University Press, 2019.