On January of 1920, America passed a law resulting in a ban of alcohol, better known as the Prohibition. The Prohibition was a time of rebellion from the people of the US. In a result, the ban to the use of alcohol was lifted and the legal drinking age was 18 up until 1973. The current drinking age in America is twenty-one due to scientific research that shows that twenty-one is the age when your brain is fully developed.  This topic has been a problem in America‘s history for a while. Lately people have been wondering if the drinking age should be lowered. Although many people believe that lowering the drinking age would cause problems with teenagers, it would actually help teenagers be safe.

Being a teenager and going to a high school I am well aware of all the drinking that occurs around me. If eighteen is going to mark the age of adulthood, then why should eighteen year olds have to wait until the age of twenty-one? “Eighteen is the age of adulthood in the United States, and adults should have the right to make their own decisions about alcohol consumption.” (Lowering drinking age 1). If an eighteen year old can vote why can’t they make their own decisions about alcohol?  Eighteen year olds are legally adults.  That means that they should make their own decisions.

In high school it is very easy to obtain alcohol. “More than 90% of high school seniors claim that alcohol is fairly easy or very easy to obtain.” (Lowering the drinking 1). Teenagers have access to alcohol there’s no doubt about that. Lowering the age would make more profit for stores because they wouldn’t get stolen from. If the drinking age was lowered people could drink in controlled environments. “Allowing eighteen to twenty one year old to drink alcohol in regulated environments with supervision would decrease unsafe drinking activity.” (Lowering the drinking 1). If the drinking were controlled then there wouldn’t be as many problems.

On the other hand, many may disagree that eighteen is a just age. Teenagers have poor judgment due to the underdevelopment of the brain. Many believe that this law will increase the already steady rate of traffic related fatalities within our nation. Evidence has shown that “the number of traffic fatalities had decreased by 13% due to the increase in the drinking age” (Lowering Drinking Age 4). With that being said, lowering the drinking age will only negatively impact our nation by increasing traffic fatalities, harming the already declining health of America, and welcome an increase of illegal drugs. Many feel that increasing the drinking age will grant minors the ability to access alcohol more easily, therefore alcohol will gain popularity among the population of young people. With the privilege of being able to consume alcohol legally follows with many responsibilities that people under 21 cannot withstand.

Although many beg to differ that the drinking age should be lowered, there are many positive factors to this particular controversy. Teenagers may have poor decision making skills, but they will find a way to do what they want without thinking about the consequences. In a survey conducted by CBS News it showed that nearly “78% of American teenagers have consumed alcohol this past year” (CBS Inc. 1). The results of this poll come to prove regardless of the law, minors are going to drink. Many of these minors have attended house parties, which are unsupervised and unsafe. More than 5,000 minors die each year as a result of alcohol (NIA). If the age were lowered, many of these minors may have been able to drink in a safe and controlled environment such as a bar or restaurant.

As a parent, wouldn’t you rather be aware of what activities your 18 year old is partaking in and their location at the time? If the age were to be lowered, drinking would eventually become safer in the end, the drunk driving fatalities would decrease, and appeal to drink would not be as strong as it would be more ordinary than it already is.

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Reveals Shocking Levels of Teen Drinking, Drug Abuse." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 21 May 2015.
"The USA Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered to 18 from 21." The USA Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered to 18 from 21. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2015.