Drinking Age

At the age of eighteen, one is legally considered to be an adult. When an individual turns eighteen, he or she gains many rights and privileges. Some of these rights and privileges include legally being able to buy tobacco products, being able to wed, making decisions for our country by being able to vote, and standing in a line of fire to fight and defend our country by going to war. With all of these rights and privileges one gains by turning eighteen, should not the drinking age be the same as well? Many aspects need to be put into perspective when discussing this issue, but when one finally becomes an adult he or she takes on new responsibilities, which should include being able to drink.

Even though the legal drinking age is currently twenty-one, a majority of young people under the age of twenty-one consume alcohol. Many young people often do so in an irresponsible manner, due to the fact that drinking is seen by the youth as being an enticing "forbidden fruit," and a symbol of adulthood. The drinking age has been an issue now for quite a long time. This issue has stirred quite a bit of controversy, especially with recent proposals being made to reduce the minimum legal age at which one may drink.

Although people have many reasonable arguments against lowering the drinking age, there are also many positive affects that could result if the drinking age is lowered. First of all when people turn eighteen, they are considered to be a legal adult. If an individual is considered an adult, they should have the right to drink. Also, if one is able to go and fight in a war at the age of eighteen, they should enjoy the privilege of drinking. The United States military recognizes eighteen, nineteen and twenty year-olds as the adults they are. Therefore, if they are granted great responsibility, including the command of others, the operation of complex and dangerous weapons, and the ability to make major split-second decisions, they should have the privilege to have a few drinks.

One of the more influential persons of lowering the drinking age is Dr. Ruth Engs, a Professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington. He proposes that the drinking age be lowered to about eighteen or nineteen and permit those of a legal age to consume in socially controlled environments such as restaurants and official school and university functions. He also believes that raising the legal drinking age has made matters worse. "Our nation has twice tried prohibition, first at the state level in the 1859's and at the national level beginning in 1920. These efforts to prevent drinking were unenforceable and created serious social problems such as widespread disrespect for law, the growth of organized crime, and the development of immoderate consumption patterns (Engs)." Dr. James Wright, President of Dartmouth College also agrees, "I think we would all be better off if the drinking age were eighteen." He remembers the days before the drinking age was raised to twenty-one. At that time academic departments had open house and served sherry, students commonly gathered with faculty with drinks. Dr. Wright says, "I think its unfortunate we find ourselves in the position that we enforce a law that most of us believe doesn't treat students as adults (Engs)."

Dr. Engs along with other experts and scientists have proven that there is much evidence that reducing the drinking age would reduce the abuse of alcohol among young people these days. We are also the only country in the world that has a drinking age of twenty-one. The average drinking age in Europe is between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, and in almost every other country the average drinking age is eighteen, so if the United States has such a high drinking age, could it not be assumed that there