Is There the Prospect of Lowering the Minimum Drinking Age to 18?

Is there the prospect of lowering the minimum drinking age to 18?

Hella Bekele

Chadron State College

Fall, 2010

Table of Contents

Abstract ...................................................................................3

Introduction ...................................................................................4

Statement of the Problem .................................................................5

Review of literature ..........................................................................6

Brief History and Introduction ...............................................6

The Amethyst Initiative ........................................................8

Alcohol and Brain Development .............................................10

Drinking Patterns ................................................................11

Qualitative Analysis ................................................................12

Conclusion .........................................................................13

Statement of Hypothesis......................................................................14

References ..................................................................................15

Abstract

"Alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of death in the United States, a major contributing factor to unintentional injuries, the leading cause of death for youths and young adults, and accounts for an estimated 75,000 or more total deaths in the United States annually." (Wechsler, 2010 p. 986) In addition to injuries and accidents, other alcohol related problems include but are not limited to assault, sexually transmitted diseases, vandalism crime and so on (p. 986). Although efforts for controlling alcohol is not a phenomenon of the 21st century, the National Drinking Minimum Age Act was the first piece of legislation to be put into place, in the United States, making it illegal for anyone under the Age of 21 to purchase or consume alcohol. The National Drinking Minimum Age Act of 1984 requires all states to set the minimum age to purchase and consume to be 21, those states that fail to comply with the act face reduction of their highway funds. Congress' threat of reducing highway funds was not to pass without protest. In South Dakota v. Dole (1987), the US Supreme Court decided that Congress' threat of reduction of highway funds was not coercive enough to be considered unconstitutional; it was merely an incentive (Miron and Tetelbaum, 2009). Even though the Minimum Legal Drinking Age has been in effect for over thirty years, over the past couple of years there has been much debate towards lowering it, the purpose of these research is to see if there is enough movement towards that direction.

Is there the possibility of lowering the minimum drinking age to 18?

Introduction

"Alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of death in the United States, a major contributing factor to unintentional injuries, the leading cause of death for youths and young adults, and accounts for an estimated 75,000 or more total deaths in the United States annually." (Wechsler, 2010 p. 986) In addition to injuries and accidents, other alcohol related problems include but are not limited to assault, sexually transmitted diseases, vandalism crime and so on (p. 986). Although efforts for controlling alcohol is not a phenomenon of the 21st century, the National Drinking Minimum Age Act was the first piece of legislation to be put into place, in the United States, making it illegal for anyone under the Age of 21 to purchase or consume alcohol. The National Drinking Minimum Age Act of 1984 requires all states to set the minimum age to purchase and consume to be 21, those states that fail to comply with the act face reduction of their highway funds. Congress' threat of reducing highway funds was not to pass without protest. In South Dakota v. Dole (1987), the US Supreme Court decided that Congress' threat of reduction of highway funds was not coercive enough to be considered unconstitutional; it was merely an incentive (Miron and Tetelbaum, 2009). Even though the Minimum Legal Drinking Age has been in effect for over thirty years, over the past couple of years there has been much debate towards lowering it, the purpose of these research is to see if there is enough movement towards that direction.

Statement of the Problem

While most Americans would argue the minimum drinking age has made alcohol easily available for those younger than 21 and increased binge drinking, and it should therefore be lowered to 18, there is compelling evidence that proves otherwise Although relentless efforts have been made in decreasing the number of casualties of drunk driving, it is still apparent these efforts are not enough. For a person to be considered driving under the influence (DUI), he or she has to have a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08: if above the age of 21 and 0.02 if under the age of 21. A DUI may be considered as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances surrounding the particular case (Washington State Department of Licensing, 2010). Therefore, with the overwhelming number of fatalities and injuries, should the drinking age be lowered to 18?

Review of literature

The purpose of this research is to look at both sides of the argument in maintaining or lowering the drinking age at 21. This section research examines the history of minimum drinking age, data supporting and rejecting