Why the Drinking Age Should Be 18

For the past few years, there has been much debate on the age appropriate for legal consumption and purchasing of alcohol among the people of the United States. On July 17th, 1984, President Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Act that legally changed the drinking age in the U.S from 18 years of age, to 21 years of age, where it has remained up until today. The reasoning behind this act was to try and limit binge drinking, and the epidemic of drunk driving, which resulted in many car crashes that lead to many deaths in the country. Many activities in the United States have ages of "initiation"; 16 to start driving, 18 to vote and/or join the military, age 35 to become President, so on and so forth, I, among many other citizens of the U.S believe that the legal age to purchase and consume alcohol should be 18. When a citizen of the United States turns 18-years-old, they are allowed to fight and die for their country, so why should they be denied the right to drink at the same age?

When you turn the age of 18 it is known as becoming an adult. By then most teenagers have their license and can drive on their own. Not only do they have their license but also many take the next step in life. Some go on to college, military, or to the work field. When you are able to sign up for the military whether it is the navy, army, or any of the others you should be able to legally have a drink of alcohol. You are able to go die for your country at that age so why not consume alcohol at that age also. Others say that the legal drinking age should stay at 21 though because at the age of 18 they are not mature enough to make the right decision under the influence of alcohol. Everyone has different opinions of the situation but in perspective, the minimum legal drinking age should be lowered to 18.

Just because the legal drinking age is 21 does not mean that young adults do not drink before they turn 21. By the time young adults turn 21 they have already drank an alcoholic beverage at some point in their life. Most young adults that are in college are not 21 and drink much more than when they turn 21. The law says that you cannot have any consumption of alcohol until you turn 21, but this has not stopped any young adult that wants to consume it before their 21st birthday. Young adults today find it more fun and entertaining to consume alcohol before they are 21 because it gives them the rush that they are doing something illegally.

Even though some say that if the legal drinking age was lowered to 18 there would be more alcohol related vehicle fatalities that is not entirely true. Overall the United States has seen a decline with this situation so if the age was lowered it does not mean that it is going to rise back to where it was in the 1970's and earlier. With all of the legal rights 18 year olds have they should be taught at a younger age how to drink responsibly. College is where many young adults start experimenting