Contemporary Issues Final Essay

America’s current drinking age is a predominate contemporary issue; not only among my high school peers but also amid all of the United States. I chose to select the topic on the debate over the current legal drinking age because it is a cultural decision that I think could positively impact America’s negative attitude and culture towards drinking. This issue is heavily debated because of its controversial nature. There are multiple positions that support both sides of the controversy of either keeping the drinking age at the current law of 21 or lowering the drinking age.
Advocates for keeping the drinking age at 21 illustrate multiple points supporting the current law. The current law, the Minimum Drinking Age Act, was passed in 1984 and required that all states increase their minimum drinking age to 21 or lose the benefit of Federal Highway Funds. A total of 25,000 lives have been saved since the Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed in 1984. There has been a 63% decline in alcohol-related crash fatalities and approximately 1,000 lives are saved per year.
These staggering statistics give alarm to social activists such as Mothers Against Destructive Decisions or M.A.D.D., “a non-profit organization that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving and prevent underage drinking.” (Wikipedia) In an effort to keep the minimum drinking age laws at 21, M.A.D.D. presents the argument about the effect of early alcohol use and human brain development. Research shows that early alcohol consumption damages brain development and has a negative impact on future intellectual capabilities, given that the brain develops until the age of early and mid-20s. The Boston Globe in 2005 said that the early use of alcohol “can alter or retard [human brain] growth, including memory and test-taking ability.” In addition to intellectual capabilities, early alcohol use increases the risk of adult drug use and is found to be a link to future alcohol dependence.
Excessive underage drinking is definitely a problem. Some feel that the current drinking age is an appropriate law that should be more readily enforced. However, many view the drinking age law as an obstruction to developing responsible drinking habits. The legal drinking age varies among countries from age zero, having no drinking age, to age 21. The United States has the highest legal drinking age in the world. However, the U.S. has one of the highest alcohol dependency problems in the world. Coincidence? Many think not. The ineffectiveness of the current drinking law is shown in the multiple alcohol-related health issues and the prevalent binge drinking culture. “Twenty-five to forty percent of all patients in U.S. general hospital beds are being treated for complications of alcohol-related problems.” (Marin Institute) The high rate of alcohol-related health issues in America causes a reconsideration of the current drinking age law.
Advocates of lowering the drinking age believe that the current drinking age law is ineffective. People under the age of 21 are still able to access and drink alcohol and are now more likely to be heavy binge drinkers. Binge drinkers are defined as those who consume more than four drinks in one sitting, with the foremost intent of intoxication. The current drinking law creates this dangerous binge-drinking culture, which promotes drinking in secrecy in an unwarranted amount. Rather than “turning our heads” away from this cultural issue, professor Ruth C. Engs believes that the drinking age should be lowered in order to instill responsible drinking habits in our youth. “…[r]esponsible drinking could be taught through role modeling and educational programs,” Engs wrote in an opinion-based article based upon research. “Mature and sensible drinking behavior would be expected.” Many share Engs’ approach to responsible drinking habits such as, John McCardell, the president emeritus of Vermont’s Middleburry College and the founder of a group called Choose Responsibility. This organization advocates the education of 18-year-olds on ways to drink responsibly and issuing under aged people with drinking licenses if certain requirements are met. McCardell is also responsible for organizing a group of college presidents and chancellors called the Amethyst Initiative. The movement’s 134 college president participants have signed a petition with the intent for a reconsideration of the U.S. drinking age laws.
But would America’s youth be able to rise to the responsibility? Many note the multiple responsibilities given to 18-year-olds such as being able to vote, have credit, marry and enlist in the army. If people at the age of 18 are given this much responsibility, they should be able and allowed to responsibly drink alcohol.
The drinking age is a controversial issue that does not seem to have a definitive end. People will always drink and people will always be opposed to drinking. The issue has arisen because of America’s actions in their excessive abuse of alcohol. The issue will come to an end when America chooses to act and drink responsibly. Whether or not America will be more responsible with an 18-year-old drinking law…? You decide.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothers_Against_Drunk_Driving#Minimum_drinking_age_laws

http://www.marininstitute.org/alcohol_policy/health_care_costs.htm

http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/cqoped.html

http://www.amethystinitiative.org/

Exam- Blog Post #2

After reviewing Jack’s wiki page, I have learned about the multiple aspects of the issue of legalizing marijuana. Those who oppose marijuana claim that it is an unhealthy drug, causing physical damage to abusers, that creates a “stepping-stone” for other harder drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Opposition also includes the possible increased automobile accidents. Advocates of the legalization of marijuana, Jack seems to be one of them, support the multiple benefits of medical marijuana and taxing the product to increase our countries revenue.

Ciara’s wiki page informed me of the controversial issue of the second amendment right. Some believe that this constitutional right, the right to bear arms, is outdated because it was originally created to defend our nation in colonial times against the British. However, many Americans believe that their constitutional right should not be violated. Others believe that gun restrictions are necessary to control gun violence.


Evan’s topic of independent study was the Iraqi War. After visiting his wiki page and his delicious account and watching his Animoto, I have learned of the various opinions about the war. Some people favor the war because of the need to control weapons of mass destruction, to maintain and protect the oil supply and to stop the war on terrorism. However, many oppose the war because of the increasing death toll and the hindering cost of the war on our economy.

Drinking Age Debate Presentation

lower the us drinking age

Trust

Gregory D. Lee thinks that if 18-year-olds can be trusted with credit, marriage and voting, then they are responsible enough to be entrusted with alcohol!




http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.1957/pub_detail.asp

Too Young?

This photo was seen on a men blogging site with the caption, "Should we lower the legal drinking age?" Which raises the question, how young is too young?




http://ca.askmen.com/daily/blogs/politics/lower-the-legal-drinking-age.html

Final Project

For my final project, I plan to make an AMAZING Powerpoint.

Podcast2: "Drinking Age Debate"

This podcast discusses the current drinking laws with guests, John McCardell and Lauren D. Moody, on the Drinking Age Debate episode of WNYC program, The Brian Lehrer Show. John McCardell is the former president of Middlebury College and one of the 12o liberal arts colleges that has signed the Amethyst Initiative, a movement calling for the reconsideration of U.S. drinking age laws. Lauren Moody is the president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

McCardell is in favor of lowering the drinking age. He discusses the ineffectiveness of the current drinking law and the Amethyst Initiative's effort to reconsider the current drinking laws and lowering them to 18 years old.

Moody is in favor of keeping the current drinking age of 21. Moody states the precedenting need to create stronger reinforcment of current drinking laws. Moody says that alcohol is not a responsibilty/privelage issue but rather a "public health issue."

Podcast: "Drinking Age Debate"

This podcast is posted by the Dickinson College, Clarke Forum on Contemporary Issues. The podcast called the Drinking Age Debate discusses the effectiveness of the decision to raise the drinking age 23 years ago. Has it worked?
Mr. McCardell and Mr. Hurley debate the issue at Dickinson College.

Mr. McCardell points out that prohibition clearly did not work. It was dangerous and ineffective causing people that were drinking to drink in a large amount. Mr. McCardell compares the current drinking age to prohibition. By examining the origin of the 21-year-old drinking age, Mr. McCardell notes that the law was created because of alcohol related fatalities. The statistics show that crash rates decreased significantly since the law was created. However, Mr. McCardell states that there are many other factors that attributed to this death reduction such as safer car technology. Another point that Mr. McCardell makes is the cliche argument of "If you can fight for the country, then you should be able to buy a beer..." He believes that it is time to re-consider this law.

Mr. Hurley states concerns of binge drinking, however, firmly believes in the 21-year-old drinking age.
The 21 drinking age law was created by a presidential commision created by President Regan 1982. The law was created because of the following key points.
Three key points;
1) the Surgeon General's Warning; Every age group in America was increasing in longevity except teenagers and the leading cause of their deaths was alcohol.
2) the military;
The leading cause of non-combat deaths in the military was from drunken motor vehicle crashes.
3) the uniformity issue. Some states began increasing their drinking age in 1975, yet issues arrose with neighboring borders who had not adopted the law such as; Wisconsin and Illinois.
Mr. Hurley argues that not only has there been a decrease in deaths since the law was created, but there has been a decrease in suicides and homicides.

Amethyst Initiative

The Amethyst Initiative is a movement to rethink and lower the legal drinking age of 21.

130 college presidents feel the same way and have publicly signed their names in the petition on the Amethyst Initiative- Rethink the Drinking Age website. Their main emphasis is that despite the minimum legal drinking age of 21, there is a dangerous binge drinking culture on most college campuses.

First Thoughts...

President L. Baird Tipson of Washington College writes about his favorable position on lowering the legal drinking age to 18. Mr. Tipson calls the current system of a legal age of 21 years old as being a "culture of clandestine drinking." Having alcohol be a forbidden item, students will drink excessively at the beginning of an evening, rather than responsibly drink throughout the evening. The current system does not foster responsible drinking habitats. Alcohol is a component in student and adult socializing. By putting a 21-year old drinking age, alcohol has a certain "seductive mystique," as Tipson puts it. This mystique would lack if responsible alcohol consumption was part of the norm.