Argumentative Essay

Cameron Black
ENG 1101
November 24, 2015
Lowering Drinking Age to 19
In 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed in the United States, which
made the legal drinking age rise from 18, to 21 in every state. If the state chose not to adopt the
Act then they would lose ten percent of their federal highway funding, thus forcing all states to
adopt it. This was for purchase, and for public possession. People who were able to purchase and
consume alcoholic beverage before the act was passed were grandfathered into being able to
continue purchasing and consuming the beverages. It only took effect on those who had not yet
turned 18. At the time, the original reason for changing the drinking age was due to the fact that
President Regan saw what he thought was a Drunk Driving Crisis, and he wanted to change it.
An organization called Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, lobbied the issue for several
years, helping Regan make his decision to sign the act and officially change the age. (Choose
Responsibility) All around the world, there are countries with lower drinking ages than 21, and
even 18. Some countries dont have drinking ages at all, while in the United States, we are
allowed to vote and give our lives to fighting for our country, but not allowed to consume
alcoholic beverages. This raises my argument that the drinking age in the United States should be
lowered from the age of 21 to the age of 19.
When the drinking age was 18, kids that were still in high school were able to get ahold
of alcohol and that would affect their studies as well as the drop out rate. Along with that,
Despite efforts to prevent underage alcohol use, the average American adolescent starts drinking

by age 16. (Morean) Which means that with the drinking age as high as it is, it doesnt really do
much in preventing underage drinking at all. To make matters worse, some alcohol companies
target the younger groups of people with some of their flashy products. Flavored Alcoholic
Beverages (FABs) high alcohol content, low price, sweet flavoring, attractive packaging, and
targeted marketing strategies have caused concern that FAB consumption might
disproportionately contribute to alcohol-related emergency department visits by underage
drinkers. (Albers) This puts some of the blame on the companies that produce the beverages.
They make them so visually appealing that most young kids would like to get their hands on
them whenever they see them. Alcohol companies are the same as Cigarette companies used to
be when it comes to their marketing and their target audience. They dont really care who buys it;
they just want to make the money.
There are 115 Countries in the world that have their legal drinking age set for the ages of
18-19. There are 42 Countries in the world that have their drinking ages set for the ages of 16-17
or younger. Finally, there are 12 Countries that have their minimum drinking ages set to 21, with
the United States being one of them. (ProCon.org) College officials have noticed the lack of
progress when it comes to alcohol related problems in college students. Most college students
range from 18 to 24 in age and a large majority between 18-20 years still participate in drinking
activities with their peers. As of November 2009, presidents and chancellors of 135 colleges
and universities have signed on to the Amethyst Initiative calling for a public debate about
lowering the minimum legal drinking age to 18 years. (Wechsler) They argue that the age of 21
just isnt preventing younger people from consuming alcoholic beverages. The Amethyst
Initiative suggests that the observed declines in drinking, traffic fatalities, and related harms
since the minimum legal drinking age of 21 years became law are a result of other factors, such

as improvements in motor vehicle safety, and not the change in the minimum legal drinking
age. (Wechsler) This shows the fact that the drinking age may have been lowered for a good
reason, but the change that we have seen over the years isnt really due to the fact that the
drinking age was raised to a higher age. Advancements in technology in vehicles have helped
prevent those who drink and drive from getting in as many fatal accidents as before. This doesnt
make it right by any means, but we shouldnt have a law that is trying to prevent drunk driving
when data shows that many still drive while intoxicated.
With that being said, if the drinking age was lowered to the age of 19, there could be
other ways of getting younger people the information they need to know about handing the drug
responsibly. For instance, health classes in high school dont go very in depth about the major
consequences of underage drinking. States could require high schools to teach a specific class on
substance abuse and what exactly happens to your body when you abuse alcohol. The argument
has been raised everywhere that alcohol effects a developing brain more than a fully developed
adult brain. Alcohol does accelerate the aging process, however, this accelerated aging, happens
in those who abuse alcohol and become alcoholics at any age. (Oscar-Berman) Those who
become alcoholics at such a young age often are not aware of the fact that their body can be a
victim of this. Every organ in the body is susceptible to being damaged and most likely will
become damaged when the drug is abused, even if the person starts drinking at the age of 21.
Brains of alcoholics resemble brains of chronologically old non-alcoholics. (Oscar-Berman)
Its about the responsibility and the way someone uses alcohol, which can be taught to those who
would like to learn.
Lowering the drinking age to 19 would make it so that those who have turned 18 and are
legally able to fight in wars for their country, as well as vote, can consume alcoholic beverages.

You should be able to have a drink or two, or however many you want for that matter, if you can
fight for your country and your friends and family to live free lives. The age of 19 makes it so
that people that are still in high school cant get their hands on alcoholic beverages until they
have graduated. Lowering the drinking age also helps keep people out of trouble that drink with
their friends in college. Alcohol is available on many college campuses and officials dont like
seeing their students get in trouble with the law when they are trying to enjoy their college life.
The drinking age should be lowered from the age of 21 to 19. The original reason that the
drinking age was raised (drunk driving), hasnt changed, cars just got safer so less intoxicated
drivers have gotten in fatal accidents (This does not mean that its okay to drink and drive). At the
age of 19, most high school kids cant get their hands on it and the people that are 18 and can
elect a member into public office and fight in wars only wait one year to partake in their first
drink. Age 19 also releases stress on college officials who want their students to stay out of
trouble when it comes to drinking alcoholic beverages. All of the bad things and consequences
that alcohol abuse causes can be taught to young kids and better prepare them for the future to
help prevent alcoholism. Many countries have drinking ages below the age of 18. The United
States should have a drinking age of 19, instead of 21.

Works Cited:
Albers, Alison Burke, et al. "Flavored Alcoholic Beverage Use, Risky Drinking Behaviors, And
Adverse Outcomes Among Underage Drinkers: Results From The ABRAND Study." American
Journal Of Public Health 105.4 (2015): 810-815 6p. CINAHL Complete. Web. 6 Nov. 2015.
Morean, Meghan E, et al. "First Drink To First Drunk: Age Of Onset And Delay To Intoxication
Are Associated With Adolescent Alcohol Use And Binge Drinking." Alcoholism, Clinical And
Experimental Research 38.10 (2014): 2615-2621. MEDLINE with Full Text. Web. 3 Nov. 2015
ProCon.org. "Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) in 190 Countries." ProCon.org. 25
Aug. 2015. Web. 6 Nov. 2015.
"Choose Responsibility." Legal Age 21. ChooseResponsibiliy.org, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.
Wechsler, H, and TF Nelson. "Will Increasing Alcohol Availability By Lowering The Minimum
Legal Drinking Age Decrease Drinking And Related Consequences Among Youths?." American
Journal Of Public Health 100.6 (2010): 986-992 7p.CINAHL Complete. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.
OscarBerman, Ph.D., Marlene. "Alcoholism and the Brain: An Overview."Alcoholism and the
Brain: An Overview. N.p., July 2004. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.