DRINKING AGE REQUIRES NECESSARY AND PROPER ACTION
Charlie Covey November 11, 2007 FSEM, Final Project op-ed
The drinking age was raised on a state-by-state basis through the lobbying efforts of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) on the federal government. If states did not raise the drinking age they would lose 10% of federal funding for highways. Each state currently has the ability to lower the drinking age, but in doing so the state would forfeit highway funding.
Advocates of the 18-year-old drinking age cite other rights gained at 18 that require much more responsibility than handling a drink. At 18, citizens can vote, adopt children, pay taxes, and go to war. Many people claim that going to war is more an emotional responsibility than drinking a beer, so why shouldn’t 18 year old be allowed to drink?
Another argument for lowering the drinking age is the fact that the current law is largely ineffective. Young people, especially on college campuses, consume alcohol in vast amounts with little or no repercussions. Parents of high schoolers have been known to allow teens to drink in their homes, as opposed to an unknown location where risks could be much greater and supervision could be absent altogether.
The current laws force underage drinking underground, out of sight of parents, supervisors, and law enforcement officials. This creates a dangerous environment for inexperienced drinkers who are particularly vulnerable to binge drinking and alcohol poisoning. Young people effectively avoid the current laws, which is an indicator that the legislation should be modified or rewritten.
According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, underage drinking accounts for roughly 20% of alcohol revenues for the United States. The under 21 demographic creates upwards of $20 billion in alcohol sales, which speaks to the ineffective nature of the laws.
While alcohol use among high school aged teens has decreased the inception of the higher drinking age in the early 80s, the majority of teens still consume alcohol. According to a University of Michigan study, in 1984, 92.2% of twelfth graders reported having consumed alcohol, whereas in 2006, 72.2% of twelfth graders reported drinking alcohol at some point in their lives.
Before championing this as a total victory, drinking in general has decreased, partly because of a more health conscious society. In Risky Behavior Among Youths: an Economic Analysis, Jonathan Gruber reports that parents are the most influential figures when it comes to teens deciding if and when to drink. Adult drinking has decreased, so therefore, teen drinking has responded accordingly. The downward shift in teen drinking can be attributed in part to the drinking laws, but other factors are at work as well.
Additionally binge-drinking rates have decreased among youths. The Monitoring the Future study reports that from 1997 to 2005 binge drinking among high school seniors decreased by 19%. In 2005 less than 30% of twelfth graders reported binging within their lifetime. However, roughly 40% of college students reported binging in the past two weeks alone. This dangers behavior can lead to alcohol poisoning and possibly death. Teens, particularly those entering college, need to be educated on safe drinking practices.
If the drinking age were lowered to 18, it would become increasingly necessary for schools to provide a more comprehensive and realistic alcohol education program because students would be of legal drinking age. Also, parents would be able to monitor teen drinking more easily because it would be out in the open instead of a secret. More education and understanding of alcohol and its affects could increase awareness about it and decrease instances of alcohol poisoning and other negative repercussions of alcohol use.
The United States has one of the highest drinking ages in the world. In most of Europe the drinking age is 16 and for the majority of the world the drinking age is 18. Drinking rates among European teens tend to be higher, but fewer teens reported being drunk in the past 30 days. 21% of American teens versus 13% of European teens reported being drunk according to “Alcohol: Problems and Solutions,” a website dedicated to alcohol awareness and laws.
The difference in teen consumption can possibly be attributed to the “forbidden fruit” aspect of alcohol for American teens. Because alcohol is off limits, it appears to be put on a pedestal. If the drinking age were lower, teens would not revere alcohol as they do now. Without this status, alcohol would not be sought after or abused.
While teen drinking is a major issue in society, the worst binge drinkers and drunk drivers are actually the 21-25 demographic. The National Survey of Drug Use and Health reported that 45.7% of 21-25 year olds had binge drank in the past thirty days whereas only 36.1% of 18-20 year olds and 19.7% of 16-17 year olds reported binging in the last thirty days. Additionally, 27.9% of 21-15 year olds reported driving under the influence in the past year as opposed to 19.8% of 18-20 year olds and 8.3% of 16-17 year olds. These statistics support the claim that teenagers are not the only problem demographic when it comes to alcohol, so why do teens get the negative reputation regarding alcohol when they are not a part of the larger issue at stake?
Lowering the drinking age would allow parents greater oversight in teen’s introduction to alcohol. Through interacting and teacher responsibility, parents, and educators to an extent, can help lower binge drinking rates and reduce the allure of alcohol to teens. Conveying responsible drinking habits early on will help eliminate issues with older age groups over time. However, before any of this can happen the drinking age must be lowered form 21 to 18 in order to initiate and facilitate a necessary societal change.