essay thesis and outline

Introduction

Excessive drinking can be a major source of health and increased social problems. However, the idea of preventing the teenagers from drinking may not successfully help to reduce most of the problems related to alcohol consumption in the society. Still, the dilemma of either to reduce the drinking age has increasingly become a hot topic for discussion among the policymakers. While the USA attempt to curb the increased illegal consumption of alcohol saw the drinking age raised up to twenty-one years, other countries have reconsidered the policy to ensure a striking balance over the cause and effects of alcohol consumption. However, even though regulatory policies may help to curb the overindulgence in alcohol and other alcoholic beverages among the young adolescents, it may not work in a country where the democracy provides its citizen a freedom to make their own decision at the age of eighteen.

Despite the law and other moral standards, there are various arguments that tend to strongly agree with the present drinking age of twenty-one. One of the main arguments for the support of higher drinking age is that it helps reduce careless driving and consequent road accidents that are caused by young drunk drivers. The fact that alcohol consumption leads to decreased inhibition and poor judgment, chances of crashing and bumping on other vehicles and objects while drunk increases more than twice (Thomas, et al. p. 322). Additionally, it is obvious that most of the youths below twenty years are inexperienced when it comes to driving. According to Thomas, most of the drunk drivers between 18years-21years caused more accidents than those with the higher legal drinking age (p.323). However, if the main aim of raising the drinking age was to ensure the safety of the road users, then it would be more effective to increase the legal age of driving since the fact remain to be; underage drivers are inexperienced whether drunk or not. Likewise, other countries whose driving and drinking age is eighteen years do not experience ta a higher number of accidents like that of USA (Anna, et al. p.1380).

The healthy experts have perhaps presented a good argument against reducing the drinking age. They suggest that, at the age of eighteen, the brain is not fully developed. In this regard, people at this age especially students are more prone to make wrong decisions leading them to dangerous behaviors (Anna, et al. p.1380). In addition, alcohol consumption may interfere with the normal brain development which may lead to poor concentration in schools as well as increased addiction. However, uplifting the drinking age to 21 years will only deteriorate the rate of alcohol consumption let us say in colleges and universities. This is due to the fact that most college students are over twenty-one year’s age (Megan & Schulenberg, p. 193). Again, most of these students will influence the underage students to involve themselves in illegal and careless alcohol consumption.

Moreover, other people believe that high age drinking age will reduce binge drinking among the minor youths. But I tend to disagree with this thought. If the young adolescents have easier access to alcohol, they will reduce the urge to drink excessively as opposed to the time when they were not allowed at all. Also, the proponents of this argument argue that if young youths are given an opportunity to drink, they will acquire good drinking habits (Megan & Schulenberg, p. 193). However, we cannot just assume that allowing the underage teens to drink will reduce the consumption rate. Instead, it is important to caution them on the risks involved in the excessive consumption of alcohol.

In the case of USA, the adult age begins at eighteen years. During this time, any citizen can make crucial decisions such as marrying, voting or even owning a gun. This freedom is however questionable as it makes us wonder why the beer is of exception. This rule would instead allow these young adults to take alcohol under certain conditions to ensure that justice is exercised by all.

When we come to the issue of reducing the spread of Sexual Transmitted Diseases and drug abuse, the adolescent youths who take alcohol are more prone to practice unsafe sex compared to their mature counterparts (Anna, et al. p.1380). Therefore, increasing the drinking age may save teenagers from indulging themselves into risky behaviors. Nevertheless, mature drinking is also associated with other types of drug abuse such as smoking and most of all; other serious social problems such as prostitution and family breakups (Anna, et al. p.1380.

Reducing the drinking age can promote a safer drinking environment. Many people will opt to take their drinks in legal pubs and restaurants. These places are often protected due to ensure business reputation (Thomas, et al. p. 322). Likewise, it will enable the legal departments to effectively control illegal selling and buying of alcoholic drinks. As a result, the young youths will feel free to ask for help from the authorities once they are faced with problems associated with alcohol such as assaults and intoxication.

On the side of the economy, reducing the drinking age will eventually boost the economy of the state as the demand for providing these services will motivate the private developers to seek the license to run pubs. However, there will be increased illegal selling of drinks in order to avoid taxation. This will not only provide a quick access to alcohol but also give the young youths an opportunity to try out even more dangerous drugs.

The reduction of drinking age may help in reducing the cost of treating the common injuries related to alcoholic beverage consumption. Many of the teenagers between ages 17-21 years were reported to be hospitalized due to assault and fight injuries Megan & Schulenberg, p. 193). However, it is arguably to say that the effects of alcohol on behavior change are the same irrespective of the age. As a matter of fact; adult drunkards are more vulnerable to serious crimes such as murder and suicide cases. Therefore, taking alternative measures against crime may help reduce these crimes and injuries.

Lastly, as we have seen that reducing the drinking has more advantages than the current minimum age of twenty-one. However, the overall effects of alcohol and beverage consumption are no different whether it is taken at the age of eighteen or twenty-one. The only solution is to strictly make it 18 years and undertake effective strategies to control the consumption in order to keep people free from the grave effects of taking alcohol.