Table of Contents
Introduction
In 1984, the 98th Congress of the United States enacted the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which requires that all states prohibit the possession and purchasing of alcohol to all persons under the age of 21. If a state were to fail in prohibiting such acts, the Secretary of State would impose a 10% fine on the federally approved funds appointed to that respective state. The law was developed to deter adolescent drinking and to decrease the number of drunk driving fatalities. On the surface, this law may seem to be beneficial for the general welfare of society, however, upon further inspection, there are some serious issues that are masked by the seemingly harmless effects of the law.
Thesis: The minimum drinking age in the United States should be changed to 18 years old because lowering the age limit discourages alcohol abuse and it would change the perception of alcohol consumption by under age drinkers by eliminating the “forbidden fruit” mentality often associated with under aged drinking.
Adopting such a change would positively change the drinking culture of today’s youth and eliminate many of the issues regarding underage drinking that society sees today.
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Criticism
Prohibiting alcohol consumption to individual’s aged 18 to 20 fosters a culture of secrecy and abuse, which often results in extreme binge drinking and other unsafe alcohol consumption habits. Individuals in this age group are forced to go underground and outside of adult supervision which ultimately leads to irresponsible drinking. Researchers now believe that under aged drinkers are more susceptible to alcohol abuse because of secretive underage drinking.
According to research done by Dr. Ruth Engs of Indiana University, 22% of all college students under the age of 21 compared to 18% over 21 years of age engage in binge drinking. Additionally, when observing all drinkers, 32% of under aged drinkers compared to just 24% of legal age are heavy drinkers. In his report on under aged drinking, Dr. David J. Hanson of the State University of New York explains that although fewer 18 to 20 year olds are drinking, those who do consume alcohol are drinking in excess, and they are engaging in unsafe secret binge drinking.
This in turn puts these individuals at increased risk of alcohol poisoning and other risks associated with binging. Lowering the drinking age limit would allow for individuals, ages 18 to 20, to consume alcohol in safe spaces like bars, pubs and restaurants where they are less likely to engage in risky drinking. It would also create a more European style attitude towards drinking that fosters responsible drinking and moderation.
Another criticism of the Minimum Drinking Age Act would be that prohibiting young adults from drinking alcohol only emboldens their rebellious nature, and therefore makes them more likely to want to drink. This is the psychological hypothesis called the “Forbidden Fruit Theory” which states that anything that is deemed forbidden becomes even more desirable.
A report published from the University of Indiana found that when people are instructed to do something, or not do something, it may have the opposite effect. The researchers concluded that when young adults feel wrongly targeted, they will react with resistance in an effort to gain control, and therefore not comply. Another study conducted by the Scientific American Frontier, found that children who are prohibited from certain foods tend to overindulge when they are finally granted access to them.
One researcher concluded, “Paradoxically, restriction not only is not an effective way of promoting moderation, but it seems to promote the behaviors that parents intend to avoid by using that practice.” It is human nature for a person to want to do something when they are told they are not allowed to do so, thus telling 18 to 20 year olds that they cant drink may only cause more irresponsible drinking rather than eliminating it. Normalizing moderate alcohol consumption in safe environments would reverse the antagonizing effects of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act.
Conclusion
The aforementioned criticisms of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act are just 2 of many reasons why the minimum drinking age in the U.S should be lowered from 21 to 18.
