Lowering the Drinking Age, Essay Example

The debate in the United States over the legal drinking age has a considerable amount of drive on both sides.  Take the Amethyst Initiative, which is a group of around 100 college presidents from well-known universities, who support lowering the legal drinking age from twenty-one to eighteen.  However, those on the other side of the debate attest to the proper and correct form of the drinking age at twenty-one, which is where the law currently stands.  Both sides present some interesting stances on the dynamics within the subject, which is finding its way in the news and other platforms.

Supporters of the Change in Legal Drinking Age

Supporters of the change in legal drinking age to eighteen cite a considerable number of reasons.  From lowering alcohol-related deaths to convenience issues for universities, there are a range of supplementary issues that need to be considered.  In this perspective, there are a host of primary and secondary advantages of lowering the drinking age.

One reason is found in the argument that students will drink regardless of the legal drinking age.  This argument is based in the high number of college students who drink underage.  For these students, lowering the drinking age will cause a number of effects that justify lowering the legal drinking age.

The first effect is found in the convenience level for schools and universities.  Finding the students who are participating in underage drinking takes a great deal of a school’s resources.  For these schools, time and money will be able to saved by not having to devote such resources to finding such perpetrators

Arguments within the heading of “maturity” also come into focus.  Some individuals believe that if you are old enough to enlist in the army or vote, then one should be responsible enough to be able to drink alcohol.  Additionally, by lowering the legal drinking age, according to supporters, individuals will be able to “get used” to alcohol, and not be tempted to binge drink.

The subject of binge drinking is perhaps the most powerful and relevant argument, in terms of importance.  Supporters attest that lowering the drinking age will make it safer for students.  According to this logic, illegally drinking is linked to drinking being performed on a higher level of intensity.  Supporters believe it will be safer if it is not illegal to drink.

Defending the Legal Drinking Age

Those who defend the legal drinking age believe that it would support drinking, quite simply.  If students are allowed to drink, then they will do so, which will cause a number of problems in itself.  Supporters also add the fact that high school-aged students will then be able to drink.  Safety is believed to be compromised if students at this level of education are allowed to consume alcohol.

Supporters also blame college officials for focusing on the “solution” to the problem.  Those who defend the legal drinking age do not appreciate colleges looking for ways to make it easier on them.  Rather, according to supporters, they should be focusing on ways in which to eliminate underage drinking on school campuses.  Lowering the drinking age would not solve these problems, according to supporters, thus the focus should be placed on ways to fight the prominence of underage drinking, which is the only way to effectively fight what is occurring.