Alcohol And Teens Should The U.s. Lower Or Rise It s...

Alcohol and Teens: Should the U.S. Lower or Rise It’s Drinking Age? Alcohol is a depressant. It slows down the activity of the central nervous system, including the brain. A debate amongst our nation has been â€Å"Should the minimum drinking age be lower than 21?† I personally do not think so. Even though at age 18 you are technically an adult and responsible for your own actions, I do not think the legal alcohol consumption age should be lowered because it causes health risks, bad decisions, and endangers others. First and foremost, I do not think the legal alcohol consumption age should be risen because it causes health risks. As a person, you should always be concerned about your health. Alcohol usage can weaken your immune system, making your body a target for bacteria and viruses. According to ProCon, long term drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much. Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to liver inflammations including: Steatosis, or fatty liver Alcoholic hepatitis Fibrosis Cirrhosis (Mayo Clinic.org). Also, intoxication is associated with suicide attempts. Positive alcohol levels are found in people who fully accomplish suicide. Alcohol is involved over a quarter of all suicides in the US (MCES ). How? Well, alcohol increases impulsivity and decreases inhibition. It increases bad self-image and lowers self-esteem and deepens depression. (MCES). Therefore, when I personShow MoreRelatedNot Lowering the Drinking Age1642 Words   |  7 PagesLowering the Drinking Age Many teenage deaths in the United States are caused in some way by the influence of alcohol; however, many people still believe that the legal drinking age should be reduced to eighteen. This issue has been going on for years, but the law has not been changed since the change to twenty-one in 1980. States have become stricter about preventing under-age drinking, but teenagers have no problem getting alcohol. There are many arguments in favor of changing the drinking age back toRead MoreLowering The Minimum Legal Drinking Age Essay1521 Words   |  7 Pageslegal drinking age (MLDA) has been going on for decades in the United States. Those opposed, argue that the current MLDA is not efficient and counterproductive (Engs 1). One study indicated that thousands of lives under the age of twenty-one are lost each year to alcohol (McCardell 1). Underage drinking is an issue that persists, despite evidence suggesting that the minimum legal drinking age of twenty-one has lowered alcohol usage among individual who are underage (Toomey 1961-1962). Teens tend toRead MoreThe Smoking Age Should Be Legal Drinking Age1517 Words   |  7 Pagesrequiring you to be over the age of 21 to consume alcoholic beverages. This law has proved itself by saving many lives and overall just having a positive outcome in the community. People say that no matter what the age limit is kids will still drink? I completely disagree, believe it or not there’s endless ways in which it can be prevented while the drinking age remains 21. Parents make a big difference and can prevent this from happening and I have to agree 100% that the drinking age has saved hundreds ofRead MoreAlcohol And Substance Abuse And The National Minimum Drinking Age Act2083 Words   |  9 PagesSince alcohol and substance abuse have come into play, along with health issues, and emotional issues in peoples lives, questions started to arise. One being the legal age to start drinking alcohol. The national minimum drinki ng age act was signed on July 17th, 1984 to the law, with the drinking age at minimum being 21 (Archer M.D.). An adult is any person who’s reached the age of maturity as directed by law (Archer M.D.). Legally, being 18 years old in the U.S. is considered to be the adult age, butRead MoreAlcohol Is Dangerous And Why The Youth2597 Words   |  11 PagesJust because alcohol is legal for those over twenty-one years of age, does not mean it is safe, or any less harmful than other substances.† Nemours Foundation found that teens that drank alcohol regularly were more than likely to have problems in school, try other drugs, and participate in delinquent behaviors such as stealing or vandalism† (Escherick). Later on in life, it recorded that they had liver disease, frontal lobe disorders, as well as short-term memory loss. These same problems are happeningRead More The Drinking Age Must not Be Lowered Essay1755 Words   |  8 PagesLawmakers should not consider lowerin g the drinking age from twenty-one to eighteen. Despite the deep value this country places on freedom, personal liberties, and personal responsibilities, the data shows that public safety is greatly at risk if the drinking age were to be lowered to twenty-one. A variety of groups believe that the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen deeming that the twenty-one law is unconstitutional. On the opposing side, people agree that the law helps to protect ourRead MoreAlcohol Is The Drug Of Choice Among Youth1692 Words   |  7 PagesCan a person be too young to become addicted to alcohol and drugs? Or why is age of first use of alcohol is critically important? There are many questions raised on consumption of alcohol when it comes on drinking at early age. Alcohol often has a strong effect on people and throughout history, we have struggled to understand and manage the power of alcohol. However, we hardly think how much alcohol is too much for us, unless we get into any kind of t rouble or shows some physical or mental effectsRead MoreThe Legalization Of Marijuana In California. To Recreationally1582 Words   |  7 Pagesmedical defenses against prosecution for certain marijuana crimes. In 2004, lawmakers passed the Medical Marijuana Program Act, which created identification cards for medical pot patients, as well as collective defenses against prosecution that gave rise to dispensaries — legal medical marijuana shops. In 2015, lawmakers moved to regulate medical cannabis from seed to sale with the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act, which establishes state-level regulation and licensing for medical cannabisRead MoreIntroduction. Currently The Legal Age To Consume Alcoholic1817 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Currently the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages in the United States is 21 years old. Alcohol is the cause of 88,000 deaths per year in the United States (CDC, 2014). The following numbers include: drunk driving, homicides with alcohol involved, and alcohol poisoning. This is a high average for the current minimum legal drinking age, and the number of deaths continues to increase each year. Alcohol fatalities are considered a preventative death in the United States, which meansRead MoreThe Drinking Age Should Be Lowered2353 Words   |  10 PagesDrinking Age Over the years the drinking age or the drinking laws have been questioned and changed many times. For a few years now more recently question being, should the drinking age be lowered to eighteen? Or why shouldn’t it? In the United States, binge drinking has been a big problem. Its one of the top causes for traffic tragedies as well as other health issues that come along with it, especially among college students. However since the drinking age has changed from being 18 to 21 there