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Brooke Spitznagel
Ms. Schenider
Intro to English Comp
11 November 2014
Lower Drinking Ages
In the US after someone turns 18 there are many different things that change in their life.
That person can now legally smoke, vote or even die for their country. They finally have become
an adult, but there is one thing that they still cannot do and thats consume alcohol. They now
have all this responsibility and are expected to act like an adult but they ae not fully treated as
they are one.
There are many different reasons why people think that the drinking age should be
lowered, as well as why it should be kept the same. One of the reasons people think that the
drinking age should be kept the same is because at the age of 18 the brain is not full developed.
If someone was to consume alcohol before their brain is fully developed, it can cause damage in
the brains frontal lobes. These lobes are what regulates a persons emotions and their
planning/organizing abilities. On the same note when someone starts drinking alcohol at such a
young age the brain is at a greater risk for addiction and their ability to make decisions is lower.
One of the things that is heightened by drinking at such a young age is a persons risk-taking
behavior. It also puts them at higher risk of memory loss, violence, depression and suicide. There
have even been studies dont the show people that grew up in states where it was legal to drink
alcohol before age 21 are more likely to be binge drinkers later in life (Lower Drinking Age
Can Lead to Bingeing).

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Another reason that the drinking age should not be lowered to 18 is because replacing
the forbidden fruit with low-hanging fruit wont reduce abuse (The Nations Health). This is
talking about the fact that making it legal for teens to drink wont make it any less appealing to
them. People of all ages do want what they cannot have but giving someone what they want will
not always make the problem go away. On the contrary, it could make the problem worse
because it could possibly make teens start to drink at an even younger age since they would have
easier access.
Another reason that the drinking age should be kept at 21 is because if it was lowered
then the amount of people at bars would increase. This would also increase the amount of people
that are drinking and driving. About 76% of people that were in drunk driving accidents did their
drinking at licensed establishments. Neighborhoods with higher densities of bars, nightclubs, and
other alcohol-selling locations suffer more frequent assaults and other violent crimes
(ProCon.org).
On the contrary one of the reasons that the drinking age should be lowered to 18 is
because at the age of 18 youre legally an adult. There are many different doors opened to
someone that has just turned 18. They are now able to buy a pack of cigarettes and if they choose
gamble with their money by playing the lottery. Something else that and 18 year old can do is
legally vote in an election. Something lie voting in an election is very important because at 18
you are having an impact on who is going to run your country but you cannot consume alcohol.
At the age of 18 it is expected for people to make one of the biggest decisions they will
make in their entire life. As a child you are always asked, What do you want to be when you
grow up? Turning 18 means that the answer given is finally going to be permanent. Making a
decision as simple as going or not going to college can change someones whole life; and if they

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do decide to go then what will they go for? If they do not decide to go to college then what are
they going to do as their profession?
Going along with that if they choose to go to college it can be a very stressful time in
your life. In current times a lot of the people that are going to school also are holding full and
part-time jobs. It is very hard for some people to be able to cope with the stress that comes with
being a full time student and possibly a full time employee. One way for someone to cope with
that stress would be to go out and have a drink with some friends.
Another thing that someone can do upon turning 18 is fight in a war. This is a very
stressful thing for anyone to go through, let along someone as young as 18. They could be 18 and
in a war risking everything, including their life for their country, but they cannot legally go for a
drink to help cope with some of the stress that comes with this.

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Works Cited
"A Lower Drinking Age?" New York Times, Late Edition (East Coast) ed.: 0. Sep 06
2004. ProQuest. Journal. 14 Nov. 2014.
"Drinking Age ProCon.org." ProCon.org Headlines. Web. 14 Nov. 2014.
<http://drinkingage.procon.org/>.
"Lower Drinking Age can lead to Bingeing." The Nation's Health 43.3 (2013): 15.
ProQuest. Newsprint. 14 Nov. 2014.