Countries around the world differ in their legal drinking age. In America, the legal drinking age has been set at 21 years old since 1984. Many individuals are upset about this age restriction since it is three years past the point that people enter legal adulthood. This legal decision causes many conflicts, and there are differing opinions about its effects. There are many pros and cons of America’s legal drinking age; however, it is backed by scientific reasoning.
Pros of the Legal Drinking Age
The biggest benefit of the legal drinking age being 21 is that it allows time for the frontal lobe to develop before introducing alcohol into the brain. This age restriction has helped to lower the prevalence of teenage drinking, the incidence rate of teenagers consuming over five alcoholic beverages in one sitting, and the number of addictions developed at a young age.
Implementing legal restrictions on young adults consuming alcohol has also helped to reduce the fatalities from driving under the influence. Younger drinkers are more likely to engage in this behavior, overlooking the potential consequences of their actions. The legal age of 21 was implemented to help individuals develop their reasoning skills and understand the harm of driving under the influence before they are legally able to drink.
As well as having increased rates of driving under the influence, those who consume alcohol under the age of 21 also have an increased likelihood of experiencing the following:
- Drastic changes in brain development
- Violent behavior when drinking
- Poor school performance
- Dependence on alcohol in the future
- Other risky behaviors or use of other substances
- Unintentional injuries or possibility of death
All of these potential increased risks clearly outline the positive effects the legal drinking age has on young adults, reducing the possibility of these tragedies occurring.
Cons of the Legal Drinking Age
The biggest conflict about the legal drinking age involves society’s view of adulthood. As we are legally considered an adult at the age of 18, many people think that drinking should be allowed. If you can purchase a home, be drafted into the military, and have all the other responsibilities of being an adult, why is the consumption of alcohol different? While this point is valid, the drinking age laws are implemented to protect our society from the risk factors of teenage alcohol consumption—for those who drink as well as for others who may be affected by young drinkers’ choices.
Many people are worried about the potential “rubber band effect.” This worry is about people indulging in excessive alcohol consumption after turning 21 to make up for the time they were not allowed to drink. However, this theory has been disputed by a variety of studies. The legal drinking age may encourage individuals to drink excessively right after turning 21, but this behavior often quickly phases out. Addictions occur from alcohol consumption becoming a habit. This is more likely to take place when an individual is consistently drinking throughout their teenage years.
One other point many individuals are concerned with regarding the legal drinking age is the lack of honesty in young adults or teenagers drinking. From the fear of getting in legal trouble, this age group may not be honest about their drinking habits. They also may fear asking for legal help in a drastic situation to avoid potential charges. This case is relevant and is a common concern; however, most medical and legal professionals are not seeking to get you in trouble. Their goal is to help the community. It is better to reach out for help if needed and take the risk of getting in trouble if it could potentially save someone’s life.
Is the Legal Drinking Age Implementation Beneficial?
As a whole, the legal age restriction of 21 years old for the consumption of alcohol has more positive effects than negative. There are downsides to this restriction, as there are for any other law that is implemented. The overall basis of this law, though, is to protect the members of our society from the negative effects of early alcohol consumption, and it has been proven to be largely successful in this goal.
To reduce the long-term health effects of alcohol use, you may refrain from drinking until you are in a mature mental state to drink responsibly. The benefits for your safety, health, and well-being are well worth the wait of a few years. Once people reach the age of 21, they often find the wait to try drinking to be small in the grand scheme of things.
As you can see, there are many benefits this regulation has for individuals who want to drink and for society as a whole. Understanding this age restriction can also make the decision to wait to engage in drinking easier since it explains how the wait benefits them in the long run.
The implemented legal drinking age of 21 has many pros and cons. Many individuals are upset with the implications of this age being higher than the general legal age of adulthood. If you are considered an adult, you would expect yourself to be allowed to make adult decisions. This age restriction may indeed cause a variety of conflicts, but a great deal of research has gone into its implementation. The legal drinking age of 21 has helped to reduce the fatalities from driving under the influence, decrease the prevalence of early addiction and the chances of using other substances, and allow young people’s frontal lobes to develop before introducing alcohol into their brains’ functioning. Overall, the positive effects this restriction has on our society outweigh the negative. To learn more about the reasons behind the legal drinking age, reach out to Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.
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