Dialectos 1

JocelynDialectos

Prof.RobinKramer

CAS138T

5April2017

LoweringtheLegalDrinkingAgetoSolveUnderageDrinkinginAmerica

ManyAmericansregardtheircountryastheembodimentoffreedom,liberty,and

equalityforallpeople.Fromayoungage,citizensaretaughttobelieveanauraofsupremacy

andnearperfectnesssurroundstheircountry;bybeingquicktoassumeinvulnerability,

Americansoftenoverlookdireproblemsplaguingtheircommunities.Oneoftheseurgent

problemsisunderagedrinkinginAmericanyouth.Thisissueiscauseforseveralconcerns

regardingthehealthandproperdevelopmentofyoungadults,includingtheescalationofan

uninformeddrinkingculture,andthecurrentdrinkingageonlycontributestotheunwanted

behavior.Whiletherearemanyconsiderablesolutionsaimedatfixingtheproblemofunderage

drinking,theonlymethodthatwillsurelyworkisrevokingtheNationalMinimumDrinkingAge

Actandloweringthedrinkingagefrom21to18yearsold,aswasproposedbyJohnMcCardell.

In1984,theNationalMinimumDrinkingAgeActwaspassed,raisingthelegaldrinking

ageinall50statesto21yearsold.Accordingtothisact,anystatethatdidnotcomplywiththe

newregulationwouldceasetoreceivehighwayfunding,effectivelyunifyingthedrinkingage

acrossAmerica.Thelawwasestablishedinresponsetorisingconcernsaboutunderagevehicle

accidents;withvaryinglegalagesacrossthestates,manyyoungadultswouldcrossstateborders

topurchaseorconsumealcoholandreturntotheirhomestatesintoxicatedwithsmuggledbooze.

TheMothersAgainstDrunkDriving,orMADD,termedthesestatebordersasbloodborders

andusedtheaccidentsassociatedwiththemtopromotethedrinkingageact(Fulton).Sincethe
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lawwaspassed,opponentshavequestioneditseffectiveness,butnolegalactionhasbeentaken

toreverseitsenactment.

ThecurrentdrinkingageinAmericapromotesthepracticeofunderagedrinkingand

posesmultipleproblemsforyoungadults.Asidefromtheobviousdangersassociatedwiththe

issue,manyhiddenrisksarisewhenlegaladultsareforbiddenadesiredprivilege,includingthe

formationanignorantdrinkingculture,theincreasedriskforalcoholabuse,andtheneedfor

secretivedrinking.Therefore,despitetheillusionthataraiseinagecouldonlybenefitAmerican

youth,theNationalMinimumDrinkingAgeActactuallycreatesmorehealthrisksthansolved

problems.

Oneoftheproblemsrelatingtounderagedrinkingandonethatraisesthebiggesthealth

concernisthecultureofuninformedandunsafedrinkingbeingpromoted.Whenchildrendrink

illegally,theyarenotbeingtaughthowtodrinkresponsibly.Fromthisrecklessdrinking

behavior,theadolescentsfailtolearntheirpersonallimitsandarethereforemorelikelyto

overdrink.Uniformeddrinkerslacktheabilitiestopacethemselveswithwaterandfood,keep

trackoftheamounttheyveconsumed,andrefusedrinksfromothersaftertheyvesurpasseda

healthyamount.Addingtothesedeficienciesisthepremisethatuneducateddrinkersaremore

likelytodrinkforthesolepurposeofgettingdrunk,therebyrefrainingfromcasualorsocial

drinking.Thelackofproperinstructionregardingacceptablealcoholconsumptionencourages

theunderinformedtobingewithoutknowingtheassociatedrisks(Torres).Parentshaveno

abilitytoinstillsafedrinkinghabitsintheirchildren,andasaresult,adolescentsaretakingless

precautionwhenconsumingalcohol.Acultureofignoranceisdevelopinginunderagedrinkers

thatcarriesthroughtoadulthood.
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Themainissuelinkedtothisuninformedcultureisanincreasedprobabilityforalcohol

abusetooccur.Alcoholisthemostwidelyabuseddrugamongadolescents,andbingedrinkingis

arecurrentprobleminmodernAmerica.About40,000Americanyouthswerehospitalizedfor

bingedrinkingeveryyearsincetheactwaspassed,costingtheUnitedStatesover7.55million

dollarsindamagesandhospitalfees(UnderageDrinkingHospitalizations).These

hospitalizationsrangefromalcoholrelatedsuicideattemptstoalcoholpoisoningfromexcessive

consumption.Infact,inthe21yearsaftertheactwaspassed,underagealcoholpoisoning

skyrocketedfrom779to2,290reportedcases.Thisdrasticupsurgeisthedirectresultoftheraise

indrinkingage;havingalegalageof21depictsalcoholasaforbiddenfruittoadolescents

(Fulton).Teenagersaremorelikelytoengageinanactivityiftheresanexcitementtothe

behavior,sothethrillofbingedrinkingstemsmostlyfromitsillegality.Justasmanyadultsin

theprohibitionageof1920sAmericarebelledagainstthelawandconsumedalcohol,young

adultstodayaredefianttowardsthisnewformofprohibition.Withoutachangeinpolicy,

adolescentalcoholabusewillcontinuetoflourish.

Alsorelatingtothedevelopmentofanuninformedsocietyisthedangeraffiliatedwith

secretivedrinking.Manyyoungadultsarereluctanttofindhelpinserioussituationsforfearof

gettingcaughtandsufferingtheconsequences.Incollegesespecially,drinkingoccursbehind

closeddoorsandwithoutadultsupervision.JustrecentlyatThePennsylvaniaStateUniversity,a

BetaThetaPifraternitymemberdiedfromtraumaticbraininjuriesafteradrunkenfalldownthe

housesbasementstairs.Outofnegligenceandfearofpunishment,thefraternitymemberstook

noactiontohelpthevictimuntilthenextmorning,whenthemagnitudeoftheinjurieshe

sustainedsurpassedanypromiseofliving(Turpin).Thisbehavior,therefore,doesntjustinvolve

theintoxicatedyouths;drinkingsurreptitiouslycanhavedevastatingeffectsonwholefamilies,
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aswell.Bydrinkinginprivate,youngadults,likethoseinthePennStatecase,foregoboththeir

ownandotherssafetypurelyoutoftheirfearofpunishment.Responsiblesupervisionwould

preventmanyofthesefatalsituationsfromoccurring,yet90%ofallalcoholconsumptionwithin

ages1820isdonecovertly(LoweringtheDrinking).Alegalageof21doesnothingto

preventcollegeageadultsfromdrinkinginhazardoussecrecy.

Asidefromthelessobviousproblemscausedbyunderagedrinking,therearemany

discernablehealthconsequencesnormallyassociatedwithalcoholinadolescents.Suiciderates

increasewithrisingalcoholabuse,asdothenumberofsexualassaultsandunwanted

pregnancies.Braindevelopmentisimpairedwithbingedrinking,sincetheadolescentbrainis

stilldevelopingthroughthelateteenageyears.Evenlegalproblemsrelatedtodrunkdrivingand

violencefromintoxicationcanoccur,plaguingayoungadultscriminalrecordfortherestofhis

life(FactSheets).Issuespertainingtounderagedrinkingcanbranchintoavarietyofsevere

lifeconsequences,andthecurrentlawshavenotsuccessfullyalleviatedthissituation.

Multiplesolutionshavethereforebeenproposedtopreventunderagedrinking.Themost

publicizedideaistoimplementaseriesofeducationclassesinsecondaryschoolsandcollegesin

ordertoincreaseawarenessofthecostsofalcoholabuse.Whilethismethodwouldhelpto

counteracttherisinguninformeddrinkingculture,youngadultswouldstillnothavethefreedom

toactuallypurchaseandconsumethealcoholtheylearnabout(UnderageDrinking).Education

classesalonedonoteliminatethetabooagainstunderagedrinking;ifanything,theclasseswould

merelyreinforcealcoholasanillegalindulgence.Moreactionisnecessarytoensurethe

preventionofunderagedrinking.

Anotherofferedsolutionistolowerthedrinkingageto20.Whilethisdoesgive

adolescentsanearlieropportunitytolegallydrink,20isjustoneyearyoungerthan21anddoes
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notaccountfortherestoftheyoungadultpopulation.AccordingtotheJohnsHopkinsSchoolof

PublicHealth,mostunderagedrinkingoccursbetweentheagesof1820.Over79%ofpolled

adolescentsinthisagegroupadmittedtodrinkingalcoholatleastonce,whileonlyabout26%of

eighthgradestudentscouldconfessthesame(PrevalenceofUnderage).Loweringthelegal

agebyonlyoneyearwouldnotsolvethemanyproblemslinkedtounderagedrinking,asa

majorityoftheoffenderswouldcontinuetobehaveillegally.

Familyandcounselorbasedinterventionsareyetanotherfailingsolutiontotheproblem.

Thefamilyaspectofthisoptionrequiresparentstoenforcesternrulesandcondignpunishments

againstalcoholabuseintheirhouseholds,bothwhichfurthershapethesubstanceintoanillicit

desire(UnderageDrinking).Notonlydoesthisideapreventparentsfromteachingtheir

childrenproperdrinkinghabits,butitalsoaddstoalcoholstemptingportrayal.Asforthe

counselorfacet,therapyisonlyeffectiveaftertheimproperbehaviorhasbeencommitted,and

interventionsareonlysuccessfulaftertheindividualhasalreadycreatedtheunsoughtproblems

(UnderageDrinking).Whilethissolutionmayhelptodiscontinuefutureoffensesbythesame

person,themethoddoesnothingtopreventpoorbehaviorinotheradolescents.

Theonlyalternativethatwouldsuccessfullyabateallproblemsassociatedwithunderage

drinkingistorepealtheNationalMinimumDrinkingAgeAct,therebyloweringthedrinkingage

backto18years.ProposedbyJohnMcCardell,thePresidentofTheUniversityoftheSouthin

Tennessee,thispolicywouldimplementalearningperiodinwhich1820yearoldscould

practicesafedrinkinghabitswhileunderparentalsupervision.McCardell,havingexperience

withbingedrinkingoncollegecampuses,explainsthatthenewlawwouldgive18yearoldsthe

privilegetoconsumebeerandwineunderthepresenceofalegaladultatleast21yearsofage.

Hesaysthatrightnow,drinkingistakingplacebehindcloseddoors,whereitsmuchmore
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dangerous.Itsoutofstepwithsocialreality(Griggs).Havingadultsescorttheinexperienced

drinkerswouldthereforeenforcesafebehavior.Eachadultcouldaccompanyuptotwoyounger

drinkers;18yearoldswouldthenbelegallyallowedtoconsume,purchase,andtransportthe

beerandwinewithcontinualsupervision.Theonlyadditionalrequirementisthattheyoung

adultsreceiveadrinkingpermit,muchlikeadriverslearningpermit,aftercompletingan

alcoholeducationclass.Whiletherequirementsforthecompletionoftheseclasseswouldvary

bystate,auniformlegalagewouldstillbeenforcedtopreventbloodborders.Youngadults

wouldpresenttheirpermitsastheywouldalicenseand,withadultoversight,couldenjoythe

freedomtodrinkresponsibly.Thesepermitscouldberevokedwithanybreachofconductor

inabilitytofollowthenewlaw.

TheproposedsolutionwouldnotonlyhelptoeducateAmericanyouthaboutthedangers

ofbingedrinking,butalsopreventsecretiveandunsafedrinkinghabitsamongtheworst

offenders.Mandatingeducationclasseswouldenforcethenecessityofbeingknowledgeable

aboutdrinking,andrequiringadultsupervisioneliminatesthepossibilityofoverdrinkingin

private.Theloweragealsoaidsintheeliminationofthetabooagainstdrinking.Therefore,this

policyeliminatesunsafedrinkinghabits,educatesyouthabouthealthrisks,andweakensthe

forbiddenfruittheory.

Thesolutionhasalreadyreceivedsupportfromcitizensinmultiplestatesandiscurrently

beingadvocatedbytheAmethystInitiative,agroupofcollegeadministratorsthatsupporta

lowerdrinkingage.BothNewHampshireandMinnesotaareconsideringan18yearolddrinking

age,aslongastheyoungadultisaccompaniedbya21yearoldandonlydrinksbeerorwine.

Californiaisgoingastepfurther;thestateisconsideringthatsameagebutwouldallowthe
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adolescentstodrinkallothertypesofliquor,aswell(3American).Thesethreestatesbelieve

loweringthedrinkingagewillstoptheuseoffakeidentitiesandpromotemoresocialdrinking.

Addingtothehealthandsafetyadvantagesofalowerdrinkingageistheideathatif

youngadultscanserveinthemilitaryandvote,theyshouldalsohavetheprivilegetodrink.18

20yearoldsgothroughaperiodofuncertaintyregardingtheextentoftheiradulthood

(Daniloff).Havingsuchahighdrinkingageonlyinfantilizesadolescents;theyaregivensome

rightsofcitizenship,butnotallprivilegesofadulthood.Alowerdrinkingageisonlyfairtothe

Americanyouth.Iftheycanrisktheirlivesservingtheircountryandparticipateintheelectionof

governmentleaders,theyshouldalsobegrantedtheabilitytodrinkresponsibly.

Anotablecounterargumentisthatthecurrentdrinkingagehasreducedthenumberof

motoraccidentssinceitsenactment.Thereisnoprovencorrelation,however,betweenthe

NMDAactandthedeclineinvehiclerelatedfatalities.Sincethenumberofaccidentshas

decreasedinallagegroups,the21yearolddrinkingagecouldnothavebeenthesolefactor

contributingtothesounderroads.Therealcauseforthedeclineinfatalitiesliesinthepublic

safetyimprovementsmadesincethe1980s.Highwayshavebeenmademoresecure,seatbelts

arenowenforced,anddrunkdrivingeducationisnowaprominentcampaign(Daniloff).

Contrarytothepopularbelief,alowerdrinkingagewouldnotputsocietyatahigherriskfor

vehicleaccidents.

Infact,157countriesaroundtheworldhavealegaldrinkingageof18orunder,and61%

ofallcountriesallow18yearoldstoconsumealcohol.Forexample,manycountriesinEurope,

likeGreece,theUnitedKingdom,andRussia,havealegalageof18(MinimumLegal

Drinking).Thesecountriesareknownfortheircasualdrinkingcultureandhavesignificantly

lowerratesofbingedrinkingwhencomparedtotheUnitedStates,provingtheeffectivenessof
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teachingadolescentstodrinkatayoungerage.Alowerdrinkingagecanbeaccomplishedand

hasbeenshowntobesuccessfulinvariousothercountries.

Inasocietythatisplaguedbyunderagedrinking,lucrativesolutionsarecrucial.Without

properpolicyimplementation,alcoholconsumptioninadolescentswillonlycontinuetoworsen;

Americasalreadyabominablebingedrinkingculturerequiresimmediateattention.Adopting

JohnMcCardellsproposaltolowerthelegaldrinkingageistheonlywaytotrulyensurethe

healthandsafetyofAmericanyouth.Withsomanylivesatalcoholsmercy,thesoonerthe

change,thebetter.

WorksCited

Daniloff,Caleb.Drinking:18vs.21.CampusLife/HealthandWellness.BUToday,21Oct.

2010.Web.https://www.bu.edu/today/2010/drinking18vs21/

FactSheetsUnderageDrinking.AlcoholandPublicHealth.CentersforDiseaseControland

Prevention,n.d.Web.https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/factsheets/underagedrinking.htm

Fulton,Wil.IsItTimeToLowerTheDrinkingAgeTo18?TheHuffingtonPost,07Apr.

2016.Web.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thrillist/isittimetolowerthe

d_b_9633254.html

Griggs,Brandon.ShouldtheU.S.loweritsdrinkingage?CNN,04Jan.2015.Web.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/16/us/legaldrinkingage/

LoweringtheDrinkingAge.StudentsforSensibleDrugPolicy.N.p.,n.d.Web.

http://ssdp.org/campaigns/loweringdrinkingage/

MinimumLegalDrinkingAge(MLDA)in190Countries.ProCon,10Mar.2016.Web.

http://drinkingage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004294
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PrevalenceofUnderageDrinking.CenteronAlcoholMarketingandYouth.JohnsHopkins

BloombergSchoolofPublicHealth,n.d.Web.http://www.camy.org/resources/fact

sheets/prevalenceofunderagedrinking/

Torres,Stephanie.HowDrinkingCultureIsKillingAmerica.PathwaytoHope,07Sept.2016.

Web.https://pathwaytohope.net/drinkingculturekillingamerica/

Turpin,Craig.DeathofstudentatPennStatefraternitywaspreventable,policesay.True

Jersey.N.p.,09February2017.Web.http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.

ssf/2017/02/death_of_student_at_penn_state_fraternity_was_prev.html

UnderageDrinking.NationalInstituteonAlcoholAbuseandAlcoholism.N.p.,n.d.Web.

https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/underagedrinking/Underage_Fact.pdf

UnderageDrinkingHospitalizationsCost$755MillionintheU.S.EachYear.Partnershipfor

DrugFreeKids,16Feb.2012.Web.http://drugfree.org/learn/drugandalcohol

news/underagedrinkinghospitalizationscost755millionintheuseachyear/

3Americanstatescouldsoonlowerdrinkingageto18.RT:QuestionMore,13Jan.2016.

Web.https://www.rt.com/usa/328767statesloweringdrinkingage/