Keep Us Safe | Teen Ink

Keep Us Safe

January 18, 2019
By aknoll PLATINUM, Conrath, Wisconsin
aknoll PLATINUM, Conrath, Wisconsin
43 articles 3 photos 1 comment

If we allow people right out of High School  or even still in High school to drink alcohol there could be major repercussions physically and mentally, personally and wide spread. Alcohol can mess with a growing person's brain more than it can a fully grown person which people are done growing around  the age of 21.

When youth drink they often drink Intensively up to four or five drinks at a time. And twenty nine percent of 18 year olds who drink have or will engage in heavy or  “Binge” Drinking.

The frontal lobe, the part of your brain that controls emotion, organization, etc…can be affected negatively, largely damaged and permanently disoriented, such as the risk of chronic brain disorder, Suicide, depression, violence, etc...very much by the consumption of alcohol when a person is still growing. (Around the ages of 18-21)

76% Of bars have sold alcohol to intoxicated people and half of the people arrested for drunk driving got drunk in local establishments. And let’s not forget how bars are just not safe in general. Should we be mixing Young adults fresh form high school with so much on their plates already with dangerous crowds and circumstances in bars?

A person must be 21 before able to adopt a child, gamble or purchase a handgun. Why? Because (like alcohol) all those things if done by a younger and/or less experienced person can cause harm to themselves and/or others.

87%  of studies, according to studies of the MLDA (Minimum legal drinking age) found that higher legal drinking ages associated with lower alcohol consumption. When the drinking age is 21 those younger than 21 drink less and continue to drink less for their whole lifes, studies show. Starting good habits early on.

98% Cases of traffic accidents having to do with alcohol are normally at the fault of a younger person, while older age is associated with less drunk traffic accidents.

The national highway traffic safety administration estimates that the MLDA of 21 has saved 31,417 lifes from 1975-2016

And giving younger people the opportunity to drink will give people younger than them the opportunity because newly legal drinkers often purchase alcohol for underage peers. Sources show that the most common sources for alcohol for 18-20 year olds is 21-24 year old peers. If the 18 year olds can drink they may purchase alcohol for their younger peers allowing for more law breaking and younger people then the legal age drinking. And the younger the drinker the bigger the risks.

A survey of the Center for alcohol policy found that 86% of americans support the legal drinking age being 21. So the majority is on the side for MLDA being 21.

So in conclusion lowering the drinking age would be medically irresponsible, higher the amount of drunk driving car accidents, and allow youth to drink much more  and harm themselves, with few consequences. Also let’s not forget how when your older normally you are also more mature. And what does that set them up for in the future? Because as I see it, it sets them up for more trouble and more dangers for them and everyone around them. Also allowing even more underage drinking for their younger peers.


The author's comments:

I have never drank, and plan to never, the MLDA of 21 seems like a good idea to me.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.