The MLDA (minimum legal drinking age) in the United States has changed periodically throughout the years, bouncing from the ages of 18 to 19 to 20 and now to 21. Although there are valid points on each side of this proposal, I believe the drinking age should be lowered to 18.
Teaching children that touching a hot stove is dangerous is something every parent does, and we do this because the earliest you teach them the more they will know as they get older. This works the same when it comes to underage drinking. If you teach young adults the mature way to drink at an earlier age then they will keep learning as they develop. This will help them learn responsibilities.
Not only do you teach young adults the mature way to drink by just starting them early, but also being a role model. If you provide young adults with educational programs as they enter high school then they will have more knowledge about the consequences before they have the chance to drink. This will lower the chance of them drinking and driving and consuming too much alcohol. It is common for a teen to follow in the footsteps of a family member. The parents need to show the teen that drinking in a friendly manner is right and drinking aggressively and irresponsibly is wrong. If the drinking age was lowered then parents would be able to have this effect on their children while they are still living at home.
Young adults aged 18-20 are more prone to binge drink at homes (house parties), where drinking is easily hidden. Most house parties are not monitored so it is a greater likelihood that someone will over drink to the point of alcohol poisoning or drive being highly intoxicated. When you go out to the bar or club there are usually bouncers and police officers who attentively watch out for people who are drinking out of control. Young adults aged 18-20 have to hide alcohol because it is illegal for them to drink. And because they have to hide it they are more likely to over- drink.
The truth is 21-24 years old lack the knowledge of drinking that they should have had many years ago. Another point that many people argue is that at the age of 18 you are legally an adult. You have almost every legal right and responsibilities of an adult, besides one. You are able to vote for the president when you turn 18 years old. You can purchase a lottery ticket. You can gamble. You can also purchase cigarettes legally. They say drinking is harmful to the body but so aren’t cigarettes. Cigarettes are extremely addicting and can cause yellow teeth, wrinkly skin, lung cancer, gum cancer and eventually lead to death. You are able to get married when you turn 18 and marriage is looked upon as adulthood. We can get a tattoo on our body or apply for a credit card as well. Our lives change when we turn 18 and these things are meant to teach us to become adults and help us for the real world. Holding drinking legally against us are showing us that we aren’t yet adults.
Lastly, when you turn 18 years old you can legally enlist in the military. At 18 years old you are able to die for your country overseas. You are able to kill enemies in order to protect your country. Yet, you still can’t drink alcohol. This seems a little farfetched don’t you think? There are so many life threatening things you can do when you turn 18 that it’s a bit unrealistic to not drink alcohol.