Legal Drinking Age - Essay Example

Drinking Age al Affiliation: Drinking Age Thesis ment: Drinking below the age of 18 years has a lot of negative effects to the teenagers and the government restriction to the drinking age is beneficial to the society in diverse ways. Main point 1: the age below 18 years in the period in which the teenager is highly involved in academic work. Legalizing alcohol at this stage will waste a lot of time for the child, and they will end up losing direction in their academic work (Vick, 2010). Main point 2: alcoholism is an expensive habit which may be unaffordable to many teenagers.

Legalizing alcoholism at the age of 18 will lead to the young adults looking for money in criminal ways so as to sustain their habit (Vick, 2010). Eventually, acts such as crime and prostitution among teenagers will increase since they might be the only ways to outsource funds. Main Point 3: Alcohol has a negative effect on the health of the drinker since it exposes them to diseases such as cirrhosis (OMalley, & Wagenaar, 1991). Such chronic diseases reduce the life expectancy period and hence bringing the allowable drinking age to 18 years will consequently reduce the society’s life expectancy age.

Sources 1: OMalley, P. M., & Wagenaar, A. C. (1991). Effects of minimum drinking age laws on alcohol use, related behaviors and traffic crash involvement among American youth: 1976-1987. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 52(5), 478. According to the research done by O’Malley and Wagenaar, there is enough proof that reducing the drinking age has adverse negative effects. The effects negative not only affect the teenager, but they extend to the society both in the short and long run (OMalley, & Wagenaar, 1991).

They note that the action would not have any advantages to the teenagers, and the only possible beneficiaries are the alcohol manufacturers since they will have increased sales. Source 2: Miron, J. A., & Tetelbaum, E. (2009). Does the minimum legal drinking age save lives? Economic Inquiry, 47(2), 317-336. This journal discusses the effects of reducing the legal drinking age .according to the research; they note that alcoholism at a young age creates a risk to the teenager’s life in many ways.

“Self-control at the age of 18 is very low and hence legalizing alcohol to young adults exposes them to diverse risks.” (Miron, & Tetelbaum, 2009).ReferencesMiron, J. A., & Tetelbaum, E. (2009). Does the minimum legal drinking age save lives?. Economic Inquiry, 47(2), 317-336.OMalley, P. M., & Wagenaar, A. C. (1991). Effects of minimum drinking age laws on alcohol use, related behaviors and traffic crash involvement among American youth: 1976-1987. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 52(5), 478.

Vick, Dwight. (2010). Drugs & Alcohol in the 21st Century: Theory, Behavior, & Policy. Jones & Bartlett Learning.