The Controversy of Dropping the Drinking Age to 18 Years - Essay Example

Underage drinking affects not only teenagers but also their families and the community. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reveals shocking statistics on the increase in the number of deaths, serious injuries, physical and sexual assaults, and drain development problems associated with underage drinking from kids as young as 12 years. As such, it is prudent to let the public know the truth about the consequences of maintaining the drinking age at 21 and the benefits and risks of legalizing the drinking age at 18 years.

Introduction and Background Information

The introduction of almost any changes in any sector is faced with controversy. People want to enjoy the benefits of the positive side of maintaining the drinking age at 21 years while criticizing the negative effects despite being two sides of the same coin. Keeping the drinking age at 21 years helps students concentrate on their studies as opposed to partying with alcohol all weekends. Furthermore, underage drinking exposes children to financial burdens which leads teenagers to crime and prostitution to finance their habits. Postponing drinking has direct health benefits as alcohol consumption causes liver and cancer problems. However, people cannot ignore the negative side which is sneaking outside and drinking alcohol in unhygienic areas which exposes teenagers to major evils in society. Furthermore, teenagers who drink are required to part with a premium amount of alcohol since a third party has to buy for them. This increases the financial burden on the teenager who may get involved in evil things to survive.

Research Topic

1. Leading Research Question:  What are the positive and negative effects of dropping the government restriction on the drinking age of teenagers from 21 to 18 years?
2. Focus: This research will focus on recent research on the drinking age and discuss the main issues on the government restrictions on the drinking age. It will also analyze both the pros and cons of having the drinking age at 21 years. In the end, I will draw conclusions and recommendations on the most prudent way to go on this issue.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Self-control in teenagers is very low at 18 but improves by the time they are 21. Taking alcohol is something that requires a lot of self-control and less excitement to prevent excessive drinking. As such, I think the solution will not be found in reducing the drinking age. However, proper machinery should be established to make sure that all the third parties involved in buying alcohol for teenagers are eliminated. Campaigns should also be more prevalent to sensitize teenagers on the short-term and long-term effects of drinking on their health, academic work, and future careers.