The Benefits of increasing Drinking Age - Research Paper Example

The Benefits of increasing Drinking Age When New Zealand’s government tried to increase the legal drinking age to 20 years, uncontrollable uproar emerged from the political parties and state was subjected to extreme criticism by public.It is just one example, the debate about lowering or increasing the drinking age has been a rather controversial and heated one since decades, and every society is facing this dilemma. The strategy of increasing drinking age has always been slammed and spurned mainly by public. In many developed nations such as USA and Australia, the legal age for consuming alcohol is 21, but there are sections of society, which claim that lowering drinking age is the best solution to curb this habit among youngsters and specifically students. However, those who propose lowering drinking age as a feasible solution in this regard does not understand the salient disadvantages associated with allowing drinking at teen-age. Alcohol consumption is no more a habit or just a beverage option among youngsters; it has become a way of life, a part of culture in today's scenario (Alcohol and Drug Information Service). There is a dire need to restrict their access to alcohol because it is a proven fact that starting to drink early can impose several short-term as well as long-term disadvantages on human health and society. This paper is an attempt to evaluate the benefits of increasing the drinking age from various aspects of an individual’s life as well as the impact on government and society in a broader spectrum. Health-related benefits of increasing drinking age: Increasing drinking age restricts young students from consuming alcohol at an early age, and as they reach adulthood, the craving for alcohol is likely to die-down or controlled. Various critics of increasing drinking age argue that when people can vote and marry at 18, why cannot they drink according to their choice? The problem is that voting and marriage do not harm a person’s psyche, mental development, and physiological health. However, consuming alcohol is susceptible to infinite life-risking implications from every possible aspect of human health and also considerably deters public welfare.The most significant point in the debate upon lowering or increasing drinking age is that, Is drinking suitable for individual health at all? Then the other point that arises is that will it benefit young people in any way if they are allowed. to drink at the age of 18? The fact which cannot be ignored is that alcohol in itself is extremely injurious to health, and its impact can be devastating. Frances Webb and Ellie Whitney claimed that “Age does matter. Young people do not benefit their health by drinking; rather, they increase their risk of dying from all causes; young non-drinkers are found to have a lower risk of dying than even light drinkers” (101). There is enough substance in this claim from Webb and Whitney, since if medical science research is anything to abide by, then it is true that drinking is not a healthy habit at all, instead it becomes the base for various life-threatening ailments. It is a reality that alcohol consumption paves the way for more than 60 fatal diseases in the human body (Freeman). JamesGarbutt, a psychiatry professor and researcher of Alcohol studies at University of North Carolina, revealed that “Alcohol does all kinds of things in the body, and we're not fully aware of all its effects. It's a pretty complicated little molecule” (Freeman). Diseases like Anemia, Cancer, Cardiovascular problems, Gout, Depression, Nerve damage, Dementia, high-blood pressure, Pancreatitis and Cirrhosis are all caused by alcohol consumption, and the virus gets triggered more intensively if one starts drinking at an early stage of life (Freeman). So, the point that cannot be neglected is,why must then governments regulate the access and promote the consumption of a drink that is immensely harmful for human body? If something is not in the best interest of public and society, but cannot be banned from beingdevoured then why not delay its consumption age. The reason behind the insistence of governments to increase the minimum legal drinking age is because the state is the guardian of its citizens. The practice of MLDA has been prompted and prompted to protectyounger generation from such diverse and long-term health risks. Criticsof increasing drinking age would argue that what difference it would make if drinking is allowed at 21, since it is only a matter of three years. However, this is where the reasoning lies. Delaying the consumption of alcohol until 21 years or even more makes the body a lot less vulnerable to the harmful after-effects of drinking. “Young people are physically and emotionally less able to cope with the effects of drinking alcohol; and because of their level of maturity means they are more likely to engage in risky or unacceptable behavior as a result of drinking” (UK Health Department 2). There is strong evidence that human brain continues to develop until the mid-20s and therefore, consuming alcohol from as early as 15 or even 18 will impose deleterious effects on the normal pattern of brain development (Ghodse et al. 135). Human brain is prone to malfunctioning much more than any other organ in the body, since it is highly sensitive. This is the reason behind the unending list of brain-related disorders that plague an individual’s mental health if he or she is subjected to exploitation and abuse during childhood or teenage. One might come across as physically fit, but internally the psychological persona gets seriously corrupted, which explains that brain is prone to impairment slightly more rapidly than any other body part. Alcohol not just complicates the natural development of human brain, but also encourages salient cognition related deficiencies as well since alcohol has been designated as psychoactive.Caan and Belleroche explained that “psychoactive drugs can alter a person’s state of mind, affect their mood, memory and state of consciousness” (276). However, delayed consumption of drinking alcohol can prove beneficial from various aspects. When people reach adulthood, that is when they are in early twenties, the maturity level is much stronger, and excessive alcohol dependence is a lot more controlled and restricted. Increasing the age of alcohol consumption not onlybenefits human health but also decreases the dependence on alcohol and drugs, which is a common problem found in the older generation today. According to Ralph Hingson, the director of NIAAA’s Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research, “people who grew up in states where they could drink legally before age 21 were more likely as adults to experience alcohol dependence and abuse and drug dependence and abuse” (Hingson and Winter). Low fatality rate in accidents: Increasing drinking age entail significant social benefits such as it can reduce the rate of fatalities in roadside accidents, and decrease the crime rate, which very likely happens when immature minds of young people get plagued by the after-effects of alcohol. Studies reveal that roadside accidents are a serious cause of deaths in any part of the world no matter how developed a nation might be (Hingson and Winter). The most significant point is that alcohol is the major perpetrator of accidents, especially in young adults and teenagers. TejvanPettingerexplains: “Young people are the most likely group to misuse alcohol; e.g. drinking to excess, which causes accidents, death and health problems. If people start drinking later in life, they may be more likely to drink in moderation and not get addicted at an early age” (Pettinger). The fact cannot be denied that alcohol is the root cause behind manipulating a person’s alertness and affects the ability to concentrate and respond. The reason is that alcohol increases the Blood-Alcohol Concentration (BAC) as soon as it is consumed, which ultimately hinders an individual’s vision, and ability to focus apart from deteriorating physical condition. Physiological reactions of the body get impaired as mental alertness diminishes, and a person cannot divide attention while driving. It affects the whole body and not just some part of it because when consumed, it passes through stomach and intestines, and gets absorbed into the blood stream distributing itself evenly in the water proportion, tissues and fluid within the body (Hingson and Winter). The effect of alcohol on young adults and teenagers is more drastic and aggravated as compared to adults, since human mind is under development until the age of 25, and even minor deterrence can cause serious problems. This was proven when USA government analyzed the ratios of roadside accidents before and after increasing minimum legal drinking age to 21. The chairman of Presidential Commission on Drunk-Driving John Volpe revealed that: “Those between 16 and 24, although making up only 20 percent of licensed drivers, were involved in more than 42 percent of fatal alcohol-relatedcrashes” (Congressional Reference Division). Similarly,studies have declared that the chances of being killed in an accident are highest among people between 16 to 20 years age. If the BAC level is at the lowest I-e 0.02–0.049, then the chances are 5% for teenagers and 3% for adults whereas if BAC level is higher such as 0.10–0.149, subsequently the chances increase to 241% for people under 21 and 37% for adults (Hingson and Winter). Moreover, it is also a proven fact that teenagers are most likely to engage into a fatal crash by consuming only half the amount of alcohol from the ratio required for adults to get involved in accidents. As per US Traffic Department statistics from 2002, the alcohol percentage found in teenagers (16-20 years) who were involved in fatal accidents was 37%, while for adults (21-29 years) accidents happened when the percentage of alcohol reached 57% (Hingson and Winter). Furthermore, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration USA’s year 1998 statistics, “the age-21 policy prevented 846 deaths in 1997 and prevented a total of 17,359 deaths since 1975" (Wagenaar and Toomey). Lower tendency of binge drinking: Crime rate and violent anti-social behavior among young adults can also be curbed through increasing drinking age. Binge drinking is a significant cause behind various irrational acts such as rape, abuse, and indulgence in fights with friends or strangers. Binge drinking is very common among students and young adults and so is the rate of such crimes, which promotes significant social evils and damages the communal environment within a society."Alcohol is the leading substance of abuse among youth in the United States. Underage persons frequently binge drink, averaging six drinks per occasion five times per month" (Hingson and Winter). Moreover, inclination towards unprotected sex and teenage pregnancy are some other problems that can be contributed by binge drinking. If drinking is restricted, then many such issues can be handled, which definitely is in the interest of society. Date Rape, a term specifically associated with teenagers, is a crime that is very common among students. Furthermore, the victims are also below 20 years of age in most cases of date rape. The higher tendency of rape among teenagersis because they “represent a high-risk group” (Lerner et al. 572). Moreover, drug abuse, suicidal attempts, molestation of siblings, poor academic performance, and negligence towards civil laws are some other significant problems induced by binge drinking, and can be reduced if drinking is not permitted at this stage. When American government increased the age limit for drinking to 21 in 1870s, the policy produced satisfactory results in the forthcoming decades. The statistics from 1979 to 2006,by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that the rate of binge drinking among young males (I-e below 20) were50% reduced after the new policy (Grucza, Norbert and Bierut 700). This strengthens the notion that binge drinking can be controlled among youth if they are not legally allowed. However, the critics of increasing drinking age suggest that this solution is not feasible for everyone since many teenagers apart from adults do job, and they need to unwind at night clubs and bars by indulging in drinking. They also claim that increasing the age mightdiscouragepeople from entering nightclubs, which will adversely affect their businesses. This notion is incorrect because it suggests that drinking alcohol is the only possible way to relax after a hard day at work. Muslims are prohibited from consuming alcohol throughout their lives, but they are never falling behind on their professional life endeavors, which prove that human body does not need a life-threatening drink to rejuvenate itself. There are other options available as well, and it is the job of government and peers to promote healthy lifestyle and dietary habits. Increasing drinking age does not prohibit anyone from entering the night clubs, but only poses a restriction on having alcohol. Another criticism received in this regard is that there is no guarantee that adults will never binge drink and get involved in violent or regressive acts. However, this claimproved wrong by Grucza et al in their study. “Our study showed that higher age has decreased the amount of alcohol consumed by young people, the number of binge-drinking episodes overall, the number of fatal car crashes and other adverse alcohol-related outcomes” (Grucza, Norbert and Bierut 701). Therefore, it can be established that binge drinking is associated with numerous criminal activities, that can considerably harm the future of young adults and this can be reduced by increasing drinking age. Miscellaneous effects that will prove beneficial for the state: “Research shows that when the MLDA is increased to 21, people under age 21 drink less overall and continue to do so through their early twenties” (Wagenaar and Toomey). It is a proven fact that if governments regulate increased drinking age policy, its positive impacts will be farfetched and productive from various short and long-term aspects. Firstly, the upcoming generation will be more alert, enthusiastic, brighter and less dependent upon alcohol since increased MLDA is likely to produce positive impact on the social and familial lives of young adults. Secondly, when people are less addicted to alcoholism, there will be little incidences of fatalities in accidents, where alongwith the drunken person, there is 100% probability that other innocent citizens will either die or get hurt. “Alcohol-related harm to health is not limited to drinkers but also affects families, bystanders and the broader community” (NHMRC). The more citizens die, the further government will be burdened for steadying the economic and emotional state of the deceased’s family. One significant solution proposed by the supporters of low drinking age is that the government should impose taxes on alcohol so that teenagers could not afford to buy it. This, in their opinion, is a much more feasible option instead of restricting their right for consuming drink, because this will intensify their urge to drink as per the reasoning that human nature’s inclination to eat the forbidden fruit gets heightened if it is prohibited. However, imposing or increasing taxes on alcohol may not prove beneficial from the economic perspective, since not just teenagers this naturally will be applicable toevery single citizen of the country, including adults and older people. Moreover, teenagers and young adults are the most potential buyers of alcohol and therefore, according to a health journalist Melissa Sweet “the alcohol industry will oppose any changes to the MLDA” (Sweet). The economic burden caused by abrupt increment in taxes on alcohol will be disadvantageous to the government in the longer run from a communal perspective as well. Conclusion: A detailed overview of the various benefits affiliated with increased drinking age substantiates the hypothesis that drinking late is a better option for an individual as well as for the society.Studies in countries like USA and Australia, where the policy of 21 years as the permitted MLDA was implemented, provided evidence that it indeed provided positive results. Therefore, it can be stated that increasing drinking age can substantially reduce an individual’s vulnerability to various life-threatening disease and salient mental disorders or psychological inefficiencies. It is also advantageous in preventing people from excessive dependence on alcohol which in turn proves helpful in lowering the tendency and inclination of consuming alcohol in the latter part of life. It is about time that the negative consequences of drinking, and also of drinking from an early stage of life must be realized and tackled with strictness and adamancy. Works Cited Alcohol and Drug Information Service, ."Alcohol and Its Effects."Drug and Alcohol Service South Australia. Government of Australia, 18 Jun 2012. Web. 27 Apr 2013. . Caan, Woody, and Jackie De Belleroche.Drink, Drugs and Dependence: From Science to Clinical Practice. Routledge, 2002.280-284. Print. Congressional Reference Division, .Drunk Driving and Raising the Drinking Age. Washington D.C., USA. : Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, 1983. 1-17. Web. 27 Apr 2013. . Freeman, David. "12 Health Risks of Chronic Heavy Drinking."WebMD: Alcohol Abuse Health Center. WebMD, LLC., 15 Sep 2011. Web. 27 Apr 2013. . Grucza RA, Norbert KE, and Bierut LJ.Binge drinking among youths and young adults in the United States: 1979-2006.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 48: July, 2009. pp. 692-702. Ghodse, Hamid, Helen Herrman, Mario Maj, and Norman Sartorius.Substance Abuse Disorders: Evidence and Experience. 32. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. 132-136. Print. Hingson, Ralph, and Michael Winter."Epidemiology and Consequences of Drinking and Driving."NIAAA: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. National Institute of Health, Government of USA, Dec 2003. Web. 27 Apr 2013. . Lerner, Jacqueline V., Richard M. Lerner, and Jordan Finkelstein. Adolescence in America: N-Z. 2. ABC-CLIO, 2001. 570-573. Print. National Health and Medical Research Council, (NHMRC). "Alcohol guidelines: reducing the health risks." NHMRC. Australian Government, 13 Jul 2011. Web. 27 Apr 2013. . Pettinger, Tejvan. "Should the Legal Drinking Age be Increased to 21?." Economics Help. Economics Blog, 09 Nov 2007. Web. 27 Apr 2013. . Sweet, Melissa. "Is raising the drinking age good policy? Wayne Hall looks at the evidence." Crikey. PRIVATE MEDIA PTY LTD, 15 Feb 2010. Web. 27 Apr 2013. . UK Health Department, .Youth alcohol action plan. 7387. The Stationery Office, 2008. 1-4. Web. 27 Apr 2013. . Wagenaar, Alexander, and Traci Toomey. "Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws: Review and Analyses of the Literature from 1960 to 2000." Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 14. (2002): 206-225. Print. . Webb, Frances S., and Ellie Whitney.Nutrition: concepts and controversies. 11th. 10. Cengage Learning, 2008. 101. Print. Read More