Lower Alcohol age to 18 - Research Paper Example

ss endorsed a law in 1964 obliging states to increase their MLDA to 21 or lose sizeable federal subsidies to construct and develop their public roads (10). All states had satisfied this provision by 1988 (14). But the question is, was the decision to raise MLDA to 21 an effective one? Or, should MLDA be lowered to 18? This paper tries to answer these two major questions. The purpose of the MLDA is to lower alcohol consumption and its related predicaments among adolescents. As mentioned above, in the 1970s, a movement toward lowering the legal drinking age to 18 started in the U.S., presenting numerous natural studies.

As an outcome of research findings showing that road accidents among adolescents escalated after lowering of MLDA, a civic attempt was initiated demanding states to increase MLDA to 21 (14). The raise in MLDA throughout different states again presented scholars/analysts with a large number of natural studies to evaluate impacts of these policy reforms on alcohol use and associated dilemmas among adolescents (4). In spite of the long history of alcohol consumption laws, the deliberation over MLDA persists.

A fraction of this deliberation is whether MLDA of 21 is truly capable of mitigating alcohol-related problems (10). This deliberation is especially important to college campuses or universities for most students on numerous college grounds are below 21 years old. A number of college officials claim that the MLDA of 21 has brought more setbacks on college grounds. However, research findings show that a higher MLDA leads to less alcohol-related problems among adolescents and the age-21 law saves roughly 1,000 young lives annually (13, p. 213). What is interesting is that the impact of the MLDA of 21 is taking place with no or little implementation.

A widespread belief among critics of a raised MLDA is that due to the fact that large numbers of teenagers still buy and consume alcohol, an age-21 law is ineffective (13). Yet, according to (9), findings