The Legal Drinking Age for U.S. Military Personnel Should Be Lowered - Essay Example

The US is one of the countries with the highest age in which people can drink, except for countries which prohibit or limit drinking because of religious reasons. Most of the countries in the world allow drinking at age 18, including Canada and Mexico, the USs neighbors, and other friendly countries to it in Europe, like Spain, Italy, France and Germany. Some countries dont even have a minimum drinking age! Still, the drinking age in the US is only 21. The law prohibiting the purchase and consumption of alcohol to people under 21 was legislated in 1984, large because of organizations like "Mothers Against Drunk Driving" (MADD) that claimed that raising the drinking age will save many lives which would otherwise be lost in car accidents caused by drunk driving. Statistical evidence did show a reduction in drunk-driving accidents and deaths after the law was passed in 1984, particularly in drivers under the age of 21 (Ellis-Christensen, 2009). Still, ever since the law was enacted, there has been a raging debate on whether or not the drinking age should be lowered back to 18, especially to populations like military personnel. The reason behind the desire to lower the drinking age back is the absurdity that people who are 18 are entitled to do virtually anything else, like getting married, voting, have children and especially join the military and risk their lives for the country, but they cant drink alcohol. But there is a strong coalition which is adamant that the drinking age should not, under any circumstances, be lowered back to 18. First, they claim that raising the minimum age has decreased drunk driving, accidents and alcohol-related fatalities in people below the age of 21. Second, they state that raising the age limits access to alcohol and decreases underage drinking, and that is in spite of the fact that some underage people still drink. Third, it is said by them that people under the age of 21 may not be mature enough to handle drinking alcohol, and are probably more at risk in regards to binge drinking and addictions like alcohol. Fourth, having laws that prohibits purchasing and consuming alcohol by minors are a deterrent to them, and provides a way for the states to discourage minors from drinking alcohol. In other words, the fact that minors know that drinking alcohol at their age is punishable by law makes them not want to do it, or at least lowers their desire to do so (*). Be that as it may, there are many reasons why the minimum age has to be decreased back to 21 to military personnel, and perhaps to all youngsters as well. First of all, young people today dont seem to be deterred at all from drinking alcohol. Underage drinking actually happens a lot and pretty much everywhere, in high schools, colleges, etc. Lowering the minimum age back to 18 will mean that alcohol will no longer be perceived by them to be "the forbidden fruit", and this will make fewer people tempted to try it. It is a well known fact that children and youngsters are very much tempted by the things that they cannot do, have, experience. This way, when drinking alcohol isnt illegal anymore, not as much people will be tempted to use it like today. This includes of course soldiers who cant help themselves and drink alcohol even though theyre not 21 yet, something which can have very detrimental results. Second, it has been shown that countries with a lower drinking age tend to have fewer problems with alcoholism. Given the severity and compulsiveness of alcoholism and the many dangers that accompany it, it is crucial to consider this fact. It means that if the drinking age remains as it is today, more people will develop problems of alcoholism, including soldiers whose occupation is so important and who risk their lives to save others. Clearly, soldiers with alcoholism will not be able to perform well in their daily lives, let alone be able to fight in wars and battles, like the ones taking place today in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations in which the US is involved militarily. Third, young people today have a habit of drinking in private places and having to sneak around and hide in order to drink alcohol where they wont be seen or caught. This means that they sometimes do it in rather dangerous places, risking themselves. For soldiers, in particular, it is especially dangerous, since if military officials catch them drinking, they could be court marshaled, sent to prison, be kicked out of the army, etc. Plus, having them take risks and hang around potentially dangerous places is a very undesirable things, considering the uniquely important position they have and their obligation to protect the country. Fourth, not only can people at age 18 join the army and serve their country, but they can also get married, sign contracts and vote. If they can handle these responsibilities which are a part of the everyday lives they live, why cant they drink alcohol? It stands to reason that if people at this age are mature and responsible enough to do potentially life-changing and serious things like getting married or signing contracts (something which could have great financial consequences, that involved a commitment and obligation), or even vote and effect the future of the country, they are old and mature enough to do something like drinking. It makes absolutely no sense that soldiers who dedicate their lives to their country, those that are faced with life-threatening situations on a daily basis sometimes, and that could very well die in the service of their country, cannot drink. It is wrong and illogical to ask people as young as 18 to join the army and place themselves and their lives in the care of others to help their country, but not to drink ("Should the Legal", 2008). No matter how the story is told and the situation presented, young people like to drink, and they do it anyway. It is known that young people also need some kind of outlet point, a way to relieve themselves of stress, relax and enjoy a little bit. It is true that drinking could involve some risky behaviors, but preventing young people at the age of 18 or older (and especially soldiers) from drinking does not help them in the bigger picture. And indeed, some of those who are in favor of lowering the minimum age of drinking say that they are motivated by the failures of the existing laws in regulating alcohol consumption. They say that the rules may seem to be working, but what theyre actually doing is putting the issue of underage drinking outside the public eye. They add and say that what results is that young people, including soldiers, sometimes drink too much, get sick and even get into trouble, but they cant tell it to anyone else because theyre afraid that theyll get into trouble. And things are even worse when it comes to soldiers, since they have to hide their drinking from the military officials who are responsible for them, and this hurts their performance and regular routine. An alcohol expert named David J. Hanson says regarding the law of the minimum drinking age that "the law has pushed and forced underage drinking and youthful drinking underground, where we have no control over it" (McBride, 2009). Young people drink in hiding, where adults and authorities (or officials, if relevant) dont see it and cant prevent it. This of course can continue well into their years in the military service, and possibly result in some very bad consequences. However, if drinking at the age of 18 was out in the open and practiced visibly, something could be done about it by those who are in charge, but not when things are hidden from sight like they are now. Finally, there are some disturbing and unsettling issues regarding the subject of drinking by soldiers and other military personnel. One of these is the fact that the drinking age was reduced to 18 in the Vietnam War. 29 states lowered it explaining that it makes no sense at all that thousands of men and women are dying for their country without even having this most basic right to legally drink. This important fact begs the question why this isnt done today. Theres not much difference between what is happening today and what was happening then- a great number of men and women are also dying today in service of their country in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and theyre not allowed to drink legally. This makes absolutely no sense. Also, the federal law requires military commanders to adopt the minimum drinking age of the state in which the military base is located. But there is an exception to this rule, if the base is located 50 miles of Canada or Mexico, or if it is in a state with a lower drinking age (Hanson, 2007). This clearly doesnt make any sense and is unreasonable. If a minimum drinking age is set and soldiers have to adhere to it, how can some soldiers be unable to drink until they are 21, even if they serve in dangerous places outside of the US, while others who serve inside the country and close to the border get to drink at the age of 18 (or some other age lower than 21)? In conclusion, in spite of the evidence showing the risks of lowering the drinking age to 18 (evidence which is highly disputed about), there are various reasons for letting soldiers in the army drink, among which are that the current minimum age contributes to the development of alcoholism, that young people are hiding their drinking and possibly endangering themselves, that young people arent deterred by the laws and drink anyway and that they can do and take part of big events and decisions in life which require sufficient maturity, such as marriage, voting or signing a contract, and therefore should also be given the right to drink. To these we must add two crucial facts. The first of which is that the minimum age was lowered once during a war the US had and that there is no difference between then and today. The other is that the law regarding soldiers drinking is not uniform, as soldiers who serve abroad arent able to drink until they are 21, whereas those who serve 50 miles of the borders of the country or at a state with a lower drinking age can drink before that age. That is simply unacceptable and unreasonable, and there must be uniformity in this regard. We must contemplate all that is mentioned above when we think about the current minimum drinking age, and realize that it holds with it many dangers and also injustice to soldiers who risk their lives for their country, and we must change it and lower it for them, for those whose commitment is to save our lives. References Ellis-Christensen, T. (2009). "What is the Debate over the Legal Drinking Age in the United States?". Retrieved April 14 from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-debate-over-the-legal-drinking-age-in-the-united-states.htm Hanson, D.J (2007). "Drinking Age in the U.S Military". Alcohol Problems and Solutions. Retrieved April 14, 2009 from http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/IntheNews/UnderageDrinking/1106156025.html McBride, H.C. (2009). "Choosing Sides: Should States Lower the Legal Drinking Age?". Retrieved April 14, 2009 from http://www.teen-alcohol-addiction.com/drinking_age_debate.php "Should the Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18 in the US?" (2008). Posted April 7, 2008. Retrieved April, 2009 from http://needsofthemany.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/should-the-legal-drinking-age-be-lowered-to-18-in-the-us-with-poll/ Read More