Abstract
The topic of 'Making Fun of Americas Drinking Age Being Too High' is a fascinating topic that needs immediate attention. The idea of minimum drinking age in America is a controversial issue. The U.S. has a law that allows people who are twenty-one and above to consume alcohol. On the contrary, there are a large number of underage drinkers. Some thinkers feel that this law is going a mile in reducing the number of alcoholics in America. On the other hand, some strategists advocate for the need of lowing the minimum drinking age. The county needs to emulate other countries and create awareness on the issue of seniors buying alcoholic beverages for minors. Furthermore, there should be a sharp focus on the punishment for culprit engaged in alcohol-related illegalities. Underage drinking is a real 'problem' in the U.S., and it needs immediate attention and a revision on the starting age for drinking should be reevaluated.
Until someone reaches the age of twenty-one in the United States, they are not allowed to buy or consume alcohol. The reason why this age is considered to be the right time to engage in the drinking behavior is that the leaders of the state sat down and felt that a person miraculously transforms into a responsible man or woman at that age. Also, they think that at this age they would be able to bear the burden and consequences that come with consuming liquor. The drinking age in this country is so high, and it makes no sense, why this law is still in place now. Even when many young people who are below the age of twenty-one are recklessly consuming alcohol continually ignoring the law (Piehl 13).
Many individuals who agree with the drinking age in this country would blindly agree that the set age discourages teenagers and individuals below twenty-one from indulging in the behavior of consuming liquor. The main reason why the opposition is adamant with what they think about the drinking age is because they believe the laws put in place to prevent merchants from selling alcohol to persons under the age of twenty-one, would help stop the unwavering 'problem' of underage drinking. They also blindly think that since the age of drinking alcohol in the United States is twenty-one young people would magically follow the law and keep off from alcoholic beverages.
This law that the opposition believe would prevent the merchants from giving persons under the age of twenty-one alcoholic drinks in exchange for money has more than once proved to be hard to follow. In addition, when the merchants who sell the liquor to underage persons are caught, they are never severely punished. For instance, if one looks at the scenario that took place at in Belmont County in Ohio, in 1993, where there were random raids in nearly ten establishments, which were suspected to have been selling alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of twenty-one. After deep investigation, the police came to a conclusion that the merchants in question were indeed guilty of every accusation they faced. The scenario happens to be a good move on the states government side, and they should conduct more of these raids to curb the problem of underage drinking and in that effect put forward harsh punishment for the culprits. However, one would expect that the slightest sense of guilt would cause significant consequences and problems for these establishments. Even the merchants themselves would consider their licenses revoked after being found guilty. However, these establishments were only given probation and expected to pay a small fine. The government should change the laws, so that culprits can be severely punished. Therefore, both alcohol merchants and underage drinkers can think twice before engaging in any illegal activity (Edvin and Samuel 21).
The state should offer awareness on the effects of alcohol and make sure seniors understand the repercussions of buying alcoholic beverages for juniors. In this age and time, young people are not stupid. If it happens that they are unable to get alcoholic beverages from a merchant; they would always find an older person to get it for them and within no time the underage in question would be drunk and engage in unruly behavior. Critics would then say; young youths of the country are lost. If one wants to get real evidence of the reality of the statement, they need to go to college campuses; where seniors buy alcoholic beverages for juniors. This scenario seems to be an accepted behavior that does not seem to disturb many people. The States government needs to look at various ways of conducting raids in schools to curb this problem and promote healthy living to make students understand why the drinking age is in place. However, young people have numerous tricks under their sleeves. If they happen to lack a senior person to send or grow tired of sending senior people for their liquor; they would find an expert who would make fake ids for them. Many campuses embrace this act at a rate that is threatening. Spending time in Ohio for two or three weeks would make one receive an offer of authentic Ohio driver's licenses. For this reason, it is very evident that teenagers and persons under the age of twenty-one can acquire or purchase alcoholic beverages without much of hustle (Piehl 14)
There is a general thought and feeling that the penalties for underage drinking are severe, but on the contrary, the punishment is not severe unless someone is very unlucky and ends up in jail for DUI. The punishment for underage drinking is not even close to making underage drinkers think twice before putting the bottle or liquor can on their lips. In the United States, the offenders are usually required to only attend alcoholic related rehabilitation sessions and cater for court costs (Edvin and Samuel 22).
Other countries condone drinking or consuming alcohol at the age of eighteen or an early age. The United States is not doing any better than these other countries regarding underage drinking; In fact, she is not doing so well, since it has a significant number of underage drinkers. Moreover, in other nations, it is widely acceptable for people to take their meals with a glass of wine or any other alcoholic beverage and this totally teaches them to learn about moderation at a tender age. The United States should adopt the same concept and change their laws to accept young people to learn about moderation. This would make them not to consume alcohol just for the sake of getting drunk. If the country adopts this behavior or state of thinking, there would be fewer deaths due to alcohol related incidences. Since young people would learn how to drink alcohol without getting drunk.
The law that allows the citizens of the United States to only consume alcohol when they reach the age of twenty-one is not working. It is senseless to keep a law that many other countries are doing well without and happen to be even better than the United States. Maybe the law is for the good of its citizens, but since the punishment for underage drinking and selling of alcohol to underage drinkers is not severe there is no need of enforcing the law. Young people from other countries handle drinking very well, and since even in the United States there are responsible young individuals the law should be changed. However, even if the law is changed, the country has a lot of adult addicts who influence young people in a major way. Therefore, they would in one way or another, influence teenagers to drink alcohol even if the drinking age is lowered. For this reason, there would still be high cases of alcohol related accidents and events where teenagers engage in unsafe sexual activities and other immoralities due to alcohol.
Denying young people the right to drink at a young age only seems to be a bad idea. It feels like they are being restricted and their freedom is somehow controlled by an external force. Lowering the drinking age from twenty-one years would have benefits for the country both politically and economically since there would be a sense of freedom. Also, young people would learn how to be moderate in their drinking at a tender age. Many countries have done this, and they are not facing alcoholic problems like the ones the United States is facing. It does not mean that the country is becoming like other nations, the country can only learn from the 'good' and eliminate the 'bad' it is experiencing. Consumption of alcohol has been a part of the society since time memorial. The forefathers of the country had no laws governing alcohol consumption, and the country turned out well. Therefore, it makes no sense making a law that does not benefit the nation at all.
Works Cited
Edvin, David, and Samuel Harald. Underage Drinking: Examining and Preventing Youth Use of Alcohol. New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2010. Print.
Piehl, Norah. Underage Drinking. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Print.
