Drinking Age Debate

DRINKING AGE DEBATE

Should the drinking age be lowered to 18 years old, when one is considered an

adult, and assumes adult privileges and penalties, or should the drinking age remain at

21 years old, since people are more mature and therefore, can be safe and responsible

with alcohol?

I believe that the drinking age should remain at 21 years old because lowering

the legal drinking age would not be in the best interest of the publicпÑ--Ð...s safety, as well as

todayпÑ--Ð...s youth.

The most fundamental argument in favor of keeping the drinking age at 21 is the

prime reason it was put at that age in the first place: the body and brain of an

adolescent cannot fully form and perform to its potential if its development is

interrupted by the infiltration of alcohol. Teen brains are sponge-like and are designed

for maximum learning capacity. Alcohol interferes with learning and memory. In a

Duke University study, students who binge drank every weekend of their freshman

year scored 10 percent lower on IQ tests than the prior year. Studies have shown that

the brain becomes the primary recipient of alcohol abuse by youngsters. The 21 year

old restriction was placed because oneпÑ--Ð...s brain should be fully formed by age 20 or 21.

Alcohol use before the full formation of the brain also causes a decreased ability in

пÑ--Ð...planning and execution function, memory, spatial operations and attentionпÑ--Ð... all of

which affect academic performance and future brain function.

Alcohol use and abuse prior to this age not only expose drinkers to negative

consequences because of alcohol-influenced actions, but also can permanently affect