Marisol Chavez Florida National University Class: EC I- DBX-DL01 Prof: Karelia Castaneda 03 April 2024.
Should the Alcohol Drinking Age Be Increased or Decreased?
Patrick J. Kennedy, American politician, declared that “No one is immune to addiction; it affects people of all ages, races, classes and professions.” Currently, there is a great debate happening about alcohol consumption, and even more so when it comes to setting an age limit. While some believe that the age for alcohol consumption should be increased, others believe that it should be decreased, which is true that alcohol in many ways affects young people. After examining both positions, it is evident that alcohol drinking age should be increased because …show more content…
“Drinking alcohol can cause youth to have accidents and get hurt. In 2011 alone, about 188,000 people younger than age 21 visited an emergency room for alcohol-related injuries.” [National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, February 2024]. For example, alcohol impairs motor coordination, decreases attention, causes drowsiness, produces effects on vision; this causes young people to lose control and cause accidents. In addition, alcohol consumption in young people affects the ability to drive, affects decision making, makes drivers reckless, disobedient to authorities and commits public disorder. This shows the danger that exists when a young person deliberately drinks alcoholic beverages. Thus, it is necessary to increase the age of alcohol consumption since it is irresponsible when young people drink and drive. The second reason is the changes that alcohol causes in brain development in young people. “During those years of transition between childhood and adulthood, the brain grows and changes in many important ways that are crucial for that transition to be successful. When teens and young adults drink alcohol, it