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Essay / Negative implications of underage drinking
There is a common debate in American culture about lowering the current drinking age of 21. According to an image created on August 25, 2015 on procon.org, 6% of countries in the world have set the drinking age at 21 years old. America is one of these countries. But why not join the 61% of countries that set the minimum age for drinking alcohol at 18? E. Kuntsche et al maintain that easily accessible alcohol is favored by adolescents. On the other hand, “Alcohol abuse remains high on college campuses, but black students drink much less often than whites” shows that it may not be the environment that causes alcohol consumption to increase. Underage drinking is such a huge problem. Linda Richter et al. explain how underage drinking is a vital part of the American economy. While some of these points may be true, Steven K. Galson explains how and why teens are attracted to the idea of underage drinking and discusses the negative medical implications of underage drinking . Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The availability of alcohol is not easy to obtain for underage drinkers. There are several ways to get around the law, such as getting a fake ID or simply asking an older friend/family member to buy you alcohol. Kuntsche et al analyze the perceived availability of alcohol for underage drinkers. The authors discuss how readily available alcohol can harm adolescents' perceptions of underage drinking. If alcohol is easily accessible or even encouraged in their social and personal lives, this will of course push them into the habit of drinking under the legal age. By maintaining the drinking age at 21, these adolescents will no longer have access to alcohol. Later in the academic journal, he states that “underage drinking is common and socially approved” (Kuntsche et al 811). The availability and consumption of alcohol all depend on the characteristics of the drinker's social and physical environment. For example, college campuses are susceptible to underage drinkers, making them a more dangerous place for things to go wrong. Students face peer pressure and feel pressured to engage in underage drinking. The unknown author of the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education 28 article analyzes the problem of underage drinking on college campuses in the United States. The author discusses multiple incidents of alcohol poisoning and how colleges attempt to control these situations. Some colleges, including Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, have decided to abolish social fraternities and sororities in an attempt to reduce "excessive drinking and partying" (19). The author then references Dr. Henry Wechsler, a professor at the School of Public Health at Harvard University, who conducted a study on excessive alcohol consumption on college campuses. Dr. Wechsler's main argument is that African American students were less likely to drink excessively than white students. This shows that Kuntsche's argument that social origin has an influence on underage drinking is partly false. A good portion of African Americans have a difficult past, but this only motivates them to focus on their academic studies (20). Not only theUnderage drinking affects college students; Underage drinking affects U.S. citizens as a whole. Linda Richter and her colleagues explain how underage drinking is a significant part of the U.S. economy. They also discuss how citizens of the United States do not want young adults to drink under the legal age. Although many underage children consume alcohol before they are of legal age, the authors concluded that adults want nothing to do with underage drinking. “To limit young people's access to alcohol, [they] recommend using… higher alcohol taxes, zero tolerance laws… and penalizing parents and drinking establishments responsible for providing alcohol to minors” (Richteret coll. 63, 65). Although underage drinking represents a significant portion of our economy, the authors believe it would put a tighter hold on those who participate in underage drinking. Steven K. Galson agrees with Richter and Kuntsche. He states that “genetic, psychological, and social factors” all play a role in adolescents’ decisions to consume alcohol before the legal age (Galson 2). It also gives a more medical perspective on why the drinking age should not be lowered. It concludes that underage drinking causes more deaths, school failures, as well as risky sexual behavior that could lead to the spread of STDs, HIV or AIDS. He also states that alcohol consumption causes alterations in the brain and its growth (Galson 3). Ultimately, underage drinking does not outweigh the potential short- and long-term risks. Lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 would be detrimental to our country. The authors of these reviews discuss the implications of lowering the drinking age. The social, political, and personal issues surrounding underage drinking are far too risky for America's youth. We are not prepared to lower the legal drinking age. At least not yet. This academic journal analyzes underage drinking and its effects on citizens of the United States. The authors explain how underage drinking is a significant part of the U.S. economy. They also discuss how citizens of the United States do not want young adults to drink under the legal age. The authors conducted a study in which they randomly selected citizens. Although many underage children consume alcohol before they are of legal age, the study concluded that adults want nothing to do with underage drinking. It would be helpful for me to use this in my trial as it shows the positive effects of keeping the drinking age at 21. I can also use the counterargument that underage drinking is a significant part of the American economy to show the other side of the argument. This academic journal analyzes the problem of underage drinking on college campuses in the United States. . The unknown author discusses multiple incidents of alcohol poisoning and how colleges attempt to control these situations. Some colleges, including Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, have decided to abolish social fraternities and sororities in an attempt to reduce "excessive drinking and partying." The author then refers to Dr. Henry Wechsler,.