Laws shape our society, and the way we think and feel. They are supposed to be for the safety and prosperity of our nation; however, it seems that some of today’s laws take away liberties that citizens in third-world countries have become entitled to.
In America, drinking alcoholic beverages is prohibited for ages twenty and younger. According to Wikipedia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have a drinking age of eighteen. Are these islands not a territory of the United States of America? Then, why, I ask, do we not allow young adults in America to legally drink at the age of eighteen?
As an under aged young adult, and I am fully aware that people my age drink. It is very easy for teenagers to buy liquor. If we are unable to buy liquor we can ask someone else to buy it and they are very likely to oblige. Going to parties with older people, especially, in college, we have access to an abundance of alcohol. Though, the law is still active, younger people continue to drink before reaching their twenty-first birthday, which can sometimes lead to their demise.
With only a few years of experience teens are unskilled drivers, adding liquor only hinders their abilities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of death among youth ages 15-20. There were 7,460 youth motor vehicle deaths in 2005. (This includes both drivers and passengers.) Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) also notes that the use of alcohol is frequently coupled with risky and potentially destructive behaviors such as physical and emotional violence, rude or thoughtless remarks or actions, sexual mistakes or misjudgments, sexual assaults, and suicide acts and attempts. With such adverse effects, why would any responsible teen drink.
I think that most teens do not drink heavily to receive a “good feeling”. They do it because they are not permitted to do so. A simple suggestion might be to allow teens to drink in a safer atmosphere. Allowing teens to drink in social settings with their family or other supervision will probably help them consume less.
It is the morality and judgment of the young adult that determines if he or she will drink. Yet, everyone does not have the same morals or judgment. Nor, does everyone have self-control. Being young, teens may be unaware of their alcohol limit. Also, at such a young age, the eagerness to fit-in can cause them to consume too much and may put them in risk of alcohol poison.
Public safety is more important than giving teenagers the freedom to consume liquor. Although laws seem to deny us of the freedom we were promised, they are needed to maintain stability and to prevent chaos.
