The United States has prided itself on the protection of its citizens’ freedom to enjoy life and pursue it on their behalf. Unfortunately, we are one of only five nations around the world ‘- excluding those where alcohol is banned — whose legal drinking age is still 21. Almost all nations of the world have a legal drinking age of 18. So why is the United States still lagging? Being 18 years old in the United States is no small matter. Eighteen year olds attend their first year of college; they have had a full-provisional license in North Carolina for two years; can join the military — fighting and dying for your country. Yet an 18-year-old soldier in the United States cannot sit down legally in a bar with his buddies and have a beer.
You can claim independence from your parents, smoke and take on every adult responsibility necessary for your needs. Yet here we are, waiting three more years before the threat of an underage-drinking ticket becomes obsolete.
Some would argue that changing this law would only give way to an increase in drunk drivers and degrading behavior. I have to disagree; if the legal drinking age were lowered, perhaps, students and teenagers would not think it so enticing to break the law and it would not be such a big deal. Drinking a beer might even be seen as just as innocent as drinking a soda out of a vending machine. Alcohol is just like everything else you consume; you have to do it in moderation. The premise behind this argument is that the responsibility of adulthood also assumes that you have enough self control not to drink an entire bottle of wine and drive home. You are treated like an adult in every other aspect, why not this one?
The negativity associated with alcohol is somewhat overrepresented. Alcohol is a key factor in our culture for social gatherings, as well as many other cultures around the world. It is advertised with much more emphasis on the social scene, but anyone who has ever had a hangover can tell you it is not as luxurious as the TV ads make it out to be. Not all cultures drink alcohol just to ‘get messed up’ or ‘get crazy.’ It is just a way to relax and unwind while socializing with others. Spaniards typically drink wine with every meal, simply because they believe it is good for their health. There is nothing wrong with this; it is simply an expression of culture.
Maybe it is not too much to say that we should ‘loosen up’ a bit. However, in no way is a message being conveyed that our generation should simply rebel and refuse any instruction to safely consuming alcohol. It is only being suggested that being an adult should truly be treated as such. It is our responsibility to take care of ourselves and our duty to conduct ourselves in a responsible manner. Once that sinks in, maybe the phrase ‘that is your responsibility’ and ‘welcome to adulthood’ will make a lasting impression on that age group. Thank you, congratulations to me, now where is my beer?
‘
