I. Introduction: Starting in 1970 21 states reduced the minimum drinking age to 18. Another 8 reduced it to 19 or 20. However, these states noticed increases in alcohol-related fatalities among teenagers and young adults. As a result, of the 29 states that had lowered their drinking age, 24 raised the age again between 1976 and 1984. By 1984, only three states allowed 18-year-olds to drink all types of alcoholic liquor. The enactment of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 prompted states to raise their legal age for purchase or public possession of alcohol to 21 or risk losing millions in federal highway funds.
The states who raised it were given highway funding by the government becuase the governement felt that teen drinking was directly connected to car accidents among teens.
Opposite Postion: Con
II. A. The longer we can delay alcohol use, the better the chance that a person will never have a problem with alcohol dependency later in life.
1. A survey of 43,093 adults showed that those who begin to drink alochol before the age of 14 become more dependent later in life. 2. This is compared to the 9 percent of those who wait until they are 21.
III. A. Young Drinking Stops the Brain from growing and learning properly. 1. The brain stops developing at 21 so drinking earlier can cause serious damage 2. In one experiement it showed that even one high dose of alcohol temporarily prevented the creation of new cells
IV. A. Exessive underage drinking at parities can lead to rapes, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancies. 1. 60 percent of female college students who contract sexually transmittied diseases say they were under the influence at the time of the intercourse with the infected person 2. 20 percent of sexually active college students say they fail to use contraceptives when they are drunk. Supporting position: Pro
V. A. If lowered to 18, younger teens will be able to get alcohol more easily. 1. A 2009 University of Michigan study reported that 80 percent of tenth-grade students believe alcohol is either ” fairly easy ” or ” very easy ” to obtain . 2. Teens with 18 year old friends can easily obtain the alcohol from them and possibly get into cars with these people
VI. A. When teens drink alcohol, they are more likely to binge drink than people above the age of 21. 1. A 2007 by the substance abuse and mental health services administration found that 19 percent of 16 and 17 yea olds binge drink on alcohol each month. 2. 35 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 20 binge each month.
VII. A. When Teens are not taught to drink in moderation they end up binge drink when they drink alcohol. 1. Many colleges aim to educate students about alochol consumption. 2. Alcohol Edu was installed in 450 colleges to instruct incoming freshman about the dangers of bingeing.
VIII. A. Binge Drinking can lead to many car crash fatalities. 1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that binge drinking accounted for more than half of the 80,00 annual deaths associated with ecessive drinking 2. In 2011, 85 percent of all alcohol imapired driving arrests or accidents involved people who also reported binge drinking
IX. Argument in support of position: The Institute for Creative Research ( ICR ) found hat 84 percent of teenagers suport keeping or raising the current drinking age. They are supportive of legislation that will reduce the risks for them.