COPY EDITOR – THERESA MULLER
ORIGINALLY PRINTED ON NOV 28, 2022
Various attributes set the United States apart from other countries, such as its type of government and values. One issue that stands out from the rest, as it’s highly debated, is its minimum legal drinking age (MLDA). The United States is currently among 11 countries that have an MLDA of 21. For a country where an individual who is 16 can legally drive, and an individual who is 18 is considered a full-fledged adult, it might seem baffling that the individual must be 21 to consume alcohol. To understand why this law exists, one must take a look at the several factors that contributed to its creation.
According to the Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), “The 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act, [23 U.S.C. § 158], requires that States prohibit persons under 21 years of age from purchasing or publicly possessing alcoholic beverages as a condition of receiving State highway funds. A Federal regulation that interprets the Act excludes from the definition of “public possession,” which is possession “for an established religious purpose; when accompanied by a parent, spouse or legal guardian age 21 or older; for medical purposes when prescribed or administered by a licensed physician, pharmacist, dentist, nurse, hospital or medical institution; in private clubs or establishments; or to the sale, handling, transport, or service in dispensing of any alcoholic beverage pursuant to lawful employment of a person under the age of 21 years by a duly-licensed manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer of alcoholic beverages.” This law was set in place to discourage youths under 21 from having easy access to alcohol for consumption. Many factors associated with underage drinking led to this decision, an important one being fatal automobile accidents. It’s common knowledge that alcohol and driving do not pair well together. Being under the influence while conducting a thousand-pound metal machine on wheels poses danger to the driver, other road occupants, and pedestrians. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)), reports that “states that increased the legal drinking age to 21 saw a 16% median decline in motor vehicle crashes.” Youths within the first five years of obtaining their license are more likely to cause a crash. Combining alcohol with the higher risk of getting into an automobile crash at this age is a recipe for disaster. In attempting to reduce and combat these incidents, the legal age became 21.
Alcohol is known to have severe effects on the liver and an excess in consumption can lead to cirrhosis. However, another important organ alcohol can deeply affect is the brain. This is one of many concerns regarding alcohol consumption since many believe the average adolescent brain does not fully develop until the mid-20’s or even early 30’s. Some argue that only excessive alcohol consumption can have detrimental effects on the brain and that a healthy amount or limited consumption will not harm the individual.
Although limited consumption can reduce the chances of harmful effects on the brain, it can still cause an individual’s undeveloped brain to become addicted to alcohol. According to madd.org, “youth who start drinking before age 15 years are six times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after age 21 years.” Not every individual functions the same, and those prone to addictive tendencies are more in danger than others. Teens are especially at risk due to their lack of knowledge of handling alcohol and their ability to get drunk faster than adults, which can result in overconsumption. Reducing consumption among individuals below 21 can help strive to eliminate alcohol addiction while the brain is still developing and encourage individuals to consider the consequences of excess consumption.
While alcohol consumption is not something that should completely be feared or forced to disappear, it’s important to know the risks and consequences that may come with its consumption.