Sociology

Today, many teenagers are frustrated with inconsistency in America.  They hear their parents scold them for something they do themselves.  They see politicians do what they promised not to do before they were elected.  They encounter clergymen who violate the very morals they were told to value.  Whats a kid to do  While society blames them for its ills, they need an outlet to release their frustrations.  And sometimes, social drinking is a means to vent.  By lowering the drinking age to 18, American society will enjoy the benefits of more consistent policies, a less tempting world and a law that is at par with the rest of the world.

In America, 18 is the accepted and legal age for adulthood.  At 18, American teenagers are already authorized to do many things.  They can drive a car if they pass the written and practical tests.  They can go out and vote for any candidate that they pleasea candidate who may improve the country or destroy it.  They can get drafted into military service, or they can join voluntarily in the war against Afghans and Iraqis.  They can get a job and earn money.  They can get married to whoever they want, and in some states, they can even get married to someone who is the same gender.  And if they cant have any children, they can even adopt some.  They can even fly a plane and become a commercial pilot if they receive training and a license for it.  So why single out drinking  It is inconsistent for an 18-year-old to have the ability to shoot down innocent Afghans or Iraqis while restricted from drinking a can of beer.  The inconsistency will only make rebels out of them.  It will urge them to drink more.  Furthermore, people make mistakes at any age.  Even if youre an old politician, you can make grave mistakes that can affect billions of people around the world for decades, centuries or even millennia.  A drunken Alexander the Great or Hitler can do this and yet there are also many responsible 18 year-olds in America who know when to stop.  Just because you are young doesnt mean that you are immature.  And just because you are old doesnt mean that you are mature.  To the contrary there are many immature old people, and there are many mature young ones.  It was not the young who started World Wars I and II.  And it will not be the young who will start World War III.  It will always be the so-called mature people.

Moreover, anything forbidden is always tempting.  If you leave a closed box in a room, and tell a kid Ill be going out for about an hour.  Whatever you do, please dont open that box.  Once you leave, he will surely be tempted to open it more than if you had not even mentioned the box at all. Also, it can be a dare to many teenagers.  For example, bullies could say, youre chicken or youre a sissy to someone below 21.  This would prompt them to drink more to prove themselves.  Seniors in fraternities and sororities may also mock students who dont drink and label them as not part of the in-crowd.  It would definitely promote binge drinking.  In addition, even if you restrict teenagers from drinking, they can always ask or pay someone older to buy alcohol for them.  When theres a will, theres a way, as the saying goes.  In fact, during the Prohibition or Noble Experiment of the 1920s and early 30s, alcohol was banned just like illegal drugs, but the social situation became worse.  Alcohol was traded just like illegal drugs, and many famous gangsters like Al Capone and Bugs Moran profited from bootlegging liquor.  Al Capone would eventually control 10,000 speakeasies (establishments that illegally sold liquor) , and he would become the Chicago king of the bootlegging underworld from Canada to Florida.  Crime increased.  Numerous other crimes such as murder and theft increased as a result of the Prohibition.  Restricting teenagers from drinking would also have a similar effect.  It teaches them to break the law, and the social implications will be worse than allowing them to drink at 18.

Of course, some people will still argue that 18 is still immature--that they can potentially endanger themselves and others.  In fact, to reduce teenage drunk driving and the consequential accidents that take place, lawmakers lowered the drinking age to 18 in the 1980s.  But was it the right decision  Is drunk driving all there is to the drinking spectrum  Drinking is not just all about drunk driving.  As you can see from the Prohibition experience, there are numerous other serious crimes that can potentially involve it, including murder and theft.  And the cost of additional crimes such as murder and other social ills will certainly be greater than any reduction in drunken driving cases, which can actually be reduced through proper driver education and management.  While lowering the drinking age may not eliminate drunk driving altogether, it will still make the law more consistent and it will eliminate the temptation to open the closed box.  Many countries in the world, including Europe, do not have this temptation.  So they dont drink more than their counterparts in America.  For example, Professor Dwight Heath mentions that in Spain, Italy and France, youngsters learn how to drink moderately, learn how and why to avoid drunkenness, and learn that intoxication is a sign of immaturity or weakness.

In conclusion, drinking is not just about intoxication.  It is also a social activity that is used for venting frustrations and for increasing rapport with others.  In a way, it is also a manner of expressing yourself to others.  So why limit this expression  Freedom of expression has always been the hallmark of America.  And lawmakers should not take away this freedom from them.  Be consistent.  Be just.  And be fair. Lower the drinking age to 18.  It is the right thing to do.