This always annoys me. I’m told the drinking age is 21 because a persons brain continues to develop into their mid 20s, but at age 21, technically the brain is not yet fully developed so what’s behind the magic number of 21? Does it make it safer to drink at that age than at 18? Why isn’t the drinking age 25?
In: 62
It’s about maturity. Which we still have a problem with. The existing DUI punishment system is too light-handed IMHO. It’s hardly a deterrent.
The push to change the drinking age started to appear during the early 70’s and was officially raised by federal law to 21 in 1984, between the end of prohibition and 1984, it ranged between 18 and 21. Statistics were showing a rise in DUI’s and single vehicle related deaths/injuries in states with lower drinking ages and so young adults were blamed, parents and legal guardians protested for the legal drinking age to be raised, the federal government gave in and signed it into law and non-complaint states would have their highway fund reduced. Also i should mention the legal drinking age is for appropriate public settings, not private.
If you’re a minor, and you’re in a private setting, aka where you are, you can expect a right to privacy, and have consent from a parent or legal guardian you can legally drink. There’s also exceptions for religious settings. Not a Lawyer, and ALWAYS check local laws first before telling your parents/legal guardian some stranger on the internet told you, you could drink alcohol at home.
Considering how not everyone “matures” at the same rate or the same age as everyone else. So, the brain isn’t always fully developed at the age of 25. The difference between teens and matured adults is the part of the brain they use to make rational decisions, in mature adults this is the frontal cortex. In teens, their decisions are in limbo kinda, because their brain is still developing and they base decisions on emotions , since the rational decision making part of their brain is still developing. And to answer your question about the drinking age pushed back to 25, I will tell you this, ” If you are waiting for the right age for everyone’s brain to be fully developed, then that age should be around 30ish or older. Having a fully developed brain, doesn’t mean everyone’s brain development is at the age of 25!
Have a look around, most brains aren’t going to achieve anything of note anyways, may as well let the plebs enjoy themselves.
What you really should be asking yourself, “If by prohibiting the consumption of alcohol at the age 21 , is this age limit causing our teenagers to become alcoholics and binge drinkers at a higher rate, than if it was a lower age group of 16-19 as long as it wasn’t in public areas that sold or carried alcohol? You may think that is wrong to have such a young age to be allowed to drink alcohol except for liquor which means ( like Jack Daniels, or Tequila,)just wine, wine coolers, beer. And not in any place except for their permanent residence with their parents. Not out in public, not in their backyards, not carrying it from mom and dad’s house in their vehicle to the lake . Most teenagers start drinking because they aren’t allowed to do so, because of the age limit set by the Federal Government. Is it better to prolong the inevitable or should it be allowed with their parents consent in the privacy of their home, with strict guidelines enforced by the parents? (Not other minors, not, throwing a party and purchasing alcohol for minors who are not their own children, just for the families minor children)
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