Opinion Article: Lower Drinking Age

Reduce Legal Drinking Age to 18
In the US Drinking alcohol seems to be the only thing that adults over the age of 18 can’t do that a 21 year old can. The legal age for consumption and possession of alcohol is 21 according to the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. But, most of us wonder why not reduce the legal drinking age to 18. It is believed that when one turns 18 he/she reaches adulthood meaning he has now the right to vote, marry, join military forces, and smoke. So why not drink? Many other countries such as Also, although there is a law that forbids the purchase of alcohol by ‘minors’ in that case people under the age of 21, teenagers usually end up getting their hands on it whether it is at college campuses or parties they attend and some even go to the extent of acquiring a fake ID which makes the law insignificant.
According to drinkingage.procon.org , the believe that lowering the drinking age will actually take the thrill out of breaking the law that many young people feel as they seek for what is known as the ‘forbidden fruit’. It will also contribute to the factor of unsupervised consumption of alcohol by teen 18 and older and who are forced to drink in dangerous locations such as fraternity’s houses and private homes. By lowering the drinking age it is also believed to reduce the amount of teens taken to the ER for alcohol intoxications everyday for their reckless actions. Megan Torres, a freshman at QCC (queensborough community college) and also former student at bayside high school, agrees with the idea of lowering the drinking age to 18. She herself has experienced peers being out of control at parties due to consumption of alcohol she quoted " once they get a hold of it they make sure they enjoy it as much as they can because they don’t know when is the next time they’ll be able to drink again” proving the fact that having the legal drinking age at 21 does create a thrill and anxiety for those who break the law making young adults lead...