Legal Drinking Age
Motor vehicle crashes, alcoholic poisoning, violence, and addiction are just some of the ways children under age 21 are being devastated by the inappropriate and illegal use of alcohol. Alcohol is the number one drug of choice among the nation's youth and it can have serious, often lifelong, consequences for them, their families and their communities (Alcoholism). "Underage alcohol use is a significant threat to the health and safety of our children," noted Steven A. Shroeder, M.D., President and CEO of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The extent of alcohol consumption by children ages 9 to 15 is startling, and preventing it must become a national priority. Consider these facts:- 3 million children ages 14 through 17 are regular drinkers who already have a confirmed alcoholic problem.- 24 percent of eighth graders say they have used alcohol in the last 30 days.- More than 100,000 12-13 year-olds binge drink every month- Ninth graders who drink are almost twice as likely to attempt suicide as those who don't.- 40 percent of children who begin drinking before the age of 15 will become alcoholics at some point in their lives. (Alcoholism)Alcohol consumption is one of the leading causes of death and injury among t
A Michigan study found that police reports of "had been drinking" crashes increased 35%, while the incidence of nighttime single-vehicle crashes increased 17% after the state reduced its law from 21 to 18 (Booze News). Surveys show that half of all teen-age girls have their first sexual encounter after drinking (Bradley). Growth spurts, which ultimately determine a person's height, could be affected by drinking. Another Michigan study found that DWI arrests increased 141% for 18 to 20 year-olds after the state lowered the law. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcholism. Researchers have determined that alcohol kills a large number of persons between the ages of 18 and 21 (Bradley). Most of the time, it is unprotected sex (Bradley). An Australian study of two states that lowered their law found "a significant increase" in hospital admissions as a result of non-traffic alcohol-related accidents. First, it's your grades, then your girlfriend, then your family. She said if the drinking age were lowered, a lot of young people would end up where she did; in an alcohol dependence treatment ward after suicide attempt. "The more you drink, the more you lose" (Bradley). - Alcohol can adversely affect the way a teen's body stores and uses vitamins and minerals, leading to learning difficulties. Ralph Hingson, a Boston University professor and researcher, said the main reason to keep the drinking age at 21 is that alchohol-related traffic accidents are the leading cause the death among teenagers. Chris Bishop, 17, who attended Truman High School before spending several weeks in an alcoholic dependence ward, agreed that it's a good idea to put off drinking you start to lose things. Yet nearly anyone who has studied the effects of alcohol on teen-agers will disagree with Maloney (Bradley).
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