RAISING THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE

Before 1919, there was no minimum age when individuals could consume alcohol in the
United States. The legal age differed from one state to another until in 1920, when ratification of
the 18 th Amendment of the constitution took place (Tietjen, 2014). After the confirmation of the
21 st Amendment of the law in 1933, the minimum drinking age in most states was set at 21, but it
was a bit low in some states. However, shortly afterwards, the age in some states was lowered to
only 18 years during the late 1960s and 1970s (Tietjen, 2014). The impact of this was a huge rise
in accidents related to drunk driving. Statistics by the National Institute of Health (NIH) showed
that more than seventy-five percent of car accidents were caused by drunk driving, and they
involved persons between the age of 16-20 (Tietjen, 2014). In response to the drinking pandemic
witnessed in the 1970s, the legal age when one was allowed to take alcohol was increased to 21
years. these changes were enacted in 1984. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act was
signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. The age was the same in all states. An increase of
the legal drinking age to 25 is important to allow for the development of the human brain, it is a
way of reducing the chances of falling into addiction, and it is an effective measure against
excessive alcohol consumption among college students.
The minimum drinking age should be raised because a human brain takes about 25 years
to develop. There are some significant functional and structural changes that place between
childhood and adolescence (Squeglia et al., 2014). The brain matures in the mid-twenties. The
maturation age differs significantly based on factors such as a person’s gender. Sarah Helps, a
consultant clinical psychologist, states that adult maturity is not yet fully formed until a person is
past the age of 25 years (Wallis, 2013). use of alcohol during the brain’s development period
tends to affect the gray and white-matter brain structures (Squeglia et al., 2014). Also,

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aberrations in the activity of the brain are interfered with, and this causes poorer neurocognitive
performance. The complex cognitive functioning of the brain is affected by the indulgence of
alcohol at an age when the brain is still maturing. Therefore, raising the minimum drinking age
to 25 years ensures that one engages in alcohol drinking at a time when the brain is fully
developed. The country does not risk having adults whose cognitive capacity is not up to
standards because of engaging in alcohol at the wrong time.
Raising the age when individuals are allowed to take alcohol reduces people’s chances of
falling into addiction or over-dependence on alcohol in adulthood. Alcohol impairs the activity
of the brain’s CA1 cells and also has severe effects on other hippocampal functions of this organ.
Research shows that alcohol interferes with the long-term potentiation processes of the brain.
There are age-related differences in how human memory is sensitive to the effects of alcohol.
Dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are the two vital neurotransmitters that are
affected by alcohol consumption (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse Alcoholism (NIAAA),
2020). GABA is effective in repressing the activity of brain cells, and alcohol is known to
improve the impact that the component has on the receptors. GABA enhances tolerance and
reliance on alcohol. Both GABA and dopamine increase significantly during adolescence
(NIAAA, 2020). Thus, adolescence and early adulthood years are profound years in the
development of brain function. Consumption of alcohol during this period could increase the
chances of addiction as the amount consumed is likely to keep increasing as age catches up with
an individual (Donovan & Molina, 2011). Thus, an individual who begins taking alcohol at the
age of 21, and continues up to when they are ion their forties, could find themselves developing
an addiction. Such an individual will have consumed alcohol for over two decades, and this is a

RAISING THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE 4
period long enough to develop a reliance on alcohol. Thus, to minimize addiction cases, it is
necessary that policies of change be implemented.
An increase of the minimum age when one can consume alcohol could curtail excessive
drinking in college and thus solve the negative consequences that arise. College students who
start drinking in the first year may continue over the next course of two years in college
(Martinez et al., 2016). Research by Core Institute shows that almost three-quarters of college
students drink alcohol. Also, almost one-third of students in college miss classes due to
drunkenness (Behavioral Health, 2020). Shocking statistics show that nearly ninety percent of
sexual assaults in college is related to alcohol (Behavioral Health, 2020). It is evident then that
college students consume alcohol excessively. They are not mature enough to take responsibility
for their actions even after drinking alcohol, hence the high cases of misconduct. College
students tend to consume more alcohol compared to their noncollege peers, and this is reflected
in the suppression of their personality (Quinn & Fromme, 2011). Most students are in college at
the of 21, and by the time they are 25, they graduate. Thus, raising the minimum drinking age
will be effective in curtailing excessive intake of alcohol, and this will help take the behavior
among college students.
In all societies, drinking alcohol is significant as a transitional ritual. People consume
alcohol to mark major-life cycle events. In the United States, people use alcohol to mark
transitions from work to play. Thus, on a daily basis, people will drink after work as a
recreational activity. Alcohol is thus largely associated with fun and irresponsibility. In such an
environment, there is a high likelihood of developing health issues related to alcohol due to the
nature of the culture.

RAISING THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE 5
Overall, it is necessary to raise the legal minimum age when one can take alcohol from
21 to 25. Such a decision would be informed by the fact that a human brain develops up to when
one is 25, and this may continue to 30 years in some people. Thus, raising the minimum drinking
age will help protect young individuals and ensure the brain gets to develop fully. Also, early
intake of alcohol increases the chances of addiction. Raising the legal age reduces the chances of
dependence on alcohol in one’s adult years. The third reason is that most college students engage
in excessive drinking, which has negative consequences. Raising the minimum age would help
curb such effects. Evidently, the wellbeing of the country’s youth is in the law put in place to
regulate their conduct. The 1984 Act should be amended to ensure that legally, no one below the
age of 25 can take alcohol. Ramifications are important for the safety and health of the country.
just like the already existing law, the new legal age should be implemented in all states. Heavy
drinking is a problem among American youths, and policy change is necessary to amend the
situation.

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References

Behavioral Health. (2020). The Legal Drinking Age: 18, 21, or 25? | Promises Behavioral
Health. Retrieved 17 April 2020, from
https://www.promisesbehavioralhealth.com/addiction-recovery-blog/legal-drinking-age/
Donovan, J. E., & Molina, B. S. (2011). Childhood risk factors for early-onset drinking. Journal
of studies on alcohol and drugs, 72(5), 741-751.
Martinez, J. A., Sher, K. J., & Wood, P. K. (2016). Drinking consequences and subsequent
drinking in college students over 4 years. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 28(4),
1240.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse Alcoholism (NIAAA). (2020). Early Drinking Linked to
Higher Lifetime Alcoholism Risk. Retrieved 17 April 2020, from
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/early-drinking-linked-higher-
lifetime-alcoholism-risk
Quinn, P. D., & Fromme, K. (2011). Alcohol use and related problems among college students
and their noncollege peers: The competing roles of personality and peer
influence. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 72(4), 622-632.
Squeglia, L. M., Jacobus, J., & Tapert, S. F. (2014). The effect of alcohol use on human
adolescent brain structures and systems. In Handbook of clinical neurology (Vol. 125, pp.
501-510). Elsevier.

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Tietjen, D. (2014). Why was the drinking age raised to 21? A history | Boston.com | Boston.com.
Retrieved 17 April 2020, from https://www.boston.com/culture/health/2014/07/17/why-
21-a-look-at-our-nations-drinking-age
Wallis, L. (2013). Is 25 the new cut-off point for adulthood?. Retrieved 17 April 2020, from
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24173194https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-
24173194