Lowering the Drinking Age

    A debate is going on about whether or not the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18. One side believes that lowering the drinking age can cause drinking-related accidents to go up. The other side believes that teenagers should be able to drink at 18 as long as you have a permit. The permit would be given to you after you have taken a class. I believe that lowering it is a good idea as long as you have a permit.

     One argument that I have read is that keeping the drinking age at 21 just shifts the age of the people who get into the accidents. This statement is true. For example, if there was a middle school that allowed 8 year olds to attend, the age of the people who get educated is just shifted. The accidents would still be the same. The fatalities would still be at the same rate. The age group is only shifted, not preventional. If fate says it is your time, then its your time. There is nothing you can do to cause it or to prevent it.

      Another argument of mine, is that with the permit, they would have to be educated to get it. The more educated you get about something, the less likely you are to have an accident with it. As an example, say you take a gun class. If you pass that class, then you have proved that you know how to maintain the gun. Same goes for the drinking class. If you take the drinking class, the less likely you are to cause an accident.

     According to the American Medical Association, keeping the drinking age at 21 prevents 800 fatalities a year. That is not really an argument. Again, the age is just shifted up to 21 and thats where most of the fatalities happen. On another note, that just proves that if the people are educated and know what they're doing, then they are less likely to have and accident. My opinion is that the drinking age should be lowered to 18 as long as the 18 year olds who are drinking have a permit to do so.

(credit to nyhistory)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nyhistory/6947434068/