Should drinking age be lowered to 18 like in Europe Essay

Should drinking age be lowered to 18 like in Europe - Essay Example Those speaking against reducing the drinking age support drinking in exceptional cases, such as drinking in home environment, drinking under adult guidance, for medical needs, and other similar reasons. Those who favor reducing the age bar to 18 years, the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) from 21, counter that it has not helped teen drinking. On the contrary, it has encouraged binge drinking in private and risky surroundings, causing health and life-threatening conduct by youngsters (Procon.org 1). Just because the European drinking age is 18 years, Americans should also follow them is not a logical argument in itself. Relatively to the European countries’ teenagers’ drinking pattern, the American teenagers’ rate of drinking is lower. The American teenagers’ rate of consuming alcohol or binge drinking is similar or lesser than their European counterparts. Negative effects of increased rate of alcohol intake and binge drinking have been reported in less than 13 years old teenagers as well, which leads to the logical factor of not reducing the age bar from 21 to 18 years (Procon.org 1). Another logical argument against reducing the drinking age bar is that MLDA 21 assists teenagers to control binge drinking. Binge drinking habit is at the highest among 21- to 25-year-olds at 45.9%. Comparing this rate with that of the 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, and 18-20 age-groups, their binge drinking rates are 1.5%, 7.8%, 19.4%, and 35.7% respectively, which are relatively very lower. Considering the legal aspect, the MLDA 21 laws help in downsizing the number of drinkers below the legal drinking age. It has been observed that since 1984 when maximum numbers of MLDA 21laws were promulgated, the percentage of below-age alcohol consumption has reduced. Research has also pointed that when the alcohol consumption age is 21; those below this age consume less alcohol, and make it a habit to consume less alcohol across their