Underage drinking?

Underage drinking has become an enormous choice of discussion. In the United States you are considered an adult at 18. However, you are not allowed to drink until you reach the age 21. Turning 18 gives you the right and responsibilities of adulthood. This includes the right to vote, smoke cigarettes, serve on juries, get married, sign contracts, be prosecuted as adults, and join the military - which includes risking one's life. This is crazy to me because if you are an adult and can do all of these things then why can’t you be able to make the decision to drink responsible.

Allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to drink alcohol in regulated environments with supervision would decrease unsafe drinking activity. Stopping this age group from drinking in bars, restaurants, and other licensed locations causes them to drink in unsupervised places such as house parties where they are more likely to binge drinking and other unsafe behavior.

Lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 would diminish the thrill of breaking the law to get a drink. Normalizing alcohol consumption as something done responsibly in moderation will make drinking alcohol less of a taboo for young adults entering college and the workforce.

Stopping the consumption of alcohol at a younger age make the youth disregard other laws. This in term encourages young adults to acquire and use false identification documents to consume alcohol. In this era of national security concerns, including terrorism, illegal immigration, and other threats, it would be better to have fewer fake IDs in circulation and more respect for the law.

Lowering the drinking levels would be good for the economy. More people would legally be able to drink in bars, restaurants, and other licensed establishments. Revenue would increase for private business owners, and greater amounts of tax revenue would be collected by the government. Over all it makes more sense to lower the drinking age to 18.