The question isn't whether there should be controls, but which controls work best. hat has proven around the world to work best is a combination of reasonable laws backed by strong social sanctions. But in the U.S. we treat our emerging adults as infants and get infantile behavior as a result…if adults would learn to temper their patronizing attitudes toward young men and women, more maturity, self-restraint, and social responsibility could be expected of them. Lowering the drinking age to 19 would do much to reduce the youthful abuse of alcohol.
As Ford says, society has to play its part. Acting responsibly and expecting accountability are two things everyone can work on -- not just teens and not just adults. This is a social problem -- and the social norms of America have gotten so wacky that few even know where to start to curb the dishevelment. Common sense would…...

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Works Cited

Algoe, Sara. "Do not lower the drinking age to 18." Hubpages.com, 2009. Web. 22

Feb 2011. .

"Drinking Age." ProCon.org, 14 Feb 2011. Web. 22 Feb 2011.

.

Accordingly, "the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that raising the drink age to 21 has reduced traffic fatalities involving 18- to 20-year-old drivers by 13% and has saved an estimated 19,121 lives since 1975." (T, 1)
Conclusion:

More than anything though, these statistics seem to confirm the fears of both university leaders and law enforcement agencies, who argue that age-based prohibition has made it more difficult to connect with, cooperate with and control students where alcohol use is concerned. This is a real missed opportunity for constructive oversight in which campus acquiescence to college drinking may produce a more cooperative and safer atmosphere. It is understood that "full-time traditional-age college students drink more than people the same age who aren't in college, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence," (Kinzie & Hohmann, 1) Therefore, if universities are in a position to provide designated driver programs, to provide…...

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Works Cited:

Associated Press (AP). (2009). College Presidents Seek Drinking Age Debate. MSNBC. Online at  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26271328/ 

Faler, M. (2009). The Legal Drinking Age Debate. Suite101. Online at http://alcohol-abuse.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_legal_drinking_age_debate

Johnson, a. (2007). Debate on Lower Drinking Age Bubbling Up. MSNBC. Online at  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20249460/ 

Jung, J.R. (2000). Psychology of Alcohol and Other Drugs: A Research Perspective. Sage Publications.

Against Lowering the Drinking Age
In the United States, underage drinking has been cited as creating immense problems. It has contributed to numerous unnecessary youth deaths and has been the predecessor to various crimes. However, some argue that it is the illegality attached to alcohol consumption that has led to these occurrences. The latter support lowering the legal age of alcohol consumption, while opponents argue that the health risks involved are too high. Despite the support for lowering the legal drinking age, doing so will bring more danger to an already unruly group of teenagers.

A variety of health concerns are attributed to early alcohol consumption. The earlier an individual starts drinking alcohol, the more like they are to become an alcoholic (Doraiswamy). This in itself brings about the psychological concerns that are attributed to the disease. Alcohol consumers are more likely to get depressed because they can experience a wide variety…...

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References:

CBSNews. "The Debate On Lowering The Drinking Age." 60 Minutes. CBS

News, 01 Mar. 2010. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. .

Cloud, John. "Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered?" TIME U.S. TIME

Magazine, 06 June 2008. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. .

Adults between the age of 19 and 29 have many things to concentrate on. If one is in college one has to handle studies, finals and graduation. If one is entering the workforce one has to concentrate on job searches, interviews and maintaining employment. Statistically college aged individuals are more inclined to take part in binge drinking which has been shown to lead to accidents, deaths, rapes and other negative consequences. In addition those who do not drink are subject to all the same risks simply by being in the same college as those who drink. aising the drinking age to 30 years old will allow students to remain safe and to concentrate on getting their adult life started before introduction alcohol to the scenario. It will save lives, promote good health habits and make life much easier for millions of people across the nation.

eferences

Chou, Patricia S (2004) Another look…...

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References

Chou, Patricia S (2004) Another look at heavy episodic drinking and alcohol use disorders among college and non-college youth. Journal of Studies on Alcohol

____(1997) COLLEGE DRINKING DANGER CREATES PARENTAL DILEMMA.(L.A. LIFE)

Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Hang, Lee (2002) Trends in college binge drinking during a period of increased prevention efforts; findings from 4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study Surveys: 1993-2001. Journal of American College Health

hile many think that if someone is old enough to go to war, one is old enough to drink, they miss the fact that going to war is a voluntary act. No one forces an individual to join any armed force. The decision is one that the individual makes for himself and there is no standing behind him or her forcing him or her to do so. The drinking age has nothing to do with this. Under the same logic, we could also say that if one is old enough to go to war then one is old enough to speed, kill one's parents, or commit tax evasion. Just like underage drinking, these things are illegal and just because one is old enough to go to war one is not old enough to break the law. The argument simply does not hold up.

The national drinking age in America is fine…...

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Work Cited

"Traffic Stats." National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Addiction Online. February 2009.

Information Retrieved August 9, 2009.

Drinking Age
There has been a lot of debate whether the legal drinking age should be lowered or not. The Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act was passed in 1984. This law was passed to increase the legal drinking age from 18 to 21. There has been a mixed reaction over this act. There are some people who support it while there are others who oppose it. Opponents of this law believe that the federally imposed drinking law is unconstitutional. They believe that the rights of the states were overridden. However it is noted that the drive to increase the legal drinking age was made by citizen groups. The public also supported the 1984 Drinking Age act.

Teenagers usually drink as an act of rebellion. When a teenager turns 18, he/she is allowed to vote, hold public office, serve on a jury, serve in the military and hold public office. Therefore they feel…...

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Bibliography

1. Kenkel, Donald S. "Prohibition vs. Taxation: Reconsidering the Legal Drinking Age." 1993

2. Wechsler, Henry. "Alcohol and the American College Campus." 1996

3. Brian Bushway, "Adulthood and drinking should start at 19," 2000

4. Ruth C. Engs Forbidden Fruit. Vermont Quarterly, Winter 1999

U.S. Drinking Age stay at 21 or be lowered to 18?
The 26th amendment, on July 1, 1971 was passed which dropped the least age to vote from twenty one to eighteen years old (Madison, 2006). Soon after the amendment was approved twenty nine states all over the nation began bringing down their drinking age from 21 to 18 years of age. This new freedom for young adults did not last long, by 1984 the Uniform Drinking Age Act was then passed. The Uniform Drinking Age Act was what forced all the states to put the drinking age back to twenty one years old. This was done by decreasing the federal transportation funding, for every state that did not have a minimum drinking age of 21 (Johnson, 2008). As a police officer living in Orlando, Florida, I object lowering the age.

A lot of the arguments to bring down the drinking…...

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References:

Johnson, E. (2011). The 21 club; drinking laws.." The Economist, 23(4), 34-36.

Johnson, S. (2008). Presidents campaign to lower drinking age. Women in Higher Education, 9, 26-30.

Madison, J. (2006). Drinking while young. Academic OneFile, 34(12), 12-23.

McNamara, D. (2010). Early alcohol initiation linked to teen suicide. Clinical Psychiatry News, 14(4), 12-23.

lower the minimum drinking age. Alcohol is something that damages people's body and their social personality as well. The drink if taken in excess has been adverse effects and increase is the risk of assault and crime. Alcohol is directly linked to increased car crashes and fatalities as well. Due to all these reasons, it has been emphasized that the drinking age should not be lowered.
Alcohol

Alcohol is something that is a temptation for all those who can't drink or aren't legally allowed. Even though it is quite a popular drink in the American culture regardless of what the occasion is or who is drinking. Sporting events have overload of beer where as wine flows freely on weddings and elegant events. Alcohol is merely an entertaining tool and it has to be there as a necessity for some. This can be explained easier if some people gather together on an…...

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Works cited

Birckmayer, Johanna and David Hemenway. "Minimum-age Drinking Laws and Youth Suicide, 1970 -- 1990." American Journal of Public Health, 89. 9 (1999): 1365 -- 1368. Print.

Wagenaar, Alexander C. And Traci L. Toomey. "Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws: Review and Analyses of the Literature from 1960 to 2000." Journal of Studies on Alcohol, (2002): Print.

Wolfson, M. et al. "Law Officers' Views on Enforcement of the Minimum Drinking Age: A Four-State Study." Public Health Rep., 110. 4 (1995): 428 -- 438.. Print.

It has been the purpose of this exploratory essay to examine the question of what would happen if the military upped the drinking age for troops and as I've found out there's certain knowns, e.g. people would be (duly) outraged, and certain unknowns, e.g. effects on alcohol related car accidents involving military personnel and the rate of military suicides. hat's clear is that more research and information needs to be gathered if that question is to be answered in a more complete and satisfying manner.

orks Cited

AlcoholPolicyMD.com (n.d.) Minimum Legal Drinking Age in College Communities.

AlcoholPolicyMD.com. Retrieved:

http://www.alcoholpolicymd.com/alcohol_and_health/study_legal_age.htm>.

Bonn, R.J. (1980). Discouraging Unhealthy Personal Choices through Government

Regulation: Some Thoughts About the Minimum Drinking Age. Minimum-

Drinking-Age Laws. Lexington, MA: echsler

Clark, S. (2011, March 31). Alaska to consider lower drinking age for u.s. troops. Fox News. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/31/alaska-consider-lowering-drinking-age-troops

Harrell, M.C., Berglass, N. (2011, Oct. 31). Losing the Battle: The Challenge of Military Suicide. Center for a…...

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Works Cited

AlcoholPolicyMD.com (n.d.) Minimum Legal Drinking Age in College Communities.

AlcoholPolicyMD.com. Retrieved:

 http://www.alcoholpolicymd.com/alcohol_and_health/study_legal_age.htm >.

Bonn, R.J. (1980). Discouraging Unhealthy Personal Choices through Government

alcohol drinking age be decreased?
The controversy surrounding alcohol use in the United States has been longstanding, and dates at least as far back as prohibition when the substance was banned largely due to moral issues. Although prohibition was repealed during the midst of the Great Depression, the controversy surrounding this subject persists to this day. Currently, there is widespread debate about whether or not to lower the drinking age. There are many arguments that are voiced by proponents on both sides, including the fact that lowering the drinking age would reduce the need for young people to engage in subversive behavior associated with illegal drinking and the fact that doing so would only encourage more rampant alcohol abuse. A sustained examination of this issue corroborated by a variety of sources, however, demonstrates that the legal age to drink in the U.S. should not be lowered because it would result…...

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Works Cited

Bonnie, Richard., O'Connell, Mary Ellen. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. Washington, D.C: The National Academies Press. 2004. Print.

CADCA. "Research Finds Decreasing the Drinking Age Would Not Reduce Collegiate Binge Drinking." www.cadca.org. 2011.  http://www.cadca.org/resources/detail/research-finds-decreasing-drinking-age-would-not-reduce-collegiate-binge-drinking 

California Department of Motor Vehicles. "Young Drivers." www.dmv.ca.gov. Web. 2006.  http://www.dmv.ca.gov/teenweb/dl_btn2/q_and_a.htm 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Fact Sheets -- Age 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age." www.cdc.gov. Web. 2012.  http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/mlda.htm

PaternalismIntroductionGoldman and Goldman (GG) state that paternalism involves overriding a moral right of a person, often a liberty to act, for the persons own good (65). The problem with paternalism in a free society is that it creates conflict and tension between the right of the individual to act freely and the need for the society to restrict liberties in order to safeguard itself. This paper argues that while GG show that soft paternalism is justified from a utilitarian ethical perspective, hard paternalism creates problems that undermine the same ethical frameworknamely problems related to the development of personal accountability and justice.ExpositionIt is proposed by GG that soft paternalism is justified in Mills On Liberty, which serves as the foundation for utilitarian ethics. In utilitarianism, the good is that which benefits the majority of the common peoplei.e., the common good of all. Thus, soft paternalism is acceptable because although it may…...

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Works Cited

Cudd -- Taking Drugs Seriously -- Liberal Paternalism

Dworkin, Gerald. “Paternalism,” The Monist, 1972, 56: 64–84.

Goldman, Michael N. and Alan H. Goldman, “Paternalistic Laws,” Philosophical Topics, Vol. 18, No. 1, Philosophy of Law (SPRING 1990), pp. 65-78.

Kobler, J. Capone: The Life and Times of Al Capone. New York: Da Capo Press, 2003.

The issue was a charged issue that many people felt very strongly about, i.e. race and was an allowable and supported social stigma, and yet when faced with the real life decision to break the taboo and serve Chinese people they did so with little hesitation and then effectively lied about it in self report. (Pager & Lincoln, 2005, p. 355)
Drinking and driving is a seriously socially charged issue that could have the same self-report results if given the correct avenue to do so. The self-report dogmatic dialogue regarding drinking and driving is an absolute rejection of the behavior (even after 1-2 drinks as is asked in the New Zealand Study) and yet this is an attitude and a self-report dogma, what we would say when offered the social choice, not a real reflection of how individuals would behave if given the opportunity to drink and drive. Another fault…...

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References

Brownfield, K., Fernando, K., & Halberstadt, J. (2003). Indirect Effects of Lowering the Drinking Age on New Zealand Students' Alcohol-Related Behaviours and Attitudes. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 32(1), 22. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from Questia database:  http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001970912 

Fagan, J. (2005, September). Adolescents, Maturity, and the Law: Why Science and Development Matter in Juvenile Justice. The American Prospect, 16, 5.

Fillmore, M.T., Carscadden, J.L., & Vogel-Sprott, M. (1998). Alcohol, Cognitive Impairment and Expectancies. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 59(2), 174.

A and Lincoln Q. Walking the Talk? What Employers Say vs. What They Do. American Sociological Review 70: 2005, 355-380.

The Drinking AgeIs it fair that the legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21 when it is lower in other counties? There is much debate surrounding the legal drinking age in the United States. Some argue that it is unfair that the drinking age is 21 when it is lower in other countries. Others maintain that the drinking age should remain at 21 in order to protect the safety of young adults. There are a number of valid arguments on both sides of the issue. Proponents of a lower drinking age often point to European countries where young adults are legally allowed to drink at a younger age (Toomey). They argue that this allows young adults to learn how to drink responsibly in a controlled environment. However, opponents of a lower drinking age argue that alcohol consumption can interfere with brain development in young adults. They also point to…...

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Works CitedSaylor, Drew K. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Heavy drinking on college campuses: No reason to change minimum legal drinking age of 21.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Journal of American college health 59.4 (2011): 330-333.Toomey, Traci L., Carolyn Rosenfeld, and Alexander C. Wagenaar. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The minimum legal drinking age: History, effectiveness, and ongoing debate.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Alcohol Health and Research World 20.4 (1996): 213.

This means that alcohol is made accessible to underage persons and in this way, they start consuming alcohol at a young age. It is for this reason that the legal drinking age should not be lowered, but actually increased to reduce the chances of it being made available to those who are underage. Increasing the minimum legal drinking age to at least 25 years, like India, will go a long way in ensuring that underage drinking does not take place. Teenagers can be able to access alcohol with the help of their older friends and siblings who may be in college. This will ensure that only responsible adults will have access to alcohol. There have also been cases of increased rates of binge drinking among college age youths and the increase in the minimum legal age for drinking will go a long way in helping preventing this (Kypri et…...

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Works Cited

Atwood, T. The Consequences of Underage Drinking. 1 May. 2006. 23 Apr. 2010,

Berridge V., Herring R. And Thom B. "Binge Drinking: A Confused Concept and its

Contemporary History" Social History of Medicine 22.3 (2009): 597-607

Etiology of Campus Binge Drinking
Drinking and Alcoholism

A Failed Experiment in Social Control

The consumption of alcohol has always been a focus of government efforts to limits its use, due to the potential for abuse, the financial burden imposed upon social programs, and its association with criminal activity. Between 1920 and 1934 the consumption of alcohol was outlawed in the United States, with the intention of addressing these social problems. During the first year following the enactment of Prohibition, alcohol-related deaths, psychosis, and arrests all declined by 20-40%, but between 1921 and 1927 these measures reveal a sharp increase to near pre-Prohibition levels (Miron and Zwiebel, 1991). By the end of Prohibition, which correlates with the start of the Great Depression, alcohol consumption leveled out at around 60-70% of pre-Prohibition levels despite costing three times as much for a drink. Given the infamous criminal activity that emerged around the illegal manufacture and…...

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References

Amethyst Initiative. (2008). Amethyst Initiative: Rethinking the drinking age. Retrieved July 15, 2011 from  http://www.amethystinitiative.org/statement/ 

Beseler, Cheryl L., Taylor, Laura A., Leeman, Robert F. (2010). Alcohol-Use Disorder criteria and "binge" drinking in undergraduates. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 71, 418-423.

Grucza, Richard A., Norberg, Karen E., and Beirut, Laura J. (2009). Binge drinking among youths and young adults in the United States: 1979-2006. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 48, 692-702.

Leppel, Karen. (2006). College binge drinking: Deviant vs. mainstream behavior. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 32, 519-525.

There are a number of different subtopics you could explore when writing a paper about the general topic of alcohol consumption.  How to choose the right topic depends on what type of paper you want to write about alcohol consumption.  If you are looking to write an informative essay, then you could write about the impact of alcohol consumption on the body, while an argumentative essay might focus on whether having 21 as the legal drinking age is logical given that 18 is considered an “adult” for all other purposes.  So, it....

1. The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Physical and Mental Health

The physiological effects of alcohol on the liver, brain, heart, and other organs
The psychological consequences of alcohol abuse, including depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment
The link between alcohol use and chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke

2. Alcohol Consumption and Social Behavior

The role of alcohol in social interactions, including its effects on communication, mood, and aggression
The impact of alcohol consumption on relationships, family life, and work performance
The social consequences of alcohol abuse, such as domestic violence, child neglect, and crime

3. Alcohol Policy and....

1. The effects of alcohol on the body and brain
2. The cultural significance of alcohol consumption in different societies
3. The history of alcohol prohibition and its impact on society
4. The relationship between alcohol consumption and mental health issues
5. Alcohol advertising and its influence on consumer behavior
6. The role of alcohol in social settings and its impact on social dynamics
7. Alcohol addiction and treatment options
8. The legal drinking age and arguments for/against lowering or raising it
9. Alcohol-related violence and its consequences
10. The economics of the alcohol industry and its impact on society.
11. The impact of alcohol on relationships and family dynamics
12.....

Historical Perspectives on Alcohol Consumption

The Evolution of Social Drinking Customs: From Ancient Rituals to Modern Culture
Alcohol Prohibition: A Comparative Analysis of Global Experiments
The Role of Alcohol in Colonialism and Empire Building
The Temperance Movement and its Impact on American Society
The History of Alcohol Taxation and Regulation

Health and Society

Alcoholism and Addiction: A Biopsychosocial Perspective
The Effects of Alcohol on Physical and Mental Health
Alcohol-Related Violence and Crime: Causes and Consequences
Alcohol and Public Health Policy: Balancing Individual Rights and Social Responsibility
The Social Stigma of Alcohol Use: Its Impact on Individuals and Communities

Cultural and Literary Depictions....