Evidence also suggests that a lower drinking age leads to higher levels of binge drinking later in life among men. Any move toward increasing alcohol availability to young adults must consider its adverse effects, including traffic fatalities, unplanned pregnancy and crime.
Why should the drinking age not be lowered to 18?
Proponents of lowering the drinking age to 18 routinely surface with arguments that have become all too familiar. ... The drinking age shouldn’t be lowered because of three very real risks: drunk driving, alcohol poisoning, and violent and/or destructive behavior .
Will lowering the drinking age to 18 save lives?
Changing the drinking age to eighteen would not only improve safety among teens, but also contribute to limiting drunk driving accidents . Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that’s one person every 50 minutes.
What is the youngest drinking age in the world?
Although the majority of the countries around the world have set the MLDA at 18 years, 16 years is considered the youngest drinking age.
Can you drink under 21 with a parent?
Only a parent or guardian (or a person authorised by the parent or guardian) may supply alcohol to a minor at an unlicensed premises (including a family home), however the supply must be consistent with the responsible supervision of the minor.
Why is the drinking age 21 and not 18?
In short, we ended up with a national minimum age of 21 because of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 . This law basically told states that they had to enact a minimum drinking age of 21 or lose up to 10 percent of their federal highway funding.
What percent of high schoolers drink?
The overall prevalence of current drinking among U.S. high school students declined significantly from 50.8% in 1991 to 44.7% in 2007, then further declined to 32.8% in 2015. The prevalence of binge drinking increased from 31.3% in 1991 to 31.5% in 1999, then declined significantly to 17.7% in 2015.
Why is the drinking age 18?
However, during the Vietnam War , the age was reduced to 18 on the grounds that a person who could be conscripted to fight and die for their country should also have the right to drink alcohol. By 1974, all states and territories had adopted 18 as the legal drinking age.
What country has no drinking age?
1. Armenia . The landlocked country located between Asia & Europe also used to be a part of the Soviet Union. There are no drinking or purchasing laws in Armenia.
What is Japan’s drinking age?
The legal drinking age in Japan is 20 . While this age differs from country by country, as long as you’re over 20 years of age, you’re free to drink in Japan. (Just be sure to bring your passport with you for ID.) As in many other countries, people under the legal age of 20 also cannot purchase alcohol.
What is China’s drinking age?
In China, drinking is legal if you’re 18 , and the law is rarely enforced.
Can a 13 year old drink alcohol at home?
It is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone aged under 18 and for under 18s to buy or attempt to buy alcohol. However, children aged five to 16 are legally allowed to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises. ... “If children do drink alcohol, they shouldn’t do so until they’re at least 15 years old.”
Can my 16 year old drink alcohol at home?
It is not illegal :
For a child aged five to 16 to drink alcohol at home or on other private premises.
Can I buy alcohol for my 17 year old?
Legally the 18 year old can buy alcohol and the 17 year old can drink it in a pub or restaurant with a meal.
What is the highest drinking age in the world?
Of the 190 countries, 61% have a drinking age of 18 or 19 years old. The United States and 11 other countries have an MLDA of 21 years old , the highest MLDA of all the countries where it is legal to drink (although some areas of India have drinking ages as high as 25 and 30 years old).
Can a 18 year old drink beer?
California. Along with Oregon, California has the nation’s oldest MLDA 21 laws. In 2016, there was an initiative to lower the drinking age to 18 , but it did not gain much support. However, underage drinking is allowed in the presence of a responsible adult.
