by Laurence Heads

Created on: March 24, 2009

Having the drinking age at 21 is one of America's greatest ideas. When the drinking age returned to 21 it greatly reduced the amount that teenagers were drinking. For example it is a great deal harder for someone to look definitely over 21, than it is 18, so there are therefore more identification checks in order to purchase alcohol, making it harder. It seemed to reduce the rate of drunk driving. It is believed that teenagers have less life experience and were more careless drivers, making them the perfect candidates to cause damage while under the influence. A person over the age of 21 is a far more reliable drunk driver, so keeping the drinking age at 21 is the best way to combat the "less experienced" drunk drivers.

Thank God America still cares enough to protect its children.

The main reason for the higher age restriction is that people under the age of 21 just aren't ready for alcohol, and will not be able to handle it. But despite these clear cut, factual reasons why alcohol is so dangerous, people actually dare to argue against it, saying that the drinking age should be 18. That teenagers, yes your teenage children should be allowed to be exposed to the evils of drink. How can they justify this? Well, they try and argue that drinking is the least of teenagers trouble compared to what they can do, specifically referring to the army. But do we really need such an age limitation on murder and fighting, as we do on something as dangerous and intoxicating as alcohol? At the age of 18 it is certainly acceptable to allow someone to fight for their country, but when it comes to drink they are still not ready. Thank God America still cares enough to protect its children.

Others argue that they are actually responsible enough to drink under the age of 21, that they can drink without getting ridiculously drunk. This seems like a bit of an optimistic view in my opinion. We have seen the consequences of binge drinking and alcohol abuse on those who thought they were capable of handling drink.
Even if many can drink responsibly, those few who don't are enough to require the intervention of a higher drinking age. The entire rest of the world might have people under 21 that can control themselves with alcohol, but not in America. Our children are special, and we need to thank God that America still cares enough to protect them

We need to be protected from the negative health effects of alcohol; the pressure it can put on ones heart, or the damage it can do to kidneys. Even

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