Keeping the drinking age at 21!

Caleb Hedden

Lynn Gibbons-Beddow

5/4/09

Maturity and Alcohol

“Be afraid, be very afraid” (Dr. Parker); College students are pushing the government to lower the drinking age to 18. However, the government and most of America does not think this is a good idea after how much better off the country has been since the government raised the age. After the drinking age was raised to 21 in 1984, approximately 1,000 lives were saved in that one year. Increasing the drinking age has resulted in decreases in the following; DWI arrests, crime, youth suicides, marijuana use, and alcohol consumption by youth (Dr. Parker). Five hundred thousand college students each year report a drinking-related injury. Seventeen hundred college students die each year from alcohol-related injuries (Dr. Parker). With these compelling statistics, do we really want to lower the drinking age to allow more college students to legally drink and put more lives at risk?

Over the past decade, binge drinking has risen astoundingly among young people (Dr. Parker). One hundred college presidents met this year to discuss lowering the drinking age to 18. They believe it would cause a decrease in binge drinking among college campuses nationwide and lower the mortality rate. While their argument is compelling, we have to look at pure facts since raising the drinking age in 1984. “From 1977-1989, college binge drinking statistics stayed stable around 30 percent each year, and has rose steadily since. So we can’t blame the increase on the higher drinking age. The current law is best viewed as a palliative medical treatment for an incurable condition” (Dr. Parker). This statement wraps up the argument for keeping it at 21.
“The drinking age was lowered in many states during the Vietnam War, this is when statistics went up for youth automobile crashes with alcohol being involved. Therefore, the drinking age was immediately increased to 21 (Dr. Parker)”. Statistics there prove that 18-21 year olds are not responsible enough to handle their alcohol and they are just putting more lives at risk if the drinking age is lowered. “Since the age was increased to 21, traffic fatalities involving 18-20 year olds have decreased by 13 percent” (Dr. Parker). A lot of lives have been saved by the government and a very good move on their part would be to keep the drinking age at 21.
“There are many people that say the age should be lowered to 18, however, I feel there are a number of new responsibilities one has to deal with during college years and adding drinking to the mix is a mistake. Since the age was increased, over 19,000 lives have been saved by estimation. Mothers Against Drunk Driving has researched on this subject and found that alcohol impairs the brains functions for young adults and can widely decrease their learning ability. Drinking can only decrease your chances of graduating college in only four years. I can relate to this subject in a very personal way. About 6 months ago, three of my close friends decided to leave a bar while being highly intoxicated, instead of calling a cab, one said he would drive home. The result left him paralyzed from the neck down and is still facing life threatening
injuries. Him, and the other two passengers were all 21 years of age and not many days older. This may make you ask yourself, “Do I really want to risk my friend’s lives and the hearts of our families?”
Candy Lighter, the founder of M.A.D.D. pushed the act of 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act to raise the drinking age to 21 nationwide. Since it was passed, the percentage of high school seniors drinking has decreased to 45% from 70%, and fatal car crashes involving underage teens have decreased by 32% (Darshak Sanghavi). David Rosenbloom notes that the five states with the highest beer taxes have half the binge drinking of other states. With this statistic, why are there not higher beer taxes being pushed around the nation. This seems like the solution to the college binge drinking obsession.

Junior and senior high students consume 35 percent of all wine coolers sold each year. They also consume 2 percent of all beer sold annually (Dr. Wagenaar). With these statistics, almost half of fatal car crashes involving young adults this age, nearly one half are alcohol induced (Dr. Wagenaar). Young adults that drink at a younger age are more prone to addiction at a later age than those that did not consume alcohol in junior or senior high. O’Malley and Wagenaar’s research has included that 18 year olds that have easy access to alcohol at their age are at a much more high risk to be addicted at a later age than 18 year olds who do not have access to it.

After reading the statistics that have been provided before you from the listed reliable resources, one would have to be crazy to believe lowering the drinking age is the ethical act to do. Over 100 college presidents are pushing to lower the age to 18 decrease binge drinking, but a better idea would be to put an increase on beer taxes nationwide and eliminate the problem. With a higher beer tax, college kids would go broke faster, not be able to afford beer, therefore, decreasing the binge drinking rate among colleges nationwide!

Works Cited

Dr. Parker, Web MD Blog. 3 Sep. 2008. Should we Lower the Drinking Age? http://blogs.webmd.com/healthy-children/2008/09/should-we-lower-drinking-age.html

Darshak Sanghavi & David Rosenbloom, SLATE. 26 Aug 2008. Quicker Liquor. http://www.slate.com/id/2198522 .

Alexander C. Wagenaar. Journal of Public Health Policy, Effects of an Increase in the Legal
Minimum Drinking Age. Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep., 1981), pp. 206-225. Palgrave Macmillan
Journals. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3342367?cookieSet=1

A C Wagenaar, J R Finnegan, M Wolfson, P S Anstine, C L Williams, and C L Perry. Public
Health Reports, Where and how adolescents obtain alcoholic beverages. Public Health Rep. 1993 Jul–Aug; 108(4): 459–464. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=1403409&pageindex=1

Legalization of Marijuana

Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana is an herbal psychoactive drug that comes from the plant cannabis sativa.  Human consumption of this herb can be traced back all the way to the Stone Age, smoking being the primary method of consumption.  Since then marijuana has become the third most popular recreation drug in the world, coming in right under alcohol and tobacco.  However, at the beginning of the 20^th century many countries made the possession, use and sale of marijuana illegal.  Over time many arguments have been made for why marijuana should be legalized.  While some may oppose these arguments, many present valid points that would make many wonder why marijuana is not legal today.

One of the most common arguments for the legalization of marijuana is that alcohol, a far more dangerous substance, is legal while marijuana remains illegal.  To this day, marijuana has not been found as a direct cause of death in any instance.  On the other hand, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, alcohol was the cause of 85,000 deaths in 2000.  The use of drugs other than marijuana was the cause of 17,000 deaths, exactly five times less than alcohol related deaths (Mokdad).  Looking at these statistics, alcohol seems to cause much more of a problem that marijuana.

Some believe that marijuana should remain illegal due to the theory that marijuana kills brain cells.  This theory comes from studies that have shown heavy marijuana use does cause impairment on verbal fluency and ability to learn and recall new information (Pope).  However, it cannot be proven that any brain cells are actually lost from smoking marijuana.  To counter this argument, similar studies have been done with heavy drinkers (alcoholics) as test subjects.  The results show that alcoholics were impaired on all measures of learning and memory just as heavy marijuana users were (Ryan).  If a legal substance such as alcohol has the same impairing effects as marijuana, why should this be used as a reason marijuana should remain illegal?

 While companies such as Above the Influence and D.A.R.E. preach about the dangers of this drug, however, it has been proven that marijuana is the safest psychedelic drug.  Unlike heroin, meth or even alcohol, marijuana users do not become physically addicted to the substance.  Marijuana users also do not have the risk of freaking out or going out of their mind unlike users of other drugs such as LSD, mushrooms or even salvia divinorum, which is still legal in some states (“Legalization of Marijuana”).

Other common arguments for why marijuana should remain illegal include marijuana being associated with violence or the herb being a gateway to harder drug use, both of these arguments can be proved irrelevant.   In most cases, marijuana users are friendly and sociable; no direct relationship has been found between violent crimes and marijuana.  Marijuana has been commonly referred to as a “gateway drug”  (“Legalization of Marijuana”). While this may prove true in some cases, the progression to harder drugs is due to the social aspects in the users life, there is no direct relation between the two types of drugs. 

Legalizing marijuana could also have a positive effect on the economy.  ProhibitionCosts.org reports that legalizing the herb would reduce government expenditure by $5.3 billion and a state level and $2.4 billion at the federal level.  The taxation of marijuana would also help to boost the economy bringing in $2.4 billion annually (Miron). 

While the debate for marijuana legalization has been going on for years, it seems that legalization could be in our near future.  Looking at facts and statistics such as these, it seems very obvious that marijuana should be legalized for the good of both users and the American economy. 

 

Works Cited

“Legalization of Marijuana.”  CQ Researcher.  2 Apr.  2009 < id="cqresrre1967080900&type="hitlist&num="6">

 

Miron, Jeffrey A.  “The Budgetary Implication of Marijuana Prohibition.”  ProhibitionCosts.org.  June 2005

 

Mokdad, Ali H. "Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000." The Journal of the American Medical Association 291.10. 2004:

 

Pope Jr, H.G., and D. Yurgelun-Todd.  “The Residual Cognitive Effects of Heavy Marijuana Use In College Students.”  The Journal of the American Medical Association  275.7. 1996.  12 Feb. 2009.   .

 

Ryan, Christopher, and Nelson Butters.  “Learning and Memory Impairments in      Young and Old Alcoholics.”  InterScience  4.3 2008

Marijuana Less Dangerous Than Other Legal Substances

Austin Burgess

147 Warren Ln.           

Brevard, NC 28712

(828)-553-8758

asburgess1@catamount.wcu.edu

March 1, 2009

Terry Casey

Editor in Chief

The Daily Collegian

123 Burrows St

University Park, PA 16801

Dear Editor Casey:

In Colin Maxwell’s letter “Marijuana Less Dangerous than Other Legal Substances,” Maxwell responds to a previous letter entitled “Marijuana Higher Risk Drug than Some People Believe.”  In his letter Maxwell points out that many Americans are misinformed about marijuana.  Maxwell also makes an argument for the legalization of marijuana by stating that a legal substance such as alcohol causes more violent crimes and deaths than all illegal drugs combined.  I agree with Maxwell that there is no reason that marijuana should be illegal when far more dangerous and impairing substances such as alcohol and salvia are legal.

At first I was skeptical to completely agree with Maxwell’s statement that alcohol-related deaths occur five times more than any drug related deaths, but after doing research, I found this statement to be surprisingly accurate.  According to Journal of the American Medical Association illicit use of drugs was the cause of 17,000 deaths in the year 2000 while alcohol consumption was the cause of 85,000 deaths, exactly five times more than deaths from drug use (Mokdad).

Maxwell’s letter brings up many good points that even Americans who are against marijuana could not argue.  Statistics like these make me wonder even more why marijuana is not legal today.

Sincerely,

 

Austin Burgess

Austin Burgess

 

Works Cited

 

Maxwell, Colin. Letter. The Daily Collegian Online 13 April 2007.

Mokdad, Ali H. "Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000." The Journal of the American Medical Association 291.10 (2004):

The Residual Cognitive Effects of Heavy Marijuana Use in College Students

To:                                    Lynn Gibbons-Beddow, Lecturer

From:                  Austin Burgess; Alcohol Group, English 102.40, Spring 2009

Date:                                     2/15/09

Re:                                    “The Residual Cognitive Effects of Heavy Marijuana Use In College Students,” H. G. Pope Jr and D. Yurgelun-Todd

Message:

This article was selected for this assignment because it deals with marijuana’s effects on college students.  This writing will be useful to the group for future research when compared with studies done on alcohol’s effects on college students.

·      Summary of Content

A study was done where 65 heavy marijuana users and 64 light marijuana users participated.  A series of tests were done to assess intellectual functioning, ability to pay attention, and ability to learn and recall information among other functions of the brain.  The study shows that heavy marijuana users shows much greater impairment that light users.

·      Areas of Agreement/Disagreement

In this article there is not much to disagree with; all information and data is from scientific tests.  However, this study could have been improved if non-marijuana users were included in the test groups as a control group.

·      Conclusion

In conclusion all information from the test makes sense and is what most would expect as effects from heavy marijuana use. 

·      Use in Further Research

 

This article will be useful to the group for further research.  In the future the group can research effects alcohol has on similar functions such as ability to learn and recall information and compare the effects of each substance.

Work Cited

Pope Jr, H.G., and D. Yurgelun-Todd.  “The Residual Cognitive Effects of Heavy Marijuana Use In College Students.”  The Journal of the American Medical Association  275.7 (1996).  12 Feb. 2009   .

France Stops Selling Alcohol to Youth

Megan Barber
245 Memorial Drive
Suite 6091
Cullowhee, NC 28723
(704) 564-9513
MMBarber1@catamount.wcu.edu

March 11, 2009

Elaine Ganley
“The Charlotte Observer”
600 S. Tryon St.
Charlotte, NC 28202

Dear Editor Ganley,

In regard to your article by the Associated Press entitled “France Puts a Cork in Alcohol Sales to Youth,” I have to say that I am surprised that a country like yours is deciding to set a drinking age. France has been known as a country that can handle its alcohol even without a drinking age limit. Now to see that France is having problems and has to set the drinking age to 18 establishes the fact that America must keep its drinking age to 21. America has been fighting the decision whether to change its drinking age to 18 as well. Many statistics and stories of lives that have been shattered because drunk driving are overwhelming.

I think seeing the response that France has made to drinking by having to put a limit on drinking proves that American should keep the age to 21. The 1981 article entitled CQ Researcher “Teen age Drinking” states that “40,000 young people are injured, maimed, or killed each year due to drunken driving accidents”(Rosenblatt). Over the years, the number has increased; however, it proves that many people are affected by drunk drivers. Innocent people’s lives can be changed due to alcohol.

The responsible drinkers that participate in moderation and do not drive under the influence should be able to buy alcohol at 18. Statistics would say that the number of irresponsible drinkers compared to the responsible drinkers is out numbered. The problem today is not the alcohol, it is the person who consumes it and the decision they make.

Sincerely,

Megan Barber

Under The Influence Review

Memo

To: Lynn Gibbons-Beddow, Lecturer
From: Megan Barber; Alcohol Group, English 102.30, Spring 2009
Date: 2/8/09
Re: Alcohol Group Term-long Assignments

Message:

The essay called “Under the Influence” by Scott Russell Sanders is a story that pertains to alcohol. This piece is a good choice to show the negatives of drinking. It delves into the mind of the son of the father who is an alcoholic. It shows how it affects him and his family. It is a good essay because the audience can feel the same emotions the character feels. Perhaps the essay’s strongest element is that it explores the personal ramifications of alcohol abuse on family victims. The reader is allowed to interpret all the problems that occur because of the father’s drinking. It really goes into detail on how drinking can affect others. When the son matures into an adult, he stays away from drinking because he has seen the affects that alcohol can have on his family. (122)

This story tells of how the boy tries to understand why the father does what he does. He blames himself for his father’s actions. He finally comes to realize it is not his fault, and his father drank himself to the hospital. The father ended up having to give up drinking if he wanted to live. He did so for fifteen years. He then retired and he had a drink to celebrate his hard work. After that one sip he started drinking again. (129)

This essay describes the story of many families who deal with similar issues. Children will put the responsibility on them to try and fix the parent’s problems. They will get involved and try and change their behaviors. This story is very believable and real. This story can be told from many people’s different perspectives because it is seen in different families. This essay can play a strong role in the fact that it shows the negatives to drinking. It goes into a family and a boy’s perspective and how he views his drunken father. This essay will give the alcohol group a great example on the negatives of drinking. It shows how it hurts more people than just the people addicted to alcohol; it affects the family members too. (131)


Work Citied

Peterson, Linda H. and John C. Brereton. “Under the Influence.” The Norton Reader. 12th ed. Ed. Marilyn Moller. New York; W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 2008. Pg.121

Keeping Marijuana Illegal

Marijuana: Keeping Marijuana Illegal

Besides alcohol and cigarettes marijuana is the most commonly used drug in the world (Mendeleson 28). This is ironic considering it is illegal. Police have been cracking down and finding people who use and distribute the substance. The war on drugs has been an ongoing problem for a while now. Many would debate that marijuana is not harmful and is less harmful then alcohol, others would say it is addictive and is a gateway drug. Indeed, marijuana is harmful and causes many negative health hazards. People who smoke marijuana can experience many negative effects such as lung damage, brain damage and a lowered immune system. The use of marijuana is not going to stop unless the government enforces the law and makes it harder for people to distribute and consume this drug. Marijuana is a drug that should never be used because it promotes bad health, the selling and buying of marijuana is dangerous, cause’s disturbance with the workplace and school and it results in an increase use in teens.

Many harmful health problems come from smoking marijuana. Smoking marijuana causes the users lungs to get precancerous lesions because marijuana contains five times more tar than one cigarette. This is extremely bad for the lungs. Marijuana is composed of multiple amounts of chemicals in it that leads to brain damage when the chemicals are taken into the body. A user can experience short term memory loss and neural damage. While under the influence of this illegal drug the immune system will be lowered. As a result of the lowered immune system the body can experience sickness more than others who do not consume marijuana. Both men and women can experience changes in their reproductive systems. Women can experience disrupted menstrual cycles, while men can experience lower levels of testosterone. The government should not make something legal that is going to harm people in the end. People are just going to end up harming themselves. The recreational marijuana users will experience more disease and hospitalization (Mendeleson, 45). The more you smoke marijuana the more you are harming your body and it will result over time in disease and more hospital visits.

The selling and buying of marijuana has such a large underground business that it is impossible to stop all marijuana uses. Many people’s lives have been ruined because they have dealt or consumed the drug. People who take part in the selling and buying marijuana will can experience dire consequences. If the dealer is not safe then he can get caught by the police or someone could not be satisfied with their sale and could possibly be threatened. If we look back at the history of prohibition of alcohol, we can see the same thing is happening with the illegalization of marijuana. People made and distributed alcohol illegally when it was illegal, now the same is with marijuana. Proving that marijuana can be legal or illegal; people will still find a way to get their hands on it and use it. So the government needs to enforce the laws it has and stop the consumption of the substance (Marshall).

One debate of marijuana is whether or not marijuana is considered a “gateway drug.” Many people think that smoking pot it will influence others into more heavy drugs. Studies would show people who use hard drugs mostly started using marijuana first then moved onto different drugs. Then, there are also other studies that show that people who have tried marijuana do not go on to try harder drugs. Although the research is contradicting, the main influence is based on someone’s background and your personal values. So, the argument of marijuana being a “gateway drug” can nether be proven right or wrong (Joffe).

After the Marijuana Prohibition in 1937 teen use of marijuana has increased. When this first started only 0.4 percent of all Americans under the age of 21 had tried it. By 1979, the percentage went up to 51 percent (Mendelson 68). Today, the law must stand strong and not give in to illegal use of marijuana. The only way the government can keep drugs out of the hands of the younger crowd is if the laws become stricter. Police know this illegal act is happening; it is just a matter of finding it.

To help prevent teens from trying marijuana, our school system is where young children should learn to say no to drugs. The program helps the children so when they are in a situation where marijuana is offered they can say no. Today in elementary schools the program D.A.R.E., which is a course where local police officers will come in and talk to the children about how to say no to drugs. This program is a great way to teach people who are younger to not smoke or drink. To help the students the police officer play out scenarios where the children are offered drugs and the students have to say no to the drugs. The parents can help by getting involved with the child and discuss drugs and alcohol with them. Having the open conversation about marijuana is seen to lower the teen use of drugs and alcohol. A Cornell University study found that due to the course D.A.R.E. this resulted in the lowered percentage of teens participating in drugs and alcohol (Jotte).

Some people choose to go to work or go to school under the influence of marijuana. This is proven to inhibit the quality of work that a person could do compared to if they did not go. In 1987, an Amtrak train derailed in Maryland and killed sixteen people and injured more than 100 people. The conductor was said to be under the influence of marijuana. The conductor experienced delayed reactions because of the influence of marijuana causing the crash and killed innocent people. This example proves people can harm others while under the influence (Mendelson 78). This is a great example why marijuana should not be legal. Marijuana does have harmful effects and causes people to harm innocent people.

Marijuana has always had a bad reputation. More research needs to be conducted on marijuana so we can know more about this substance. Marijuana can lead to bad health, possibly the desire to try heavier drugs and causes disruption in the workplace and school. The only way people today will be able to make a change and keep marijuana out of the hands of society is by enforcing stricter laws and following through with the law. If this is followed through then the number of marijuana users will decrease.



Works Cited
Bandow, Doug. "Reefer Madness in Washington, DC." The Cato Institute. July 15, 1997. 22 Mar 2009. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6121.

Harris, Gardiner. “F.D.A. Dismisses Medical Benefit From Marijuana”. New York Times 20 Apr. 2006. 22 Mar. 2009 http://www.thecre.com/pdf/20060424_NewYorkTimes.Apr.21.06.pdf.

Joffe, Alain. "Legalization of Marijuana: Potential Impact on Youth." Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics 113. 6 (2004) e632-e638. 22 Mar 2009 .

Marshall, Patrick. "Marijuana Laws." CQ Researcher 15.6 (2005): 125-148. CQ Researcher Online. CQ Press. Hunter Library, Cullowhee, NC. 21 Mar. 2009 http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2005021100.

Mendelson, Jack and Nancy Mello. Marijuana Its Effects on Mind and Body. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1992.

Monroe, Judy. Alcohol. New Jersey: Enslow Publishers Inc., 1994.