Letter to the Editor: In Favor of Lowering The Legal Drinking Age

Dustin J. Ramsey
2348 Caney Fork Rd.
Cullowhee, NC 28723
828-508-7050
gwu43@yahoo.com
March 15, 2008

Judy Keen
Editor
USA Today
1234 First St.
New York, New York 60581

Dear Editor:

I am writing this letter in response to the article published in USA Today, “Lowering the Bar”, which discusses the possibility of lowering the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 or 19 years of age. A number of states are considering passing a bill that would lower the drinking age; however, certain organizations, such as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), that are giving strong opposition to the bill. I am in agreement with passing such a bill for a number of different reasons.

Some states are considering lowering the drinking age for everyone, but other states are considering lowering the age only for members of the military. I agree with the states that want to lower the legal drinking age to 18 for everyone. When an American citizen turns 18 years of age they must register to vote and register for the draft. There has not been a draft since the Vietnam War, but if our country went to war and the U.S. had to enact a national draft then everyone over the age of 18 would be required to enlist in the military. These 18 year-old men and women would put their lives in danger to protect our country. Younger adults would be at the top of the draft list, so if our country thinks that an 18 year-old individual is old enough and responsible enough to protect our country, then they should be old enough and responsible enough to drink a beer. Deputy Transportation Secretary Thomas Barrett is in opposition to this bill stating that joining the military at 18 and drinking at 18 are not “the same type of maturity,” (Keen). I do not agree with this because many young adults join the military for such reasons as getting their education paid for and needing direction in their lives. In my opinion, this shows a great deal of immaturity.

I would like for Congress to give this bill serious consideration because we are asking a lot from our young adults once they turn 18 years of age and if we are not going to try to protect them from war then we should not protect them from responsibility. We should encourage our young citizens to be more responsible for their lives and the lives of others. This should be done by putting more trust in them. If our younger citizens choose break this trust, the punishment should be great but trust them nonetheless!

Sincerely,


Dustin J. Ramsey

Risks and Benefits of Alcohol Consumption

Memo

To: Lynn Gibbons-Beddow, Lecturer
From: Dustin Ramsey; Alcohol Group, English 102.30, Spring 2009
Date: 2/20/09
Re: ”Overview of the Risks and Benefits of Alcohol Consumption” by Kenneth J. Mukamal, MD

Introduction:

One of the articles chosen by the research group for alcohol is “Overview of the Risks and Benefits of Alcohol Consumption” by Kenneth J Mukamal, MD. In this article Dr. Mukamal discusses both the positive and negative effects of consuming alcohol. Dr. Mukamal addresses the consumption of alcohol, the health benefits of drinking alcohol, and a number of different diseases associated with alcohol consumption. Moderate alcohol consumption may actually improve health; however, a subset of alcohol drinkers develops catastrophic complications related to its use. The alcohol research group will be discussing the effects alcohol has on one’s health. The statistics given in this article will strongly support the group’s research findings.

· Article Summary

In this article, Dr. Mukamal discusses the effects alcohol has on the human body, the age groups that are affected the most, different reason for consuming alcohol, and the most common injuries sustained under the influence of alcohol. The author states many facts and statistics relating to the use of alcohol and its effects on the human body. He also discusses the advantages of alcohol consumption in moderation. Despite some benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, alcohol has more advantages than disadvantages (Mukamal).

The ill effects of alcohol discussed by the author range from the social stigma of being considered an alcoholic to deadly diseases caused from continuous alcohol consumption. Studies have shown that excessive drinking for both men and women can eventually lead to cardiac disease, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, and can increase the risk of breast cancer (Mukamal).

The author then states that no long-term studies have been conducted, so the findings relate strictly to short-term usage. “Integrating these risks and benefits into a recommendation about drinking alcohol poses a challenge and will be discussed here,” says Dr. Mukamal. Mukamal references numerous studies conducted and gives details of the results. The article identifies the effects of alcohol on certain illness such as cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. Dr. Mukamal discusses the chance of relapse of former alcoholics and the transformation of an alcoholic to an abstainer.

· Agree/Disagree

Although the author suggests the consumption of alcohol has beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases, the group does not believe that these effects are any more beneficial to a healthy individual than a healthy diet and a strict exercise regimen. No evidence exists showing that an already healthy individual would benefit more from moderate alcohol consumption or from a healthier lifestyle. The group believes that there has been little research conducted the long-term comparison between moderate alcohol consumption and a healthier lifestyle, so they do not agree with the suggestion that moderate alcohol consumption has a positive influence on an individual’s cardiovascular health. The negative effects of consuming alcohol strongly outweigh the positive in both men and women of all age groups (Mukamal).

· Conclusion

This article was very informative and strongly relates to the group’s research and findings. In the list of disadvantages to the consumption of alcohol, Dr. Mukamal gives a number of diseases and the role that alcohol plays in each disease. Mukamal also outlines the positive effects in this article. The information from this article has been helpful to the group and given them new ideas to research.

· Role in Further Research

This article has will play a significant role in further research for the group. It has given the group new ideas and points of view for their research. The article cites many research articles on the subject of alcohol and states several statistics that relate to the interview and topical debate areas of the group’s research. The group has also found a new point of research in the debate on moderate alcohol consumption versus a healthier lifestyle. The group feels that this is a subject that needs more research both by the group and society. The article has become a resource in itself for the group.
.





Work Cited
Mukumal, Kenneth J., MD. “Overview of the Risks and Benefits of Alcohol Consumption.”UpToDate. 10 April 2008. http://www.uptodate.com/online/content/topic.do ?topicKey=genr med/4638&selectedTitle=1~150&source=search_result

Alcohol or Society?

The Real Problem: Alcohol or Society?

One of the most commonly debated topics in today’s American culture is whether or not the legal drinking age should be lower than 21 years of age. Most American citizens are not in favor of lowering the legal drinking age; however, there are a number of scholars, and American citizens who feel that lowering the drinking age would be beneficial to our society. There are a number of benefits to lowering the legal drinking age. Lowering the legal drinking age would cut down on binge drinking on college campuses across the U.S., teach today’s youth responsible drinking habits, and possibly lower alcohol-related crimes.

In today’s society alcohol is blamed for a number of problems across the U.S. instead of the real root of the problems. Binge drinking on college campuses is a result of alcohol? Violence in America is largely due to alcohol? Rape is due to alcohol abuse? The questions could go on and on, but the answer is not that alcohol is the problem. The real problem is society! Dr. David J. Hanson, Professor Emeritus of Sociology of the State University of New York at Potsdam and consultant with the Canadian government on the subject of alcohol, states, “Abusive drinking is, without question, a serious problem. But we will never make real progress against that problem until we take a hard look at the approach modeled by those cultures that have established a "truce" with alcohol--from Italians to Greeks, to Jews to many others.” An approach society needs to take is one that addresses real problems and does not “point fingers.”

If the legal drinking age was lowered one of the benefits would be a decrease in binge drinking on college campuses across the U.S. Dr. Henry Wechsler, Director of the Alcohol Studies Program at the Harvard School of Public Health, conducted a study where he surveyed 17,000 students from 140 different colleges in 40 different states and the statistics found were alarming. Of the students surveyed the results were startling. Forty-four percent reported binge drinking a minimum of one time over the last two weeks and 19% of that 44% were considered to be frequent binge drinkers. The frequent binge drinkers admitted excessive drinking on more than three different occasions within the two weeks prior to taking the survey. “College administrators agree with the findings of the survey conducted, stating that they have practical reasons to be concerned about student drinking. Reports of drunken brawls, sexual assaults, even deaths attributable to alcohol create public relations nightmares for schools competing for students,” says Wechsler. The reason that lowering the legal drinking age would be beneficial to addressing these issues is that students would learn to drink more responsibly. They would no longer consider going to college and drinking as a way of escaping the observant eye of their parents and other authority figures. Consumption of alcohol by individuals under the age of 21 would be permitted, so they would no longer have to sneak around in order to drink and socialize. They would no longer feel that had to take every opportunity to party and drink with friends if they could do so whenever they pleased.

Lowering the legal drinking age would also teach today’s youth more responsible drinking habits. They would no longer have to have to hide drinking from their parents or other adults, thus allowing them to learn more responsible drinking habits while drinking with older responsible adults. Some of the problems associated with irresponsible drinking include binge drinking, sexual assaults, and violence. Wechsler states in his article that The Commission on Substance Abuse at Colleges and Universities reported that 95% of violent crimes and 53% of injuries on campus are alcohol related. In 90% of all campus rapes, the assailant, the victim, or both had been drinking. Of the college women who acquire sexually transmitted diseases, including herpes and AIDS, 60% report that they were drunk at the time they were infected. In most sexual assault cases, the assaulted was heavily intoxicated and, in some cases, unaware of what they were experiencing. Ways of teaching safe use of alcohol to our young adults are presented by Dr. David J. Hanson in his article It’s Better to Teach Safe Alcohol Use. His article demonstrates ways of encouraging moderate use of alcohol by those who choose to drink. People who choose to drink should not be look down upon by those who choose to abstain from drinking, or vice versa. Hanson thinks that choosing to drink or not to drink should be demonstrated to today’s youth as equally acceptable choices by society; therefore, alcohol consumption would not be viewed a problem in society. It would then be just another part of our culture or society. Respecting one another’s choices is the cornerstone of Hanson’s ways to demonstrate safe alcohol consumption.

Efforts should be made to distinguish and promote the difference between acceptable and unacceptable drinking habits (Hanson). Today’s youth should receive more instruction on using alcohol than just being told not to drink in general. Unacceptable drinking should be strongly penalized, both legally and socially. Peers should help enforce these rules in social settings to let people know that belligerent drinking will not be tolerated. Embarrassment can sometimes be as effective as judicial penalties.

Another problem that needs to be addressed is the one that considers alcohol is the “root” of all drinking problems. Alcohol abuse is often seen as the cause of all drinking problems and the availability of alcohol determines the extent to which it will be abused. This approach is blaming alcohol for problems that are actually problems with society itself! Finally, alcohol should not be depicted as a poison or a drug that is harmful (Hanson). If society adopts these policies today’s youth will learn more responsible ways of consuming alcohol, therefore, cutting down on problem drinking among teenagers.

Another problem that would reap the benefits of lowering the legal drinking age would be alcohol-related crimes. If society adopted the policies listed above and taught young adults in today’s society the more responsible ways to consume alcohol, then there might be a decrease in alcohol related crimes and violence. People learn a substantial amount from their parents and their actions. They learn the difference between right and wrong, they learn how to drive, they learn about the responsibilities of having sex, and the consumption of alcohol in a reasonable and responsible manner is also something they should be taught by their parents or other authority figures. The best way for this to take place is by lowering the legal drinking age to an age where teenagers are still impressionable by their parents.

Alcohol consumption is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed in the U.S. but trying to protect today’s youth from having to make important decisions by making the decisions for them is not the way to address this issue. Put the responsibility on the youth and their parents and allow them the chance to “step-up” and take on that responsibility. The only way to do this is to lower the legal drinking age to an age that will allow society to teach its youth more responsible drinking habits. Putting the blame on alcohol itself is not the answer; society finally taking responsibility is!




Works Cited

Engs, Ruth C., “Why the Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered: An Opinion Based on
Research.” Applied Health Sciences. Indiana University. 1998. http://www.indiana.edu/ ~engs/articles/cqoped.html.

Hanson, David J., PhD. “It’s Better to Teach Safe Use of Alcohol.” Alcohol: Problems and
Solutions. 2007. State University of New York at Potsdam. http://www2.potsdam. edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1044361545.html.

Heath, Dwight B., PhD. “Teaching Safe Drinking to Your College-Bound Teen.” Alcohol:
Problems and Solutions. 2007. State University of New York at Potsdam. http://www2. potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/1044362486.html.
Stahl, Lesley. “The Debate On Lowering the Legal Drinking Age.” CBS News: 60 Minutes.
22 February, 2009. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/19/60minutes/ main4813571.shtml

Wechsler, Henry, PhD. “Alcohol - Drinking On Campus: A Rite Of Passage Out Of Control?”
1994. Journal of the American Medical Association. 7 December, 1994. http://law. jrank.org/pages/4218/Alcohol-DRINKING-ON-CAMPUS-RITE-PASSAGE-OUT-CONTROL.html.

MADD Against Lowering Legal Drinking Age

Mother's Against Drunk Driving not in favor of lowering the legal drinking age! Why?

http://www.drugrehabtreatment.com/legal-drinking-age.html

http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/25194