Lower Drinking Age to 18 edited first post to state my argument

[HunterJohnson]

Im doing a debate in class to lower drinking age to 18.

A few points are

Earlier drinking will produce more maturity in regards to drinking.

You can be in the military training to defend our country yet our country doesn't give you the freedom to drink bc of your age.

We are the only country with a drinking age of 21

Teenagers drink in high school

Education in school in regards to drinking

Here's my outline

Persuasive Speech Outline – By Hunter Johnson

Outline of Speech

Topic: The federal drinking age in the United States of America should be lowered to 18 years old.

• Introduction
  

• Attention Getter
  

1. Rhetorical Question and Statement: Did you know that at 18 years old you can buy a house, get married, own a business, drive a car, own a firearm, and work in the military but you cannot drink any alcoholic beverages? I’m Hunter Johnson and today I would like to persuade you into lowering the drinking age to 18 years old.
   
2. Startling Statistic: According to the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs “the average age of a convicted DUI offender in 2010 was 30 years old” (www.adp.ca.gov). According to the LA Times only recently the “National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 raised the drinking age to 21 in all 50 states” (LA Times).
   

• Topic Clarification
  

1. Laws for lowering the drinking age to 18 years old.
   

• Thesis/preview of main points
  

1. Since people are allowed to own a house, join the military, get married, vote, and more which require maturity drinking laws should be treated the same.

II. Body (Two Positive Matter Arguments)

• People are not educated on the effects of alcohol
  

1. Problem in the SQ
   
   • Schools need to educate students about alcohol instead of using DARE to merely scare students (LA Times)
     
   • DARE Primarily focuses on illegal substances
     
   • Alcohol is legal and therefore much easier to obtain
     
   • Young adults currently pressure their peers to drink because it is illegal
     
     • This makes drinking look cool and very enticing
       

[*]Solution

• Teach students in high school about the effects of drinking and how detrimental it is to their health and brain development.
  
  • Students need to be taught the effects of alcohol
    
  • Under 21 people will have more maturity in regards to drinking if they are exposed to it earlier.
    
  • Families can introduce alcohol in their homes and slowly teach how alcohol affects judgment.
    

  [*]This will result in less binge drinking

  • Currently about 90% of alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the US is in the form of binge drinking.
    
  • Also taking away the “cool” part of drinking will most likely lower underage drinking.
    

• The US holds 18 year olds to a high standard in every other aspect of life.
  

1. Problem in the SQ
   
   • 18 Year olds can own homes, businesses, fight for our country, own/drive cars, rifles, medical marijuana, get married,
     
   • At 18 years old a person can legally purchase a house or be bound to a mortgage agreement.
     
   • There are 8 different exceptions in America that allows under 21 year olds to drink (Drinkingage.procon.org)
     
     • In 11 states if parents are present minors can drink at restaurants, bars, or other venues where alcohol is sold. (drinnkingage.procon.gov)
       

[*]Solution

• If the drinking age is lowered it will produce more mature people who do not binge drink in their 18-21 years, which is a critical time to make life-changing decisions.
  
• Our country should have a baseline that is equal from state to state.
  

• Conclusion
  
  • Review
    
    • Since the government expects a certain standard of maturity at 18 years old the government should allow all 18 year olds to purchase and drink alcohol. The big argument that lowering the drinking age will cause more drunk driving statistically isn’t true since the average age of DUI arrests occur at 30 years old.
      

    [*]Clincher

    • 
      
    • If you believe in equality, taking responsibility, and educating students about alcohol you should support lowering the drinking age and educating.
      
    • In addition prohibiting drinking legally pushes alcohol into uncontrolled environments like fraternities. (LA Times)
      

Works Cited

“Drinking Age.” ProCon.org. Web. 7 Oct. 2012 http://drinkingage.procon.org/view. resource.php?resourceID=002591#E

“Driving-Under-The-Influence (DUI) Statistics 2010.” California Department of Alcohol and Drug Program. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. <http://www.adp.ca.gov/factsheets/drivingunderthe influencestatistics.pdf>.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Drinking in America: Myths, Realities, and Prevention Policy. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2005. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. <http://www.udetc.org/documents/ Drinking_in_America.pdf>.

Ogilvie, Jessica. “Is Lowering The Drinking Age A Good Idea?.” Los Angeles Times May 30 2011, sec. Special to the Los Angeles Times. National Newspaper Core. Web. 6 Oct. 2012. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/30/health/la-he-drinking-age-20110530

[Sheena]

no.

[KillaCam]

no.

You make a very strong point.

[n8ball2013]

18 year olds tend to hand around 16 year olds 15 year olds etc. If you lower the drinkiung age you are going to see alot more underage alcohol related incidents. MY only exception ist hose in the military. IF you can die for your country you can have a beer.

[HunterJohnson]

no.

You make a very strong point.

I'd like to hear the negative effects on it as well both will help my debate. But seeing as I'm 20 and I've been drinking since I was 17/18 I'm happy I made my mistakes then instead of when I'm 21.

Just for instant having sex with a 17 year old instead of being drunk later and getting it on with a 30 year old, I've got a way less chance of getting std's lol

[wmrcs]

Your brain development is part of it too.

[hdorre]

I don't see any good from lowering the drinking age.

[HunterJohnson]

18 year olds tend to hand around 16 year olds 15 year olds etc. If you lower the drinkiung age you are going to see alot more underage alcohol related incidents. MY only exception ist hose in the military. IF you can die for your country you can have a beer.

That's true, when I was a senior I hung out with kids who played variety sports with me and they were often 16.

But by 18 and in college I do not hang out with 16 year olds anymore, well except for my brother, he's 17

[HunterJohnson]

Your brain development is part of it too.

Didn't think about that I'll do some research thanks wmrcs

[n8ball2013]

but not all 18 year olds are in college. Some are still in hgih school or at home and around those younger siblings. id be wil;ling to bet that if 18 year olds were legal to drink youd see alot of those 18 year olds in serious debt as well as failing out of school because its a little easier to party when youre legal.