Lower the Legal Drinking Age to 18

 

This bill would lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 and have finished high school

 

Having a legal drinking age of 18 increases responsible drinking in safe environments, fosters respect for the law, and

aligns drinking with other adult rights and responsibilities as individuals turn 18. By having a zero tolerance until

21, it creates a psychological effect called “the forbidden fruit effect”, This causes irresponsible drinking behaviors

in unsupervised settings like house parties. The lower drinking age would allow young adults to experiment with alcohol

in a controlled environment with supervision. European countries with lower drinking ages treat and handle alcohol in a

completely different manner. They teach responsible consumption and moderation rather than treating alcohol like a toxin

that will kill you upon touch. This would align with other rights you receive as you turn into a legal adult, such as

the right to vote, sign up for the military, sign legal contracts, and be tried as an adult for crimes. This will reduce

dangerous behaviors like the use of fake identification, which, according to the National Institutes of Health, 70% of

college students admit to having used or owned an Fake ID. This encourages seeking medical help in cases of alcohol

poisoning or injury, and the lower drinking age will improve the chances of people seeking help. This increases the

amount of revenue generated from bars, restaurants etc and will add tax revenue for the government. The resources put

towards underage drinking laws could then be used to help fund and enforce more alcohol related laws such as driving

under the influence (DUI/DWI) and alcohol abuse.

 

The National Institutes of Health - (NIH) is a U.S. federal agency that serves as the primary funder of biomedical and

public health research in the country. Established in 1887, the NIH is part of the Department of Health and Human

Services.

Fake ID - is a falsified, altered, or unlawfully duplicated government-issued identification document, such as a

driver's license, passport, or social security card, used to misrepresent one's identity or age.

Alcohol Poisoning - also known as alcohol intoxication, occurs when a person consumes a large amount of alcohol in a

short period of time. This leads to high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels that can impair the body's functions.

The Forbidden Fruit Effect - is the psychological tendency to desire something more when it is forbidden, unavailable,

or off-limits.

Alcohol Abuse - the habitual misuse of alcohol.

 

 

There would be no funding required for this bill

 

This would be enforced by simply changing the “under 21 until” in identification cards to “under 18 until,” and

enforcement policies would still be the same for people drinking under the age of 18

 

This legislation would go into effect 1 year after passed