Nanci, Hellmich. "Pediatric policy: Discourage teenage drinking." USA Today n.d.: Newspaper Source. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
This source is from a pediatrician's point of view on lowering the drinking age. Janet Williams, the pediatrician interviewed in the article, states that at the time that most teens and young adults start their drinking habits, is when their brains are doing the most important developmental work. She mentions that if teens and young adults start drinking younger than the minimum legal drinking age, then it could lead to other harmful acts such as unsafe sex, drug addiction and binge drinking. Janet Williams talks briefly about how parents should "be good role models" and teach their children not to drink at least until they are legally aged to do so.
This source had some interesting points that I hadn't thought about. Such as the brain development in young adults and what drinking while "still developing" could lead to. However, how much alcohol consumption truly hurts the brains development at the ages of 18, 19, or even 20? Also, the brain is said to not fully be developed until the age of 25. Does that mean, according to Janet Williams, the drinking age should be raised? I understand where Williams is coming from and that everyone is putting themselves in danger when taking in alcohol. However I have to disagree with some points. She never mentions how much alcohol is dangerous to a teens development. Is one drink too many? Or five? Also, where she mentions how parents should teach their kids not to drink is disagreeable in my opinion. Parents should teach their kids to respect alcohol and the amount they can receive. Telling a teenager or young adult not to drink until they are the legal age simply makes them want to do it more. That could simply be a factor that their brains aren't fully developed yet. Nonetheless, if parents casually let their young adult have a small glass of wine at dinner or on special occasions or were allowed to have one beer with their parents every now and then, I am sure that when a teenager went to a party, they would be much more responsible with their intake than if all they ever heard was "don't drink".
The source I studied before gave different ideas and opportunities for the drinking age to be lowered to 18. Such as a tax on drunk drivers, lower percentage of Blood Alcohol Content for certain aged drinkers and other limitations that would hopefully promos responsible drinking among young adults and older adults. This source that I described above simply shuts out the idea entirely with negative facts on alcohol intake on young adults. Carpenter and Dobkin suggested limitations on different ages in order to promote responsibility but Williams counteracts that argument by saying that the brain would be stunted in growth no matter what (assuming any amount of alcohol would hurt the growing brain; she never specifies). I tend to agree with Carpenter and Dobkin more on the matter, not because I am underage and want to be able to go to bars. Personally, I don't drink besides the occasional glass of wine with my parents. But I agree with them because instead of shutting out young adults who might actually be responsible drinkers, they throw ideas around on how the minimum drinking age could in fact be lowered and still be safe to Americans.
My questions now, are this: If brain development would be detrimental after one or two alcoholic drinks, should the drinking age be raised, then? If the brain doesn't fully develop until the age of 25, then the government should raise the minimum drinking age to 25 to ensure American's health. Also, why the age of 21? What is significant to a young adult's health? Does it prevent certain decisions being made? These are questions that I will be looking into for my next blog and most likely where my argument will be shifting.
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