Drinking Age Laws: Practical Or Waste Of Time?

6 Pages 1570 Words

Underage drinking is becoming a major problem for our nation. Despite laws designed to prevent teenage alcohol consumption by imposing minimum age limits, America’s youth continue to drink at alarming rates. There are many debates on this subject, some argue that the Drinking Age Law has been effective on our youth, while others argue that no matter what measures are taken to prevent underage drinking, teens will continue to drink and experiment with alcohol. There have been many studies that have produced some alarming statistics. Numerous clubs and special interest groups have been founded to combat underage drinking and underage drinking laws. One such example that has had a profound effect on societies views is the organization known as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). But yet despite all of these methods and laws implemented to discourage adolescent drinking, the ease of getting alcohol to minors is ever increasing. In order to understand this issue better, lets look into the history of underage drinking.
The push for a drinking age law truly started back before prohibition. There was a widespread movement advocating selective prohibition (a minimum drinking age). This was used as a major stepping-stone to reach the goal of outlawing all alcohol. Prohibition was achieved in 1917 (by the 18th amendment), and eventually repealed in 1933 (by the 21st amendment). Subsequently, in 1934, the original ABC Act was passed, making the making the legal age for purchase, possession, and consumption of alcohol 21 years of age. It remained this way until 1974, when the age limit was lowered to eighteen for beer only, although this was left mainly up to the individual states to decide for themselves. Between 1970 and 1975, thirty states had agreed to the eighteen-year-old drinking age. Things stayed this way until 1983, when the age was raised to 19. After much debate, on July 17, 1984 Congress passed a law stating that ...