Opposing Argument-Ellie Mintz

Underage drinking has become such an issue that there are probably more opposing sides to my argument than supporting sides. Most people oppose the thought of lowering the drinking age simply because the legal age has been 21 for so long. Some people are against the change because of actual scientific research. While some oppose for personal reasons. The majority of people resist change no matter the issue. Change is seldom viewed as a good thing and it seems that more often than not people want society or laws to stay constant forever. Unfortunately, nothing can stay the same in a world that is constantly changing. Those that have researched the topic and read studies or even conducted studies themselves have more grounds to oppose the lowering of the legal age. Some studies have shown that the frontal lobes of the brain are not fully developed until the mid-20s. The frontal lobes are responsible for emotions, planning, and organization and the underdevelopment of these lobes could cause greater potential for addiction, dangerous behavior, depression, violence, suicide, and many other problems. Other opposers claim that drinking at 18 is not a right and since there are plenty of other rights that begin at 21 it is acceptable for drinking to begin then as well. Most states require a person to be 21 to gamble legally in a casino, adopt a child, and purchase a handgun. Another item on the list of oppositions is that the American drinking age should not be the same as the European drinking age because the rate of drinking in American teenagers is much lower than the rate of drinking in Europeans. According to some research, there is an equal or lower rate of binge drinking in American teenagers versus European teenagers. On a personal level, some people oppose lowering the drinking age because they themselves have been impacted by a drunk person or someone they know and cared about was changed. Many times after a drunk driving accident for example, the family members of the people involved change their view of drinking and more often than not the accident is a result of underage drinking.