Indigenous Peoples History Counter-Narrative

Read: An Indigenous Peoples History of the United
States: Introduction-Chapter 2
An Overview of Ethnic Studies/Race & Resistance StudiesPage
Ethnic Studies!
Mission & Purpose: The College of Ethnic Studies provides safe
academic spaces for all to learn the histories, cultures, and
intellectual traditions of Native peoples and communities of
color in the U.S. in the first-person and also practice theories of
resistance and liberation to eliminate racism and other forms of
oppression.
The College was founded on principles of community
based research and teaching, student leadership and activism,
and the self-determination of communities of color. Its work is
anchored in, but not limited to, social justice movements among
indigenous and oppressed peoples of the United States. More
than forty years ago the College of Ethnic Studies emerged from
a collective struggle for self-determination and this quest
continues to be the organizing principle of the college.
We recognize the validity of multiple paradigms in the
construction of knowledge and encourage the integrated study
of all aspects of the human experience. Our commitment to self-
determination is reflected in the College's founding curricular
emphases on liberatory student-centered pedagogies and
community participatory learning that promote creative thinking
on combating social problems and disparities in communities of
color and indigenous peoples.
Race and Resistance Studies Department:
The program in Race and Resistance Studies offers coursework
that examines how institutions such as education, healthcare,
penal systems, and popular culture affect and oppress
communities of color and Native peoples. More importantly,
students examine the creative and complex ways in communities
of color and Native peoples respond and resist institutional and

social inequality. In doing so, program curriculum explores how
domestic issues are shaped by transnational processes and how
oppressions and resistances are shaped by intersections of race,
ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality. The Race and Resistance
Studies Program offers a minor undergraduate degree.
Additionally, the program houses new areas of study that may
become free-standing units. Currently, we are in the midst of
implementing our newest initiative in Arab and Muslim
Ethnicities and Diaspora (AMED) Studies. (SFSU
Website) http://ethnicstudies.sfsu.edu/depts2
Type a 1 page, double space essay: How does this book offer a
Counter-Narrative perspective in understanding U.S. hxstory?
Use examples from reading while connecting to the
definitions of Counter-Narrative.
Helpful Resources:
1. If you have not used the FSW Library database system
before, the librarians have provided a wonderful tutorial on how
to use their system: Library Research Tutorial (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site.
2. In the early stages of your research, you may find the FSW
Library's Research Guide for Composition II (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site.useful as well.
3. The Purdue OWL website provides an entire sample research
essay (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.; you
may find this sample helpful as you begin revising and editing
your paper.
Use this topic:
-Alcohol Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18?
Once professor approves topic you will do the Research Paper
Rough Draft
You must submit 250-750 words of your draft.do not pass 750
words. I am most interested in seeing the hook you use to catch
your audience's interest in the introductory section and in your

thesis statement (make sure you underline your thesis). You
must include at least one source in this draft; you should
display the correct usage of MLA in-text citations. Please also
use basic MLA format (headers, double spacing, etc.). At the
top of the draft, you may write 2-3 specific questions that you
would like me to address when I look at your draft. If you do
not list any questions or if they are not listed at the top, I will
comment on issues such as focus and development.
Research Paper Final Draft once professor comments on rough
draft above.
For the research project, you will select your own topic for a
1400-1600 word research paper in MLA format. Please note that
your final draft should fit within the word count, which includes
the works-cited list, given above.
You should include at least 5 sources that fit all the criteria
outlined in Chapter 8. At least two of these sources must
originate from the FSW Library database system. If you are
using the Internet for your other two sources, I recommend
using .edu sites do not use .coms Your paper should reflect
sound critical and analytical thinking.
one more time before submitting your essay. Check that you
have met the word count and research requirements, and make
sure the works-cited list appears at the end of the file use here
to help cite work http://www.easybib.com/
Follow the Rubix here:
Rubric
Preview: Research Paper Final Draft Rubric
Preview: Research Paper Final Draft Rubric
Criteria
Ratings
Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFOCUS
The 1-3 sentence thesis should be an underlined, well-phrased
argument that clearly analyzes the problem to be explored
within the paper. If appropriate to the topic, a solution may also

be identified within the thesis. The idea offered in the thesis
reflects sound critical, analytical thinking.
25.0 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
25.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeORGANIZATION
The examples and ideas developed in the essay should relate
directly to the thesis so that the essay does not stray from the
central idea. The writer should maintain focus and control of
argument so that the point of each paragraph is always clear.
The essay should flow from one idea to the next through the use
of strong topic sentences, transitions between paragraphs and
ideas, and repetition of key ideas, phrases, or images throughout
the entire essay.
20.0 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSTYLE
Writing is academic in tone, demonstrating a clear sense of
purpose and audience; writer's voice is evident -- confident and
sophisticated. Vocabulary and phrasing are academically
appropriate, persuasive, and sophisticated.
20.0 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDEVELOPMENT
The body of the essay, should fully and completely develop the

thesis of the essay and relate to the AUDIENCE and PURPOSE.
The writing should reflect a critical, analytical understanding of
the text. Each claim should be supported by clear evidence.
20.0 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRESEARCH
You are required to include 5 outside sources in your paper. At
least two of these sources must originate from the FSW Library
database system. If you are using the Internet for your other two
sources, I recommend using .edu sites and avoiding .coms (if
you are including a .com site, contact me before submitting the
paper).
25.0 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
25.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMECHANICS
AND PRESENTATION
The essay should display evidence of the writing/revision
process. The essay should include a variety of sentences marked
by varying opening words and structure; also, it should use
effective syntax and grammar, demonstrate a mastery of writing
conventions, and serve the author’s purpose. Finally, the essay
should meet the word count requirement, using appropriate font
and margin sizes.
20.0 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks

20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMLA
The essay should demonstrate consistent adherence to MLA
guidelines and have an accurate Works Cited page.
20.0 pts
Full Marks
0.0 pts
No Marks
20.0 pts
Total Points: 150.0
Chapter 8
6 Criteria for Evaluating Sources:
· Accuracy- information should be factual and free of errors
· Credibility- review the differences between popular and
scholarly sources; I recommend confining most of you academic
research to peer reviewed sources
· Objectivity- review what bias is- note that all sources have
some bias, but reputable authors try to remain as objective as
possible
· Currency- make sure you know when your source was
published
· Comprehensiveness- make sure your sources thoroughly
covers the topic under review
· Authority- try to identify your source's credentials- make sure
the source is qualified to write about the chosen topic.
Additional Criteria for Evaluating Websites
· Design- does the page’s design look professional? The
graphics and colors should not distract the reader from the
content
· Navigation- can you easily find the information that you need?
Reputable sites such as the Purdue OWL (Links to an external
site.)Links to an external site.include clear menus and a Site
Map to help readers browse their content
· Search engines- is the site searchable? Purdue OWL includes a

search box, FAQs, Fact Sheets, and a page entitled “How to use
the OWL” (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
When Experts Disagree
· If conflicting sources seem equally reliable, then continue
reading other authorities to determine whether a greater number
of experts support one opinion over another.
· If you are unable to decide, you may conclude that the
argument must remain unsettled. This is not failure. It is the
nature of controversy.
Helpful Resources:
1. If you have not used the FSW Library database system befor
e, the librarians have
provided a wonderful tutorial on how to use their system:
Library Research
Tutorial
(Links
to
an
external
site.)Links
to
an
external

site.
2. In the earl
y stages of your research, you may find the
FSW Library's Research Guide
for Composition II
(Links
to
an
external
site.)Links
to
an
external
site.
useful as well.
3. The Purdue OWL website p
rovides an entire
sample research essay
(Links
to

an
external
site.)Links
to
an
external
site.
; you may find this sample helpful as you begin
revising and editing your paper.
Use
this topic
:
-
Alcohol Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18?
Once professor approves topic you will do the
Research Paper Rough
Draft
You must submit 250
-
750 words of your draft.
do not pass 750 words.
I am most interested in
seeing the hook you use to catch your audience's interest in the
introductory section and in your
thesis statement

(make sure you underline your thesis
). You m
ust include at least one
source in this draft; you should display the correct usage of
MLA in
-
text citations. Please also
top of the draft, you may write 2
-
3
specific questions that you would lik
e me to address when I look at your draft. If you do not list
any questions or if they are not listed at the top, I will comment
on issues such as focus and
development.
R
esearch Paper Final Draft
once professor comments on rough draft above.
1400
-
1600 word research
paper in MLA format. Please note that your final draft should
fit wit
hin the word count,
which includes the works
-
cited list, given above.
You should include at least
5 sources that fit all the criteria outlined in Chapter 8
.

At
database system
. If you
are using
the Internet for your other two sources, I recommend using .edu
sites
do not
use
.coms Your paper should reflect sound critical and analytical
thinking.
o
ne more time before submitting your essay. Check that you have
met the word count
and research requi
rements, and make sure the works
-
cited list appears at the end of
the file
use here to help cite work
http://www.easybib.com/
Rubric
Helpful Resources:
1. If you have not used the FSW Library database system

before, the librarians have
provided a wonderful tutorial on how to use their system:
Library Research
Tutorial (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
2. In the early stages of your research, you may find the FSW
Library's Research Guide
for Composition II (Links to an external site.)Links to an
external site.useful as well.
3. The Purdue OWL website provides an entire sample research
essay (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site.; you may find this
sample helpful as you begin
revising and editing your paper.
Use this topic:
-Alcohol Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18?
Once professor approves topic you will do the Research Paper
Rough Draft
You must submit 250-750 words of your draft.do not pass 750
words. I am most interested in
seeing the hook you use to catch your audience's interest in the
introductory section and in your
thesis statement (make sure you underline your thesis). You
must include at least one
source in this draft; you should display the correct usage of
MLA in-text citations. Please also
top of the draft, you may write 2-3
specific questions that you would like me to address when I
look at your draft. If you do not list
any questions or if they are not listed at the top, I will comment
on issues such as focus and
development.
Research Paper Final Draft once professor comments on rough
draft above.
1400-1600 word research

paper in MLA format. Please note that your final draft should
fit within the word count,
which includes the works-cited list, given above.
You should include at least 5 sources that fit all the criteria
outlined in Chapter 8. At
database system. If you
are using the Internet for your other two sources, I recommend
using .edu sites do not
use .coms Your paper should reflect sound critical and
analytical thinking.
one more time before submitting your essay. Check that you
have met the word count
and research requirements, and make sure the works-cited list
appears at the end of
the file use here to help cite work http://www.easybib.com/
Rubric
Will Increasing Alcohol Availability By Lowering the Minimum
Legal Drinking Age Decrease Drinking and Related
Consequences Among Youths?
Alcohol use health con-
sequences are consider-
able; prevention efforts are
needed, particularly for
adolescents and college stu-

dents. The national mini-
mum legal drinking age of
21 years is a primary alco-
hol-control policy in the
United States. An advocacy
group supported by some
college presidents seeks
public debate on the mini-
mum legal drinking age and
proposes reducing it to 18
years.
We reviewedrecenttrends
in drinking and related con-
sequences, evidence on ef-
fectiveness of the minimum
legal drinking age of 21
years, research on drinking
among college students re-

lated to the minimum legal
drinking age, and the case to
lower the minimum legal
drinking age.
Evidence supporting the
minimum legal drinking age
of 21 years is strong and
growing. A wide range of
empirically supported inter-
ventions is available to re-
duce underage drinking.
Public health professionals
can play a role in advocating
these interventions. (Am J
Public Health. 2010;100:986–
992. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.
178004)
Henry Wechsler, PhD, and Toben F. Nelson, ScD

SINCE 1984 THE NATIONAL
minimum legal drinking age in the
United States has been 21 years.
During the intervening 25 years
there have been periodic efforts to
lower the minimum legal drinking
age, including recent legislation
introduced in 7 states, although
none of these bills have been
enacted. In 2008 a group of uni-
versity and college presidents
expressed their discontent with
the minimum legal drinking age of
21 years by signing on to the
Amethyst Initiative, a much pub-
licized advocacy effort to encour-
age public debate about lowering
the drinking age. This group of
college presidents, and their part-
ner organization, Choose Respon-
sibility, propose reducing the
minimum legal drinking age to
18 years. This policy change is
a central feature of a campaign
its organizers contend will help
young adults aged 18 to 20 years
make healthy decisions about al-
cohol and lead to reductions in
drinking and its negative effects.
Because the consequences of al-
cohol use are considerable, and
changes in the minimum legal
drinking age may have important
ramifications for health and safety,
this issue requires serious consid-

eration and participation from the
public health community.
ALCOHOL AND PUBLIC
HEALTH
Alcohol consumption is the
third leading actual cause of death
in the United States, a major
contributing factor to uninten-
tional injuries, the leading cause of
death for youths and young adults,
and accounts for an estimated
75 000 or more total deaths in the
United States annually.1–3 Alcohol
use is associated with a wide range
of adverse health and social con-
sequences, including physical and
sexual assault, unintended preg-
nancy, sexually transmitted infec-
tion, violence, vandalism, crime,
overdose, other substance use,
and high-risk behavior, resulting
in a heavy burden of social and
health costs.2,4,5 Drinking alcohol
most commonly begins during
adolescence and early initiation
of alcohol use is associated with
alcohol problems in adulthood.6,7
Underage drinkers drink on fewer
occasions, but when they drink
they are more likely to binge
drink.8,9 In recognition of the
harms caused by underage drink-

ing the US Surgeon General issued
a Call to Action in 2007 to pre-
vent and reduce drinking among
youths.5
MINIMUM LEGAL
DRINKING AGE IN THE
UNITED STATES
Minimum legal drinking age
laws have been a primary alcohol-
control strategy in the United
States for 75 years. When the 21st
Amendment to the US Constitu-
tion repealed Prohibition in 1933,
most states set a minimum legal
drinking age of 21 years, although
the specific provisions of the law in
each state varied.10 These laws
began to change in the 1970s
when many states lowered the
minimum legal drinking age along
with reducing the minimum age to
vote during the Vietnam War.11
The lower minimum legal
drinking age was followed by
increases in the sale and con-
sumption of alcohol and in
alcohol-involved traffic fatalities,
particularly among young adults
aged 18–20 years.12–14 On the
basis of these unintended health
consequences of the lower drinking
age, some states reinstated the

minimum legal drinking age of 21
years.15 By the early 1980s, this
situation created a patchwork of
differential legal restrictions across
states and contributed to the prob-
lem of underage youths in states
with a minimum legal drinking age
of 21 years driving to states with
a lower minimum legal drinking
age to purchase and consume al-
cohol. In direct response to these
concerns, Congress and President
Ronald Reagan worked to create
a consistent national drinking age.
The National Minimum Drinking
Age Act became law in 1984, re-
quiring that states prohibit the
purchase and public possession of
alcohol for persons aged younger
than 21 years in order to receive all
of their federal highway funds.16 By
1988 all states had a minimum
legal drinking age of 21 years.
TRENDS IN ALCOHOL USE
AND RELATED PROBLEMS
Overall in the United States,
alcohol consumption, heavy
COMMENTARY
986 | Commentary | Peer Reviewed | Wechsler and Nelson
American Journal of Public Health | June 2010, Vol 100, No. 6

drinking, and daily alcohol use
have declined among young adults
aged 18–20 years since the early
1980s, whereas shifts in drinking
behavior among young adults
aged 21 to 24 years have been
more gradual and less consis-
tent.17,18 Increases in binge drink-
ing have been observed among
young adults aged 21–24 years
in the past decade, but drinking
among those aged 18–20 years
has remained stable during this
time period for both college stu-
dents and their peers who were
not in college.19 Consistent with
declining trends in consumption,
the percentage of traffic fatalities
involving alcohol declined dra-
matically from the early 1980s
(when reliable national data first
existed) through 1997, when
rates leveled off.13 Figure 1 shows
these national trends in alcohol-
involved motor vehicle fatalities
for youths aged 16 to 20 years and
those aged 21–24 years with data
from the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration Fatality
Analysis Reporting System, a cen-
sus of deaths from traffic fatalities
in the United States.
COLLEGE STUDENTS AND

THE MINIMUM LEGAL
DRINKING AGE
Although heavy drinking
among older adolescents and
young adults has declined over the
past decades, no such declines
have occurred among college stu-
dents.17,18,20,21 College students
are more likely to engage in heavy
drinking than their peers who do
not attend college,19,22–24 with 2
in 5 students nationally engaging
in binge drinking on at least 1
occasion in the past 2 weeks.18,21
Approximately three quarters of
college students aged 18–20 years
drank alcohol in the past year,
although they are less likely than
their peers of legal drinking age
to drink and to engage in binge
drinking.8,19 The heaviest-drinking
college students are more likely
to have been heavy drinkers in
high school.25–29
College students are heavy
drinkers as a group, but drinking
behavior varies widely by col-
lege.30,31 College environments
that afford easy access to low-cost
alcohol, have few policies restrict-
ing accessibility to alcohol, and
have lax enforcement of existing

policies create the conditions for
heavy drinking among college
students.8,30,32–43 The Safe and
Drug-Free Schools and Commu-
nities Act requires college admin-
istrators to enforce the minimum
legal drinking age of 21 years,
a restriction that targets approxi-
mately half of the traditional col-
lege student population. However,
surveys of college administrators
indicate that enforcement of alco-
hol policies at most colleges is
limited, and colleges tend to focus
their prevention efforts on educa-
tional programs for students.44,45
One national survey found that
fewer than 1 in 10 underage stu-
dents who drink alcohol reported
experiencing any consequences
for violating alcohol policies im-
posed by their college.8
Although the level of enforce-
ment of the minimum legal
drinking age of 21 years is low
nationally, enforcement and com-
prehensiveness of policy restric-
tions do make a difference. At
colleges where campus security
strongly enforces the alcohol pol-
icy, students perceive the stronger
enforcement efforts and are less
likely to binge drink.34 Underage

students who attend college in
states with a comprehensive set of
control policies restricting under-
age drinking are less likely to
binge drink than underage stu-
dents in states with no similar
policies.8
THE AMETHYST
INITIATIVE ARGUMENT
The overall lack of progress in
reducing drinking and related
problems among college students
nationally is of concern to many
college officials.44 As of November
2009, presidents and chancellors of
135 colleges and universities have
signed on to the Amethyst Initiative
(http://www.amethystinitiative.org)
calling for a public debate about
lowering the minimum legal
drinking age to 18 years.46 Spe-
cifically, they suggest that the
current minimum legal drinking
age of 21 years is not working to
prevent youths from using alcohol
and experiencing the negative
consequences of drinking. The
Amethyst Initiative suggests that
the observed declines in drinking,
Source. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
FIGURE 1—Percentage of alcohol-related motor vehicle

fatalities among young adults aged 16 to 24
years, by age group: United States, 1982–2007.
COMMENTARY
June 2010, Vol 100, No. 6 | American Journal of Public Health
Wechsler and Nelson | Peer Reviewed | Commentary | 987
traffic fatalities, and related harms
since the minimum legal drinking
age of 21 years became law are
a result of other factors, such as
improvements in motor vehicle
safety, and not the change in the
minimum legal drinking age. Fur-
thermore, they contend that
drinking among young adults aged
18–20 years is being driven un-
derground by the minimum legal
drinking age away from bars—
where it is more carefully moni-
tored—to private parties, which
are less safe. Some college presi-
dents have expressed concern that
these unsafe drinking environ-
ments have contributed to an in-
crease in alcohol poisoning deaths
among youths and young adults.
They also argue that young adults
aged 18–20 years drink more re-
sponsibly in Western European
countries where the minimum le-
gal drinking age is lower.

Several researchers have
examined these and other asser-
tions regarding the minimum
legal drinking age of 21 years in
detail with available scientific
evidence.46–48 Public health pro-
fessionals should become familiar
with these arguments and the ev-
idence to advocate effective public
policy.
RESEARCH ON THE
MINIMUM LEGAL
DRINKING AGE
The minimum legal drinking
age has been perhaps the single
most studied alcohol-control pol-
icy.12,46,48,49 Differences in laws
among states and within states
over time have allowed re-
searchers to study the effect of this
policy and come to some reliable
conclusions. A review of 241
studies published between 1960
and 2000 that examined the
effects of lowering or raising min-
imum drinking age laws identified
135 high-quality studies in terms
of sampling, research design, and
having an appropriate comparison
group.12 Of the 79 quality studies
that examined the relationship
between the minimum legal

drinking age and traffic crashes,
58% found fewer crashes associ-
ated with a higher minimum legal
drinking age, whereas no study
found fewer crashes associated
with a lower minimum legal
drinking age.12 Consistent with
these findings, a higher minimum
legal drinking age was associated
with lower rates of alcohol con-
sumption and other alcohol-
related problems.12
Similar conclusions have been
reached by subsequent studies
that have accounted for other
prevention policies and demo-
graphic shifts over time.13,50–52
Although 1 recent study cited by
proponents of lowering the mini-
mum legal drinking age concluded
that the minimum legal drinking
age does not save lives, the au-
thors used methods that differed
from those of other studies.53 The
study compared states that adop-
ted the minimum legal drinking
age of 21 years early with those
who adopted it later and con-
cluded that later-adopting states
(i.e., states that were compelled by
the national policy) had no signif-
icant reduction in traffic fatalities.
The analysis shows that early and
late adopting states both had de-

clines that were similar in magni-
tude, but these trends were not
directly compared. They also ex-
amined overall fatalities, including
those that did not involve alcohol,
which would not be sensitive to
changes in the minimum legal
drinking age.
Another study of adults in the
United States found that those
who were legally able to purchase
alcohol before age 21 years were
more likely than those who could
not to meet criteria for alcohol
use disorder or another drug use
disorder later in life.54 Despite
uneven and sometimes lax en-
forcement, the best available
evidence suggests that the mini-
mum legal drinking age of 21
years has saved more than 800
lives annually among young adults
aged 18–20 years in the United
States.55,56
age is not a single law or the sole
policy designed to reduce heavy
drinking and related harms among
youths. It works in concert with
other laws and alcohol-control
policies. In addition to the effect of
the primary restrictions on pos-
sessing and purchasing alcohol,

other state laws that are designed
to restrict underage drinking in-
clude zero tolerance laws for
drinking and driving, administra-
tive driver’s license revocation,
restrictions on possession of a false
age identification, and mandatory
training for servers on policies and
procedures to prevent alcohol
sales to minors and persons who
are obviously intoxicated. In 1982,
only 36 laws of this type were
passed in all states. By 1997 the
cumulative total grew to 204 and
reached 245 in 2005.13
Recent research has examined
the relative contribution of these
policies and found that, in addition
to the effect of the national mini-
mum legal drinking age of 21
years, each of these policy restric-
tions is independently associated
with lower levels of drinking and
alcohol-involved fatalities among
youths aged younger than 21
years.8,12,13,50–52 Drinking among
youths and college students varies
by state and is strongly associated
with the level of drinking among
adults and state alcohol control
policies.33,57 States that had more
alcohol control policies and laws
to complement the minimum legal
drinking age of 21 years had lower

levels of drinking and related
problems among underage
youths.8,33,50,51
Private, off-campus residences
and bars are the most frequently
cited venues for heavy drinking
among underage college stu-
dents.8,58 However, licensed es-
tablishments are not the safe and
controlled venues for drinking
claimed by the Amethyst Initia-
tive. Despite state-level restrictions
on the purchase and consump-
tion of alcohol for persons aged
younger than 21 years, many col-
lege communities have local ordi-
nances that allow persons aged
18–20 years entry into bars. Un-
derage patrons are frequently able
to obtain alcohol and drink
heavily in off-campus bars, and
heavy drinking is associated with
disruptive and aggressive behav-
ior and physical altercations in
these venues.58,59 Studies in li-
censed establishments across
multiple communities have shown
that a high level of purchase at-
tempts by underage and obviously
intoxicated patrons are success-
ful.60–63 Yet when establishment
staff are trained and policies are
enforced, illegal alcohol sales to
these patrons are reduced.60,62

Countries with lower minimum
legal drinking ages do not fare
better. Contrary to the assertion
of the Amethyst Initiative, heavy
alcohol use among adolescents is a
common problem across Europe.
Frequent binge drinking among
adolescents aged 15 to 16 years
in many countries occurs at more
than double the rate as in the
United States.5,64,65 The Euro-
pean region has the highest overall
consumption of alcohol among
adults and the highest proportion
of alcohol-attributable deaths in
the world.65 Further, the experience
with lowering the minimum legal
drinking age in other countries is
COMMENTARY
consistent with what occurred in
the United States in the 1970s. In
1999 New Zealand lowered its
national drinking age from 20
years to 18 years, resulting in
significant increases in the occur-
rence of alcohol-involved emer-
gency room admissions and traffic
crashes among youths aged 15 to
19 years.66,67

One impetus for the reduction
in the US minimum legal drinking
age to 18 years in the 1970s was
the institution of the Selective
Service System to draft eligible
males aged 18 to 25 years into
compulsory military service dur-
ing the Vietnam War. The ratio-
nale was that men old enough to
serve in the military were old
enough to drink alcohol. Recent
research has pointed to the signif-
icant problem of binge drinking
among active duty military per-
sonnel, particularly among per-
sonnel who are underage, and
prompted concern over the nega-
tive impact drinking has on job
performance and preparedness.68
Alcohol-related deaths among
adolescents and young adults have
increased in recent years. The
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention provides the Alcohol-
Related Disease Impact software
to assess alcohol-attributable
mortality trends with data from
the National Vital Statistics System
(https://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/ardi/
HomePage.aspx). Table 1 shows
that alcohol deaths rose among
young adults aged 18 to 24 years
for 2001 to 2006, with slightly

higher increases among those
aged 21–24 years. Most of the
increase in deaths resulted from
poisonings attributable to alcohol
mixed with other substances,
including opioids and other nar-
cotics. However, alcohol poisoning
deaths for young adults aged
18–20 years in this category did
not increase and remain at about
9 or 10 deaths per year. Although
a limitation of the ARDI system
is that it assumes that the pro-
portion of poisoning deaths over
time that are attributable to alco-
hol is constant, these findings
are consistent with an observed
increase in the use of prescrip-
tion drugs such as Vicodin
and OxyContin among young
adults.18
The public discussion about
the minimum legal drinking age
has focused on such arguments
as whether the minimum legal
drinking age was indeed respon-
sible for observed declines in
drinking and related problems.
Less attention has been given to
the central tenet of the Amethyst
Initiative that a lower drinking
age would lead to declines in
drinking among college students
and related problems. There is no

scientific evidence to suggest that
a lower minimum legal drinking
age would create conditions for
responsible drinking or would
lead young adults aged 18–20
years to make healthy decisions
about drinking.
EXPERTS ASSESS THE
MINIMUM LEGAL
DRINKING AGE
age of 21 years has a strong legal
basis and considerable political
and empirical support.46 On the
basis of the collective weight of
evidence about the minimum legal
drinking age, panels of experts
and government agencies have
consistently concluded that the
national minimum legal drinking
age of 21 years is effective public
policy for reducing drinking and
related problems and recommend
closing loopholes in the law and
strengthening enforcement. A
report issued by the National In-
stitute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism (NIAAA) in 2002
recognized the distinct problem of
drinking among college students
and outlined a set of empirically
based interventions to prevent
and reduce drinking by college

students.69 A prominent recom-
mendation of this report was to
increase enforcement of minimum
drinking age laws.69 Other groups
that have concluded that the
minimum legal drinking age of
21 years is an effective policy
include the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, the
Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration,
the National Research Council and
TABLE 1—Trends in Alcohol-Attributable Mortality Among
Young Adults Aged 18–24 Years: United States, 2001–2006
No. of Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Among Young Adults Aged
18–20 Years No. of Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Among Young
Adults Aged 21–24 Years
Alcohol-Attributable
Deaths 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
% Change
2001 to 2006 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
% Change
2001 to 2006
Chronic conditionsa 56 53 54 55 51 51 –9.3 281 264 271 274
253 254 –9.8
Acute conditions

Motor-vehicle traffic
deaths
971 1042 987 988 980 980 0.9 1890 2004 1939 1966 2042 2058
8.9
Homicide 597 604 613 603 646 648 8.5 1201 1230 1245 1198
1276 1282 6.7
Suicide 262 256 253 274 265 265 1.3 569 580 580 589 582 584
2.6
Poisoning (alcohol) 9 10 12 11 10 10 13.2 21 28 19 24 24 25
17.5
Poisoning (not primarily
alcohol)
112 137 152 173 192 192 71.8 330 410 471 503 596 598 81.3
Nonhighway deaths 150 151 142 143 141 143 –4.5 267 269 255
258 255 260 –2.5
Total 2157 2251 2214 2247 2284 2289 6.1 4559 4784 4779 4812
5028 5060 11.0
Source. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Alcohol-
Related Disease Impact software
(http://www.cdc.gov/Alcohol/ardi.htm).
a
Chronic conditions refer to persistent long-term medical
conditions or diseases such as alcoholic myopathy, alcoholic
liver disease, or fetal alcohol syndrome. The specific conditions

considered
are available at: https://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/ardi.
COMMENTARY
Institute of Medicine of the Na-
tional Academies, the Centers
for Disease Control and Preven-
tion, the Office of the US Sur-
geon General, and the Governors
Highway Safety Association. The
American Public Health Associa-
tion has been vocal on this issue
as well,70 and in 2008 members
supported Policy Statement LB-
08-02: ‘‘Maintaining and Enforc-
ing the Age-21 Legal Drinking
Age.’’
REDUCING UNDERAGE
DRINKING AND RELATED
CONSEQUENCES
The Amethyst Initiative high-
lights the important and challeng-
ing problem of heavy drinking
among college students. Despite
considerable attention to this issue
since the early 1990s, very little
progress has been made in reduc-

ing drinking and binge drinking
among students.18,20,21 Colleges
and communities can do a number
of things to reduce and prevent
underage drinking. The NIAAA
College Drinking Task Force rec-
ommendations included imple-
mentation of public information
campaigns about, and enforce-
ment of, laws to prevent alcohol-
impaired driving, restrictions on
alcohol retail outlets, increasing
prices and excise taxes on alco-
holic beverages, and implement-
ing responsible beverage service
policies at on- and off-campus
venues.69 Few colleges have
implemented these recommended
policies and practices since the
release of that report (T. F. Nelson,
ScD, unpublished data, 2009).
The Amethyst Initiative has not
advocated, or taken a position on,
any of these empirically based
initiatives.46 It is difficult to imag-
ine how the college presidents
who may question the minimum
legal drinking age of 21 years
can enforce it on their campuses.
Public health professionals can
partner with colleges and help
acquaint administrators with ef-
fective alcohol-control strategies,
including policies such as the
minimum legal drinking age,

and counter the misleading mes-
sages issued by the Amethyst Ini-
tiative.
A major challenge to under-
standing and evaluating the best
available interventions is the lack
of consistent, ongoing surveillance
research from a national perspec-
tive. The Monitoring the Future
Study and the National Survey on
Drug Use and Health collect data
on young people of college age,
but, because of their designs, these
surveys lack the depth to evaluate
changes at the college level that
can reduce student drinking. The
Harvard School of Public Health
College Alcohol Study has con-
tributed to the understanding of
these issues because it specifically
studied students within colleges
and assessed the college environ-
ments, including policy and pro-
grammatic initiatives.30 However,
the most recent nationally repre-
sentative study of the College
Alcohol Study was conducted in
2001. A dedicated, ongoing sur-
vey is needed to understand
whether progress is being made to
reduce heavy drinking among
college students.
The weight of the scientific ev-
idence, evaluated by many experts

and government agencies, dem-
onstrates that the minimum legal
drinking age of 21 years is effec-
tive public policy for reducing
underage drinking and preventing
the negative consequences that
can result from underage drinking.
The evidence suggests that making
alcohol more available by reduc-
ing the minimum legal drinking
age to 18 years will lead to an
increase in drinking and related
harms. The evidence shows in-
stead that strengthening enforce-
ment and establishing policies to
support the existing minimum le-
gal drinking age are effective ap-
proaches to lower alcohol-related
morbidity and mortality among
youths. Public health professionals
can play an important leadership
role to prevent and reduce the
impact alcohol has on health by
advocating effective, empirically
supported alcohol-control policy
initiatives at the local, state, and
national level. j
About the Authors
Henry Wechsler is with the Department of
Society, Human Development and Health,
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston,
MA. Toben F. Nelson is with the University
of Minnesota School of Public Health
Alcohol Epidemiology Program,

Minneapolis.
Correspondence should be sent to Toben
Nelson, University of Minnesota, Division of
Epidemiology and Community Health, 1300
S Second St, Minneapolis, MN 55454
(e-mail: [email protected]). Reprints can be
ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking the
‘‘Reprints/Eprints’’ link.
This article was accepted December 21,
2009.
Contributors
H. Wechsler was the principal
investigator of the College Alcohol Study.
T. F. Nelson was a co-investigator of the
College Alcohol Study. Both authors
contributed to the conceptualization,
writing, editing, and approval of the
article.
Acknowledgments
The Harvard School of Public Health
College Alcohol Study was generously
supported by multiple grants from the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
We thank M. Stahre of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention Alcohol
Team for analysis of the Alcohol-Related
Disease Impact system.
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Alcohol related fatalities: is the drinking age the real issue?
James E. Peters
Restaurant Business. 85 (June 10, 1986): p326+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1986 CSP, LLC
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Full Text:

IS THE 21 DRINKING AGE THE REAL ISSUE?
As the nation raises its drinking age to 21, questions begin to
emerge regarding the long-term impact
of what some view as a form of Prohibition.
Advocates believe that the saving of lives is worth more than
the inconvenience placed upon the
public. Enforcement officials complain of an increased
responsibility without a simultaneous increase
in personnel or resources. Public policy researchers wonder if
we are creating a new class of
criminals, encouraging a disregard for the law and pressure to
move to other, more accessible drugs.
Restaurant operators and retailers feel singled out in "sting" and
"decoy" operations, believing that this
form of "entrapment" does not address the true problem--lack of
education and parental supervision of
youth.
"Federal legislation linking state highway funds to a drinking
age of 21 is another example of
government's use of cannon to kill a mosquito," says James
Schaefer, director of Alcohol and Other
Drug Abuse Programing at the University of Minnesota. "Our
research shows that less than one
percent of teenagers are ever involved in an alcohol-related
accident or fatality. To attribute the decline
in auto fatalities to the raising of the drinking age ignores the
tremendous amount of resources
dedicated to enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and
alcohol education in schools."
Alexander Wagenaar, associate research scientist for the
Transportation Research Institute, and one

of nation's leading research experts on the "21 issue" does not
necessarily agree. "From a research
perspective, the past decade and a half has provided us with a
very unique natural experiment. The
various changes in drinking ages in many states have been very
amenable to research. This provides
us with data on changes in the drinking age and the relationship
to highway accidents.
"Raising the drinking age has a significant effect in reducing
some alcohol-related problems in young
people," continues Wagenaar, "particularly in highway
accidents, where we have substantial data."
AGE IS A COMPONENT. Though Wagenaar does not attribute
the total effect to the age, he believes
it is an important component. "A policy which makes alcohol
more difficult to acquire for this high risk
population is part of a broad-based prevention orientation."
Recent statistics from the National Commission on Drunk
Driving seem to support raising the drinking
age. Between 1980 and 1984, there was a cumulative reduction
of 7,700 youthful (age 15-24) Alcohol
Related Fatalities (ARF). However, although ARF among 15- to
24-year-olds declined 25 percent,
non-ARF also declined 16 percent. While these changes are
significant, the general population had a
similar decline in ARF of 16 percent. What proportion of these
decreases can be attributed to drinking
age and drunk driving laws, and how much to other factors such
as safer cars, seat belt usage, and
improved emergency medical care is an important distinction.
An additional factor which seems to be excluded from many
studies is the effect of the aging of the

population. During the late '60s and early '70s, when drinking
ages were lowered, the "baby boom"
generation was in the middle of its adolescence period. Many
studies show that alcohol abuse is not
prevelant in males aged 15-24. Except for alcoholics, people's
drinking habits generally change after
http://www.cspnet.com/ME2/Default.asp
this age period. The question to ask today is, did the raising of
the drinking age during the late '70s
and early '80s have more of an impact than the general aging of
the population?
Furthermore, in addition to alcohol, use of marijuana and other
drugs by young people increased
during the time when most of these statistics about drunk
driving accidents were compiled. What
proportion of the accidents attributed to alcohol were really
related to these other drugs?
Wagenaar asserts that the method of evaluating the data was
controlled for the aging of the
population. However, Schaefer cites several recent studies
which indicate that the rate of accidents
among 19- to 20- year-olds has actually increased since the
drinking age was raised to 21. For
instance, in Illinois, where the drinking age was raised in 1980,
the number of all auto fatalities
declined 13 percent. But ARF of 19 to 20-year-olds increased

from 52 per year to 61 per year. This is
despite a decline in the number of licensed drivers in that age
group by almost six percent per
100,000 licensed drivers.
Data from the National Commission's report is based on the 15-
state sample from the Fatal Alcohol
Reporting System, which consistently tested 80 to 90 percent of
drivers killed in crashes from 1980-
1984. Since data from this sample was used to predict national
trends, it is interesting to note that
seven of the 15 states did not have 21 as the purchasing age
during the reporting period.
If the 21 purchasing age law is going to work, then it will have
to be accepted by the public as being of
substantial benefit, it must be complied with, and there must be
enforcement.
James Goldberg, general counsel to the National Alcoholic
Beverage Control Association, reports that
with the age increase, there has been an increased burden on
enforcement agencies. But these
agencies are not always getting increases in the number of
enforcement personnel, and are subject to
the same budgetary constraints as other governmental
organizations.
Because of these restrictions, ABC agencies are using selective
enforcement techniques for the public
exposure. Sting or decoy operations, using undercover minors to
attempt to procure alcohol illegally,
have been implemented throughout the country. Adverse
publicity in a local newspaper or radio report
about a bar or package store selling to a minor serves as an
effective deterrent to future violations--

especially, as in Florida, when the clerk or server is arrested,
facing fines up to $500.
Howard Rasmussen, commissioner of the Florida ABC, said that
his commission has received nine
additional investigators. With the drinking age going up to 21,
they have also added a toll free phone
number--1-800-AGE-IS21--for local citizens to report sales to
underage people.
Florida's "Strike program" is a sting operation. The first
violation for selling to an underage person
leads to a warning; the second, a final letter; the third, a $1,000
fine and a 20-day suspension; the
fourth, license revocation.
The Commission also rewards responsible business practices. A
clerk or a server who refuses to sell
to the undercover agent "receives a letter of congratulations
from the Florida Commission," points out
Rasmussen.
Underage drinking can be broken into two component parts:
purchasing alcohol through legal outlets,
both on- and off-premise; and obtaining alcohol from friends
who are of the legal drinking age.
Sting operations, increased awareness, and threats of lawsuits
for selling to underage persons has
increased the deterrent effect for the selling industry. However,
more needs to be done to equalize
enforcement. What should be done with the 18-, 19-, or 20-year-
old--legally an adult except for
purchasing alcohol--who commits an act of fraud by forging an
identification or in other ways
misrepresents his or her age in order to obtain alcohol?

"Have them arrested," asserts David Waddington, owner of
Graffiti Lounge in Connecticut. "When the
drinking age went up, we decided to change our marketing and
go after an older, more responsible
drinking crowd. We also wanted to improve our image in the
community. By going to the police, and
working out an action plan with them, whenever an underage
person attempted to get in using a false
identification, we would have them arrested. Detain them, call
the police, and prosecute. The word
spread quickly, and we had our goal."
INCONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT. But not all police and
judges are as cooperative as in
Waddington's community. Many restaurant operators report that
a minor arrested for using a false
identification is usually given a slap on the wrist and sent away.
There is no deterrent for the underage
person, nor in many cases, for the adult who buys for them.
In Florida, House Bill 128, filed by Representatives McEwan
and Martinez, would create a penalty of
driver's license suspension for any person who misrepresents his
or her age to obtain beverage
alcohol. Adults who provide alcohol to underage persons can be
prosecuted under Chapter 827.04 of
Florida laws for Child Abuse, and upon conviction, could
receive one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

How common is alteration and falsification of identification?
Keither Doerge, president of the Drivers
License Guide Company in California, believes that for the bar
or restaurant, counterfeit identifications
are more of a problem. "Although a driver's license can be
altered with new type and lamination, these
changes are easy to detect with a minimal amount of
observation. It is an out-of-state or foreign
identification that causes the most problems. The person
checking the identification needs to know if it
is valid for the state or country. They need to understand what
items should be checked, such as state
seal, camera numbers, signatures, etc."
EDUCATION IS NEEDED. Whether they are for or against
raising the drinking age to 21, most experts
and operators alike agree that what is needed most is more
education for young people about alcohol.
Yet how can educators overcome the contradictions created by
the new laws?
In most states where the drinking age was raised to 21, those
between the ages of 18 and 20 can still
be employed in a position where they "serve and sell" beverage
alcohol. A person in that age group is
considered responsible enough to determine when someone else
is able to drink, and to refuse
service to someone who has had too much. Is it realistic and fair
for the law to recognize responsibility
in one area and ignore it in another?
At the Second Northeast Conference on Responsible Beverage
Service held in Boston last November,
Judge William Bair Griffith, representing the National Council
of Juvenile and Family Court Judges,

suggested that it is important that everyone start with the same
understanding that there is no such
thing as responsible drinking for the underage drinker. "There is
no right way," says Judge Griffith, "to
do a wrong thing."
Yet this is what we are asking educators to do. Karen Jacobus,
director of the Western Massachusetts
Primary Prevention Center, must work within the constraints of
federal and state mandates which state
that drinking alcohol by underage persons is not appropriate--
and the reality that adolescents do drink.
Moreover, research has shown that they now begin drinking at a
younger age than ever before.
"We encourage responsible decision making rather than
responsible drinking," says Jacobus. "This is
more palatable to parents, especially knowing that strict rules
about not drinking do not allow for
discussion of the common question of what kids are supposed to
do in difficult situations."
Jacobus believes that a change in the law is not enough.
"Adolescents always test the limits of any
rules. Education is important, but it needs policy and
enforcement support from schools, communities
and parents."
The 21 debate will undoubtedly continue for many years to

come. But, we have to ask if we are
creating the very situations we have been working to correct for
the past two decades, namely,
disrespect for the use of alcohol; sneaking and lying about
consumption; underground and after-hours
partying with lack of public peer pressure to control it; and a
necessity to consume large quantities in a
short time period to avoid apprehension.
Schaefer believes these are all part of the behavior we saw
during Prohibition--sneaking, gulping, and
covering up. "Are we prescribing increased problem drinking
and drug use for young people? If they
fear getting busted if caught carrying a fifth of vodka or a case
of beer into a party, they may feel that a
gram of cocaine or several joints are easier to use."
Police and judges complain about the overcrowded legal system.
Will increasing penalties for
underage drinkers and third party purchasers do nothing more
than inspire police leniency because of
lack of time and space? Will they begin to excuse other deviant
behavior so as to avoid becoming
involved with alcohol possession?
Professionals and young people are beginning to recognize that
the problem is not just drinking, but
rather drinking and driving. A senior at Smith College recently
noted that during her trip to France,
where the drinking age is 16, "the challenge to drink was gone,
and few of her contemporaries noticed
if she was drinking or not." She noted, however, that the
problem of drinking and driving in France is
greatly reduced--not by controlling drinking, but rather by only
granting driver's license to people 18
years and older, and only after rigorous testing.

At the Second Northeast Conference on Responsible Beverage
Service, Robert Simpson, consultant
to the Addiction Research Foundation in Canada, also proposed
an alternative to focusing on the
"drinking end of the drinking and driving problem."
He suggested that more be done to extend the probationary
driver's license with a point system
encouraging good driving behavior. According to the plan, new
drivers would be issued a probationary
license with restricted privileges; it would take a minimum of
two years to become a non-probationary
driver. Convictions for alcohol-related offenses would add an
additional year to the process. The
advantage of such a plan, according to Simpson, is that it
rewards law-abiding behavior and it would
add little burden to the already overcrowded legal system and
present little conflict for police.
Despite the gains over the past few years in reducing alcohol
related fatalities, more than 8,000
youths lost their lives last year. We must continue to proceed in
developing strategies which will
reduce the occurrence of this national tragedy.
If the evidence continues to suggest that the 21 purchase age
has a significant impact on reducing the
loss of lives, then it should be continued, with public education,
increased enforcement, and equitable
sanctions.
However, if the hospitality industry continues to move in the
positive direction of recent years,
becoming more responsible in its service of beverage alcohol,
with diminishing tolerance for alcohol

abuse, then shouldn't we consider the positive benefits of
allowing young people to move away from
uncontrolled, illegal drinking situations to more controlled
environments?
Research must continue and a cooperative spirit expanded if we
are to truly eliminate this tragedy.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Peters, James E. "Alcohol related fatalities: is the drinking age
the real issue?" Restaurant Business,
10 June 1986, p. 326+. SPJ.SP01,
http://link.galegroup.com.db07.linccweb.org/apps/doc/A427479
1/SPJ.SP01?
u=lincclin_ecc&sid=SPJ.SP01&xid=cd3afeef. Accessed 4 Feb.
2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A4274791
Delgado 1
Eduardo Delgado

Dr. Sara Dustin
ENC 1102
07 February 2019
Should The U.S. Lower The Drinking Age To 18?
Since 1984, the legal drinking age has been 21 in the United
States. It was passed as the
National Drinking Age Act by President Reagan when he signed
the act into law and issued a
requirement that all states should raise their drinking age. Any
state that would go against the
directive would lose highway funding from the federal
government (Should the Drinking Age Be
Lowered From 21 To a Younger Age 1). The law has not
discouraged teenagers from drinking. It
has instead promoted underage binge drinking as the teens get
drunk in less controlled and
private environments. This has led to health and life-threatening
behaviors by young adults.
Should The U.S. Lower The Drinking Age to 18? is a topic that
keeps coming into question. The
article in procon.org tries to explain why the United States
government should lower the national
minimum drinking age from 21 to 18.

Before the act passed into law, every state had its drinking
age limit. Some states had
separate rules for hard liquor and beer. For instance, one would
be able to enjoy a cold beer at
age 18 but was not allowed to drink vodka until they reached
21. In the 1970s, teenagers living in
Western PA would drive to Ohio, where the drinking age was
18, and drink their hearts out
without having to worry about breaking the law. It was common
for teenagers to cross the border
and drink all night. Some also crossed to the other side, bought
alcohol and smuggled it back to
Western PA. The above example indicates that before the law
passed, teenagers went through
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
Condense (don't use the full title) and use quotation marks
around article titles
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
You need to provide evidence that the law has caused binge
drinking- this type of argument should appear in a body
paragraph and be supported by 1-2 authoritative sources
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973

I'm not sure how this supports your argument- it's best to
provide neutral facts/statistics. This type of example wouldn't
persuade an academic audience
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
However, the law (use transitions to improve flow)
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
Is this the thesis? If so, it should be a concrete statement and
appear at the end of the introduction. A complete sentence
should be underlined. Provide a clear proposal argument related
to the drinking age
Delgado 2
great lengths while trying to have a good time. Even though the
minimum age for drinking is
currently at 21, most people between ages 18 and 20 still take
alcoholic drinks.
Additionally, underage drinking is every day among university
and college students. The high
age of drinking leads to more young people consuming alcohol.
Something is satisfying about
doing forbidden things. It is has been said that the legal age of
21 does not limit teenagers from
drinking (Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered From 21 To a
Younger Age 1). It only makes

the teenagers drink while hiding, which causes extreme drinking
and they end up being
irresponsible.
Despite the law indicating that any person below the age of
21 should not be drinking,
17% of the total consumer spending for alcoholic beverages is
under the legal age. Also, almost
90% of underage drinking is done through binge drinking. That
shows that despite the legal limit
being 21 years, alcohol abuse is still prevalent among the youth
in the United States (Should the
Drinking Age Be Lowered From 21 To a Younger Age 2). Such
practices may be the reason why
there has been an increase in the number of alcoholics in the
past several years.
At 18 a person is considered an adult; if they commit an
offense, they are treated as an
adult not a minor or teenager. That shows that the law
recognizes any person who is 18 and over
to being an adult responsible for their actions (Wechsler and
Nelson 986). Therefore, they should
not be banned from drinking alcohol. If the age limit is lowered,
18-year-olds will be given the
rights and recognition they deserve. That will also end an

ineffective law that does not seem to
work since it is repeatedly broken. Critics have even compared
the drinking age in the United
States with other countries and confirmed that the law is too
harsh.
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
What rights and recognition are you referring to?
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
Be careful here with this comparison- see my comment on the
topic proposal
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
Again, you need to show evidence that there is a correlation
between the drinking age and alcoholism
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
Pronoun agreement error- you switch from singular to plural
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
Use your own wording/ideas in topic sentences
Delgado 3
Works Cited

"Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered From 21 To a Younger
Age." 9 October 2018.
ProCon.org. 4 February 2019 <https://drinkingage.procon.org/>.
Wechsler, Henry and Toben F. Nelson. "Will Increasing Alcohol
Availability By Lowering the
Minimum Legal Drinking Age Decrease Drinking and Related
Consequences Among
Youths?" American Journal of Public Health (2010): 986-992.
Sara Dustin
10990000000630973
Is this a database source? If so, you must provide the database
name to receive credit
Delgado 1
Eduardo Delgado
Dr. Sara Dustin
ENC 1102
15 January 2019
Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18?
1. The topic I selected focuses on explaining if the U.S.
government should lower the

drinking age to eighteen years old. In the United States, a
person who has reached the
age of 18 is allowed to operate a vehicle, vote, marry, own a
gun and even serve in
the military. Some of these things bear more responsibility than
drinking alcoholic
beverages. However, the legal drinking age in the country
stands at 21, a number that
is the highest in the world. President Reagan introduced the age
limit in 1984.
2. In Europe, the minimum drinking age is lower than 21, and
no one can stand and say
that Europeans are irresponsible since they start drinking at the
age of 18. I have
friends that at 18 they travelled to France as a group for a
couple of months. The way
they drank is not the same way European teenagers drink. My
friends being American
drank irresponsibly because they knew once they got back home
they would not drink
again until 21. The European teenagers drank less quantity in a
more social manner.
3. Before the law was passed, the legal drinking age varied from
one state to the other,

with some separating the age of drinking beer and hard liquor. I
know a family that
when they were teenagers lived in Pennsylvania and would
drive to Ohio where the
drinking age was 18. According to the stories they told me, kids
living near the border
used to cross over and drink the whole night. If the drinking age
is minimized, young
Delgado 2
people will not have to go through such hustle to have a good
time. Underage
drinking will also reduce drastically. They would also drink less
since it is readily
available legally.
4. This is an important topic because underage drinking is an
epidemic in the US. The
CDC reports that 11% of alcohol consumed in the US is from
illegal underage
drinking. World Health Organization in 2015 did a report that
showed in the United
States, 31% of road traffic deaths involve alcohol. This
percentage is higher than

many countries with a drinking age lower than 21 such as
France (29%), Great
Britain (16%), Germany (9%), China (4%), and Israel (3%).

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