Introduction
Almost ninety percent of African countries have no legalized age for young adults to engage in drinking. In some countries like the America set a law that 21 years is the legal drinking age for youth. According to DeJong, W. (2014), this age is good due to some health effects of early age drinking. But should this age be changed or legalized in every country in the world? This paper would discuss more on the effects of changing this law and the need to maintain the law.
This drinking age should be changed. The most evident effects of changing this drinking age is to reduce that high rate of school dropping out Plunk, A. D. (2015). College students drop out of school to engage in drinking. Youths at this age are not develop well mentally, 20 years individual and below behaviors under influence of alcohol is questionable. Misbehavior, sexual harassments among others. Drinking at young age may damage the brain cells and can lead to madness or mental disorders Hingson, R. (2014).
Though changing this age would bring massive merits to youths, this may also lead to breaking of rules that may lead to terrorism. Binge drinking would immerge as a result. This is due to the feeling that they are restricted so much yet they feel they are of adult age. Health problems related to this is much intense. According to Trollian, T. L. (2016) the students creative thinking is affected and this can lead to future plans failures. Age of 18 years is adult hood age, thus the youths should be allowed to do as they wish. Binding them under the law for them not to drink at this age may result them to excessive drinking when they are of age to drink Snider, S. E. (2016). This may result to recklessness.
In conclusion the age of 18 years for drinking is perfect considering the countries where even children below this age are alcoholic.
REFERENCE
DeJong, W., & Blanchette, J. (2014). Case closed: research evidence on the positive public health impact of the age 21 minimum legal drinking age in the United States. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, Supplement, (s17), 108-115.
Hingson, R., & White, A. (2014). New research findings since the 2007 Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A review. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 75(1), 158-169.
Plunk, A. D., Agrawal, A., Tate, W. F., Cavazos-Rehg, P., Bierut, L. J., & Grucza, R. A. (2015). Did the 18 drinking age promote high school dropout? Implications for current policy. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 76(5), 680-689.
Snider, S. E., LaConte, S. M., & Bickel, W. K. (2016). Episodic future thinking: Expansion of the temporal window in individuals with alcohol dependence. Alcoholism: clinical and experimental research, 40(7), 1558-1566.
Trolian, T. L., An, B. P., & Pascarella, E. T. (2016). Are there cognitive consequences of binge drinking during college?. Journal of College Student Development, 57(8), 1009-1026.
