LEGAL DRINKING AGE

Background

• Current drinking age: 21
• Due to National
• Minimal Drinking Age Act
• of 1984.

WHY?

• Teens become intoxicated twice as fast as adults.
• Teenagers' brains are not fully developed.
• It reduces car crashes and mortality rates.

CONTINUED

• When the drinking age is lowered,
• statistically, teens drank more.
• Teen mortality rate was twice
• today's rate (6,000 youth deaths).

WHY NOT LOWER THE AGE?

• Individuals from age 18-25 are
• entering a more responsible stage in life.
• Younger teens are dependent and irrational.
• Thus, they are not able to make sound decisions
• in their cognitive state at these ages.

TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT

• If the drinking age is lowered,
• many younger individuals(preteens)
• will be influenced to drink and such
• substances will become more
• accessible to them.

BUT THE EUROPEANS!

• In Europe, the drinking age is lower.
• The idea that Europeans have less problems
• with teen drinking is a myth.
• In fact, Europe has more underage drunkenness,
• injury, rape, and educational problems due to alcohol.

EFFECT OF CURRENT DRINKING AGE

• More than 25,000 lives have
• been saved since the act in 1984.
• It decreased car crashes by an estimated 16%.
• The delay of legal drinking lowers the chance of
• drinking and drug problems for individuals later in life.

Connection

• Respect for life means that, as
• human beings and Catholics,
• we need to show dignity and
• respect to each other's lives and
• our own.

Health

• The drinking age of 21
• promotes physical,
• environmental, developmental,
• and social health.

Continued

• We promote life when we
• support the Minimal Drinking Age
• Act and follow it dutifully.

Society

• Our society and our government
• has the duty to promote safety
• and protect life.
• By restricting the drinking age to
• 21, a secure society is created.

Opinions

• The current drinking age is
• beneficial. Studies have proven
• that thousands of lives are saved
• and it promotes teen health.

Questions

• Why can you fight for your country
• at age 18, but cannot drink?
• Why haven't other countries adopted
• our legal drinking age laws?

SOURCES

• www.madd.org
• www.drinkingage.procon.org
• www.4prevention.wordpress.com
• www.abcnews.go.com