We could go into many psychological factors that a high school student goes though in their health class such as, peer pressure or because you want to be “cool.” Insert tacky “Explaining Peer Pressure,” VHS, circa 1997, here. Regardless, there’s something glamourous about drinking at any age. Perhaps that’s why the cool kids do drink. Perhaps it’s the reason why Frasier spends an evening over a good bottle of sherry. What? Frasier was cool right?
The fact of the matter is there’s some sense of coolness that one gets out of drinking alcohol. In an underage drinking matter, it’s the risk that makes up for this coolness. A study, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states:
"Scientists believe that this lengthy developmental period may help explain some of the behavior which is characteristic of adolescence—such as their propensity to seek out new and potentially dangerous situations. For some teens, thrill-seeking might include experimenting with alcohol. Developmental changes also offer a possible physiological explanation for why teens act so impulsively, often not recognizing that their actions—such as drinking—have consequences.”
check out the study on underage drinking
Thus, we find that if the United States decreased there drinking age it decreases this risk, this high, this sense that drinking is so
me amazing thing to participate in.
So what is the whole idea of deglamorizing drinking? Under age drinking in America follows a stereotype that is wild fraternity parties, beer bongs, beer pong, drinking to be drunk. Sadly to say, being drunk in America is well, rather glamorous. Extreme intoxication can be seen in the media through TV. It’s in our music: “bottoms up,” “brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack,” Ke$ha, herself is a prime example for alcoholism. Alcohol ads feature young people, enjoying themselves with a bottle of beer or a glass of Skyy vodka. Jersey Shore, the most intoxicated reality show in existence, holds the top spot in viewer ratings in the age demographic that starts at only twelve years of age.
So how does the lowering the drinking age help deglamorize drinking? If kids are getting drunk because of what they see on TV or hear in music, doesn’t it make things worse? The fact of the matter kids are going to drink no matter what age because they are so sensitized to it. If we lower the age to 18 it would take away that risk that many underage drinkers find thrill in.
Because eighteen year olds would now be more accountable for their alcoholic decisions as DUI fines and punishments are greater than those of underage drinking. Sure, if we lower the drinking age, tons of 18-20 year olds will go out and drink as if Applebee’s happy hour was an all you can eat buffet, but they will learn real quick that there is more responsibility held when they are legal to drink as opposed to when they are not. It takes away the fun in just going out to get intoxicated, it takes away the fun, glamorous side of getting drunk.
If we were to lower the drinking age a tremendous focus would be on socialization with drinking and not drinking as socialization. This goes along with the world drinking stage as previously posted. We think that if we lower the drinking age and deglamorization occurs, it would prompt a alcohol national cultural phenomenon similar to many other countries. France is known for wine. Germany is known for beer. America is known for drinking. Perhaps if we lower the drinking age, America would slowly rid itself of its vices and disregard drinking as simply getting “wasted.”
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